Copper Mountain Resort has opened the Red’s Backyard hike-to rail garden in similar fashion to last year.

The rail garden opened late last week in the same location as last year — looker’s right of the Woodward Superpipe just above the Center Village base area.

Copper Mountain spokesperson Taylor Prather wrote in an email that the hike park is once again free for guests to ski or ride as long as they pick up a free ticket and sign a waiver before accessing the rail garden, which is segmented off with red fencing from other base area ski runs.

Prather said the Red’s Backyard area has the same COVID-19 rules and guidelines as the rest of the terrain at the resort, including guests having to wear a mask at all times, except when they are more than 6 feet away from others. The park includes five to six small and medium features.

Red’s Backyard is a project Woodward Copper and Olympic gold medalist Red Gerard of Silverthorne and his family brought to Copper Mountain with the idea of providing a free or low-cost skiing and riding option to those who might not be able to afford a traditional lift ticket. The rail garden’s name is inspired by the actual backyard park the Gerard family has at their home near Silverthorne.