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Copper Mountain keeps its annual safety week running because it's become part of Copper's culture.
“It's amazing to see the focus that even the lift operator has on safety,” Copper spokesman Pete Woods said. “I think we've proven you can have fun with it.”
For example, all departments compete for a half-day cat trip for their staff by decorating their corner of the resort to represent safety.
“People are going off,” Woods said. “Each of the departments really get into it.”
Many ski resorts participate in safety week, but Copper won the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) award last season for “Best Overall Safety Program” for resorts with skier visits over 250,000 per year.
“It's a movement across all the NSAA resorts,” Woods said. “The feeling behind it is, if we can get one strong push, we can make an impact on educating the skier or rider on what safety's all about and what it means to them.”
Safety Fest is a chance for ski area staff and outside organizations to showcase season-long safety efforts. Copper's Center Village is the headquarters for information from:
• National Ski Patrol
• US Forest Service
• Copper Fire Department
• Summit County Rescue Group
• Copper Mountain Safety Patrol
• Copper Mountain Ski Patrol and the Avalanche Dogs
• Woodward at Copper
• St. Anthony Copper Clinic
• Flight For Life
Summit County Rescue Group can provide information on backcountry and side-country skiing awareness as well as beacon training, while Woodward at Copper features progression training and terrain park safety.
Additionally, there will be on-mountain opportunities to see, first-hand, how skiers and riders are kept safe in Copper's daily operations.
Ski Patrol is offering toboggan demonstrations, deep-snow safety-tips and the chance for a limited number of volunteers to do the afternoon sweep with them. Those interested can sign up at the National Ski Patrol booth in Center Village. Sweep begins at 4 p.m. at Timberline Patrol headquarters.
Other highlights include the 10 a.m. Sunday landing of the Flight for Life helicopter at Patrol Headquarters above the Excelerator Lift. Tours are available of the helicopter throughout the day.
The avalanche dogs will also be on duty; every day at 12:30 p.m., patrol will hold avalanche dog drills in the Burning Stones Plaza at Center Village. Visitors can also stop into Patrol Headquarters and Timberline Patrol all weekend to see the innards of Ski Patrol and have hot cocoa with the patrollers. Visiting children can collect trading cards of the Copper Mountain Avalanche Dogs, which support Copper's “Lift Safety Tips.”
Safety Fest also features prizes, given away daily at 1 p.m.
To be eligible for the drawings, fill out a Safety Fest punch card by visiting all the tents and getting a punch from each. Cards are available from resort ambassadors or at the “Copper Safety Zone” tent. Prizes and giveaways total more than $7,000 and include lodging at Copper, a Tucker Cat trip, tubing passes, ski tunes, a Copper Season Pass, a Snow Day Pass, single-day lift tickets, athletic club passes, golf for four, helmets, hydration packs — and more.
During Safety Week, Copper is promoting lift safety with new kid-friendly signage and messaging throughout the West Village, where the new Union Creek High Speed Quad is located. New signage will promote important “Lift Safety Tips” by Copper's Critters, who were introduced last year through Copper's Critterland.
Copper's “Heads Up” messaging — a reminder to avoid those below, be alert and pay attention — continues this year, with new signage on the slopes and website aimed at helping Copper's Mountain Safety Patrol influence skiers and riders to ski in control and within their ability.
Copper's safety messaging also encourages hydration, skiing with a buddy and wearing helmets. Guests can learn more about these topics and obtain free water and fun safety stickers from the booths at Center Village.
Frisco Elementary's third graders are supporting Copper's Safety Fest through artwork. It hangs in the corridor adjacent to Jack's Cafeteria, and is based on “Your Responsibility Code” or any of the elements of “Smart Style” terrain park safety. It will be submitted to NSAA for the 2012 Kids' Safety Week Poster Contest.
“It's amazing to see the focus that even the lift operator has on safety,” Copper spokesman Pete Woods said. “I think we've proven you can have fun with it.”
For example, all departments compete for a half-day cat trip for their staff by decorating their corner of the resort to represent safety.
“People are going off,” Woods said. “Each of the departments really get into it.”
Many ski resorts participate in safety week, but Copper won the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) award last season for “Best Overall Safety Program” for resorts with skier visits over 250,000 per year.
“It's a movement across all the NSAA resorts,” Woods said. “The feeling behind it is, if we can get one strong push, we can make an impact on educating the skier or rider on what safety's all about and what it means to them.”
Safety Fest is a chance for ski area staff and outside organizations to showcase season-long safety efforts. Copper's Center Village is the headquarters for information from:
• National Ski Patrol
• US Forest Service
• Copper Fire Department
• Summit County Rescue Group
• Copper Mountain Safety Patrol
• Copper Mountain Ski Patrol and the Avalanche Dogs
• Woodward at Copper
• St. Anthony Copper Clinic
• Flight For Life
Summit County Rescue Group can provide information on backcountry and side-country skiing awareness as well as beacon training, while Woodward at Copper features progression training and terrain park safety.
Additionally, there will be on-mountain opportunities to see, first-hand, how skiers and riders are kept safe in Copper's daily operations.
Ski Patrol is offering toboggan demonstrations, deep-snow safety-tips and the chance for a limited number of volunteers to do the afternoon sweep with them. Those interested can sign up at the National Ski Patrol booth in Center Village. Sweep begins at 4 p.m. at Timberline Patrol headquarters.
Other highlights include the 10 a.m. Sunday landing of the Flight for Life helicopter at Patrol Headquarters above the Excelerator Lift. Tours are available of the helicopter throughout the day.
The avalanche dogs will also be on duty; every day at 12:30 p.m., patrol will hold avalanche dog drills in the Burning Stones Plaza at Center Village. Visitors can also stop into Patrol Headquarters and Timberline Patrol all weekend to see the innards of Ski Patrol and have hot cocoa with the patrollers. Visiting children can collect trading cards of the Copper Mountain Avalanche Dogs, which support Copper's “Lift Safety Tips.”
Safety Fest also features prizes, given away daily at 1 p.m.
To be eligible for the drawings, fill out a Safety Fest punch card by visiting all the tents and getting a punch from each. Cards are available from resort ambassadors or at the “Copper Safety Zone” tent. Prizes and giveaways total more than $7,000 and include lodging at Copper, a Tucker Cat trip, tubing passes, ski tunes, a Copper Season Pass, a Snow Day Pass, single-day lift tickets, athletic club passes, golf for four, helmets, hydration packs — and more.
During Safety Week, Copper is promoting lift safety with new kid-friendly signage and messaging throughout the West Village, where the new Union Creek High Speed Quad is located. New signage will promote important “Lift Safety Tips” by Copper's Critters, who were introduced last year through Copper's Critterland.
Copper's “Heads Up” messaging — a reminder to avoid those below, be alert and pay attention — continues this year, with new signage on the slopes and website aimed at helping Copper's Mountain Safety Patrol influence skiers and riders to ski in control and within their ability.
Copper's safety messaging also encourages hydration, skiing with a buddy and wearing helmets. Guests can learn more about these topics and obtain free water and fun safety stickers from the booths at Center Village.
Frisco Elementary's third graders are supporting Copper's Safety Fest through artwork. It hangs in the corridor adjacent to Jack's Cafeteria, and is based on “Your Responsibility Code” or any of the elements of “Smart Style” terrain park safety. It will be submitted to NSAA for the 2012 Kids' Safety Week Poster Contest.
