The map is beautiful. Simple and clear, it lays out Ski Cooper’s nationwide regiment of partners. Buy the mountain’s $299 ($249 for renewing passholders) season pass, and get three days of skiing at each:

There are 48 partners and almost no blackouts. It is the largest and most straightforward reciprocal lift ticket coalition in North America.

Ski Cooper’s sprawling season pass access is also the logical end state of a lift-served skiing universe increasingly defined by the Epic and Ikon passes, with their dazzling collections of poke-through-the-clouds resorts, relentless marketing, and fantastically achievable price points. Small ski areas, sitting alone, have a harder story to tell and far fewer resources to do it. Band together, and the story gets more interesting. And Ski Cooper is telling one of the best stories in skiing.

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Ski Cooper has plenty going for it: a base elevation above 10,000 feet, guaranteeing both frequent and long-lasting snow; 470 acres of varied terrain; a low-key atmosphere for skiers burned out on megresorts; a mountain-management philosophy that eschews over-grooming and values snow in its natural state; and an impressive Cat-skiing operation. It’s a nice little top-of-the-world ski area:

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