Coppervale Ski Area Lassen County’s own ski haven provides the essentials for a quality family outing
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Norm Wilson, manager of Coppervale, explains snowboarding technique to Maddyn Gunn. Photos by Susan Cort Johnson
Norm Wilson helps Greysen Kinsey learn to snowplow down a slope near the lodge at Coppervale.
Jay Williams, head of the ski patrol at Coppervale, shows Cameron Sawyer how to snowboard.
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f there’s snow on the ground in Lassen County, then it’s time to hit the slopes at Coppervale Ski Area. Once the snow arrives, so do the dreams of skiers and snowboarders aching to be released onto packs of powder provided by the local ski area, located off of Highway 36 between Susanville and Westwood. The more snow on the ground, the more enthusiastic the expectant skiers and snowboarders become of a great season. Coppervale is operated on a seasonal basis as snow conditions allow and offers the perfect opportunity for beginners, families and advanced skiers alike. “This is a good way to get the kids away from the TV,” said Norm Wilson, manager of Coppervale Ski Area. “It’s a great family thing also. You can sit here at the lodge and watch your kids do laps. It’s not like Tahoe where they can get lost two ridges over. It’s just a really good place to be. It’s a community atmosphere and that’s the way we like it.” Coppervale brings in locals as well as numerous skiers from all over the world looking for an intimate experience. According to Wilson, the ski area keeps busy during the wait for the weather in the off season, grooming and making sure everything is perfect for the ski area to open when the snow arrives. Coppervale, formerly owned and operated through Lassen Community College, but now run entirely by volunteers, features a poma lift and a rope tow to carry skiers and snowboarders up 800 vertical feet of good times. The area also boasts a terrain park, which allows opportunities for every skill level from beginner to expert.
Coppervale also caters to families, as the size allows you to easily keep an eye on each other. There are always lessons available for anyone who would like them, while the full-featured terrain park and half-pipe offers the more daring folks in the crowd a chance to spread their wings and fly. Ski and snowboarding lessons are offered Saturdays and Sundays. Beginners can start on a slight slope just to the west of the lodge, and eventually move over to the more intermediate rope tow and finally on to the poma lift. The poma lift was installed in 1977 and offers a one-of-a-kind experience as it hauls each snow lover to the top of the mountain where they can enjoy incredible panoramas of the Goodrich Creek Valley below. Wilson has been running the mountain for more than 32 years. He isn’t able to predict when the ski area will open for the winter and said Coppervale opens whenever Mother Nature feels like blanketing the area with snow. As Lassen County locals know, winter weather is unpredictable but once it comes, the snow provides the ski area with ample amounts of white powder for the enjoyment of all. Coppervale is open from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, when the weather permits. Daily lift tickets are $25 and $20 for half-day passes. Season passes are $150 for students, $175 for adults and $350 for a family. According to Wilson, the family package is the best deal as the price is set regardless of family size. For more information or current conditions, call (530) 257-9965. ❖
Lassen County Visitors Guide 2014-15