Help Needed: Advanced/expert run recommendations for RMSP+ resorts?

[a_banana]

Hiya, divas!

So, I've been skiing on my RMSP+ pass since early December and I am having a lovely season - I've got 20 days in so far and have progressed to the point where I'm comfortable on every black diamond groomer I've skied. In fact, on my trip to Steamboat last week, I skied more blacks in three days than I had skied all season. Hooray!

After the success I had at Steamboat, I'm ready to start trying some more challenging runs/piste at the places I usually ski, namely, Winter Park and Copper Mountain. And that's where you big-brained, experienced divas come in - what should I ski next?

If it helps, I'm a self-assessed aggressive Level 6/7 skier, meaning I can carve, link dynamic turns and pole plants on groomed steeps and some ungroomed, but have almost no idea about moguls and still struggle a bit when the chowder turns into mini-moguls. I have never skied in good quality, untracked powder for more than ten seconds.

At Copper, I usually warm up on any of the blues off American Eagle and the switch to the easier stuff off Super Bee, e.g. Andy's Encore, Oh No, and Rosi's Run (challenging, but fun when groomed, a nightmare otherwise).
At Winter Park, I like Hughes->Norwegian, Edelweiss/Bluebell/Roundhouse, Mary Jane (the run), Parry's Peak on Parsenn Bowl...you get the point. At Steamboat, I LOVED Storm Peak, Middle Rib, Longhorn, Two O'clock, Westside/Rolex; Hurricane was so so, hated Drop Out.

Any suggestions? I would prefer groomed or more sane ungroomed blacks at WP or Copper, though I understand there are many more that I haven't skied. I'm also open to entry-level bump runs. My goal is to get to a place where I can ski everything confidently and safely, with bumps then trees as my next big goals.

As a corollary, do you think I'm ready to try any double black diamonds at either resort? And could anyone explain the difference? Like, are double blacks all just OMFG super steep with more, gnarlier, variable snow and terrain, or is it more of a linear progression from a single black diamond?

I realize this was TL;DR four paragraphs ago, but when I was looking for Internet advice, I stumbled upon Andy's Ski & Ride Guide for Copper Mountain. I thought it was helpful and hopefully others will as well! He also makes a guide for Vail, Breck, and Keystone if you're interested.

THANK YOU!

 

[bounceswoosh]

As a corollary, do you think I'm ready to try any double black diamonds at either resort? And could anyone explain the difference? Like, are double blacks all just OMFG super steep with more, gnarlier, variable snow and terrain, or is it more of a linear progression from a single black diamond?

I can't give you detailed suggestions for Copper and WP.

Some double blacks are steeper than single blacks. Some are narrower. Some seem so mellow you'd think they should be a single black, but then you get on them in nasty conditions and realize they're slick as snot no fall zones ... some have protruding rocks ...

In general they're going to be harder than a single black at the same resort (of course), but the specific reason could be almost anything.

 

[Little Lightning]

I ski Copper approximately 4 days per week. I'm injured so I've been spending lots of time in Timberline and the greens in Union Creek. That said, it sounds like you haven't ventured much on the west side of the mountain. I prefer the runs off Timberline lift because they are natural snow and don't skied off like the runs under SuperBee. The only run I avoid is Windsong, it gets skied lots and conditions remind me of Rosi's run. Rosi's is nasty because it's used early season for the US Ski team so it starts the season with a hard frozen surface. Ptarmigan and CDL, off Excelerator lift are good blues when groomed. You also have Formidable and Triple Treat off the Alpine lift. Triple Treat can get very bumpy but it's a great run when it's been groomed. If you want a good challenge Triple Zero would be a good one to try, make sure it's groomed. It's not very long but it's steep and still freaks me out (I'm afraid of heights). It's worth it to make it down because Cross Cut is a nice gromer. The only other way to get to Cross Cut is from Spaulding Bowl. Don't wander into the runs to the left as they aren't groomed and are pretty bumpy.
If you've never been to Copper Bowl it's a must see for the views. Take The Rendevous chair to the Otto Bahn. You can take the Otto Bahn to the Mountain Chief chair or follow all the way to the BlackJack chair. You can also take Alcante down to the BlackJack chair.
Finally, my favorite, is Sierra. You can take the chair up and come down the ridge, boring or go down into the bowl to Golddigger. It's not black and usually groomed but it's a nice introduction to that area.
To practice bumps go to Tempo. It's on skier's left off of Copperfields. It's hard to find so not many people ski it. It's not steep and it's a great little spot to practice.
Copper has so much more to offer but I tried to keep you on the groomers and suggested places that my ski instructors often took us when I took lessons.

 

[Kimmyt]

I don't really know much about the names of runs (I will try and look at a trail map here so I can be more specific) but what @Little Lightning said was pretty spot on for Copper. For easier ungroomed, since she covered a lot of groomed; Copper Bowl, with all the sun recently, will likely be firm and refreeze in the early day. If it warms up enough it may get soft and springlike which is lovely. The best intro runs in Copper bowl are to lookers Right as you ride up the Mountain Chief lift. You will see a wide and inviting gully like thing that is the easiest pitch up there. By looking at the lift map it tells me this is either called Six Shooter or Julie's Vision. I think Copper Bowl in general is pretty good easy pitches with the exception of some of the stuff that you have to take the cat track/hike up to along the West Ridge. In fact, if you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can go ski Lalarookin either by taking the long walk along the West Ridge or riding the cat up. Lalarookin is the wide valley at the saddle where sometimes the cat drops you off (or where it turns to go up to Tucker). On the map it says Lalarookin is double black but it is more like blue or blue/black. Elsewhere.... if you take the T-bar up and take the cattrack that brings you out to Copper bowl, instead of going all the way into copper bowl you can drop down at the edge of Upper Enchanted. It is kind of above Rendesvous lift and it is fairly low angle but sometimes the snow can get tricky and windslabby so it's better when the snow is nice.

For WP... I don't know as much because I mostly spend my time on Jane side and am mostly in the trees and bumps. Sleeper is a good, typically groomer that is under Challenger. There are bumps along skier's right that you can play with but I prefer to just ski the groom and then about 3/4 of the way down keep your eye open for a small trail entrance to the left where a little blue bump run is called Sleepy Hollow. It is super fun and often holds very nice snow. It does run under the lift, though, so if you are shy you might not like it. I find the bumps on it very easy pitched and friendly. For a similar run, but longer and with a bit more of that leg killing MJ action Gandy Dancer off of the Jane trail is quite fun. Up higher, you mentioned skiing Parsenn Bowl but only a certain part of it. I find that most of the bowl itself is quite friendly, no more than blue. And even the trees if you head directly down from the bowl are quite flat. The exceptions are skiers left if you stay high off the lift and traverse a bit you can find some pitch. For very easy and fun trees, or runs with easily accessible trees just off the side, Sunnyside lift is good. The Wildwood glade there can be very fun if you have a friend and are ready for the challenge. Or just ride the blues under there and try a few trees off the side of the trail (Bluebell trail has some fun ones).

My only rec is to avoid the trail Trestle until you're pretty comfortable with bumps. Although it's only rated single black, it's a pretty challenging and pitchy run and the bumps can get massive. Plus it ends with a huge long traverse back to Jane base so your legs will be trashed. If you want the challenge though, it can be great fun and doesn't see a massive amount of traffic for those reasons.

 

[BethL]

At Winter Park, Over 'n Underwood (blue/black) and Engledive (black) are nice for practicing bumps. You can get to both from the Prospector lift. Bradley's Bash (blue/black) is somewhat steep and is half groomed, half bumps. Turn left from the top of the Eskimo left and go back behind the lift and slightly to the right to get to it. Retta's Run (black) is directly under the Eskimo Lift and is a harder bump run; I like to say that it's harder than it looks from the lift.

On the Mary Jane side, I like to do a series of bump runs that start under Super Gauge. Under the lift, go slight right through the trees, then across the flat road to a short bump run. At the bottom go left (right will be the Mary Jane trail). Go back under Super Gauge and head down under it until you see a sign to the left. If you go straight, the run gets harder. Turn left and go through the trees to another run. Turn right to go down that run (bumps, but not too hard). You'll then be at the top of the Pony Express lift. Turn left to get to another short bump run. That will take you to the Mary Jane trail.

Have fun!

 

[just jane]

Thirding the Copper suggestions. It's my home mountain and when I started venturing off groomers, DH took me to the Copper Bowl. It's probably the easiest bowl at Copper. If the snow is good, it's a great place to stretch yourself a little bit. Now that I'm getting more comfortable on the easier runs in Copper Bowl in variable snow conditions, DH has taken me down Union Peak once or twice. That's a bit steeper so pick your line carefully and pick a day when there's decent snow (might not happen again this year. :-(. I still traverse a lot on that one and I think I've made it down without falling once of the ... 3 or 4 times I've done it.

I skied my first double diamond last spring when they groomed Triple Zero and was intimidated at first but after I got down it once I had a blast and did several laps before it got too cruddy in the spring conditions. (Conversely, I tried it a few weeks ago when it hadn't been groomed and regretted it - it nearly scared the pants off me.) I'm at the point now, confirmed by trips to Purgatory and Telluride last week, that I think I can ski just about anything that's groomed.

I'm not sure what the runs are called off of skier's left on the T-bar, but if the snow is okay those are great places to stretch out too, and venture into the trees a bit - with a buddy, of course.

I've started playing around in - I can't think of the name of it - the easier bump run off of the Timberline lift. It's pretty mellow and adjacent to one of the groomers so you can bail if you need to.

Also, on a good snow day, it might be worth taking the snowcat up to Tucker Mountain. Some of the terrain up there is pretty reasonable and not as steep as you would think. I've done it twice and survived both trips. It sounds like we're pretty close in ability so I think you'd be fine.