Ski with a park ranger in the heart of the Rockies

Maggy Wolanske
·3 min read

(LEADVILLE, Colo.) — Exploring the wonders of Mother Nature, while skiing in the heart of the Rockies, provides an unmatched educational adventure. Thanks to a partnership between Ski Cooper and the Comanche National Grasslands Leadville Ranger District, a special interactive guided tour waits for visitors eager to experience the mountain in a new way.

“It’s an opportunity for people to come and ski around with some of our local rangers and kind of get a flavor of the mountain itself,” President and CEO of Ski Cooper, Dan Torsell said. “Maybe a history lesson, maybe something to do with wildlife. There’s a lot of opportunities for learning and teaching in a situation like this and people seem to really enjoy it.”

On Sundays, these park rangers can be spotted walking the base of the mountain and inviting visitors to join in the adventure. Once the clock hits 1:00 p.m., it’s time to hop on the chairlift and embark on an unforgettable mountain experience.

“We’re here every weekend at 1 p.m. providing, basically, a free tour of the mountain, where we talk about the vegetation, the different species, and the history of Ski Cooper,” Volunteer for Ski Cooper Forest Service, Shana Cohen said. “Ski Cooper’s one of the oldest resorts in all of North America and were surrounded by some of the most epic, biggest, tallest, awesomest peaks in the country.”

A group of skiers follow a park ranger down the trail, taking stops along the way.
A group of skiers follow a park ranger down the trail, making stops along the way.

Everyone, regardless of age or ability, is encouraged to participate in the fun, providing mountain guests with the chance to ask rangers any questions they may have.

“What’s so awesome is that we can experience this mountain in the ski and snowboarding recreation that we do, along with hiking, snowmobiling, etc.,” Cohen said. “But there’s a lot of other uses of the land, there is mining, there is hunting, there’s a lot of just research and development in this space and Cooper specifically is an awesome, family-friendly mountain ski resort.”

At the base of mountain, one can spot a yellow sign telling guests about the Ski with the Ranger program.
At the base of the mountain, one can spot a yellow sign telling guests about the Ski with the Ranger program.

Once all group members are off the chairlift, the park rangers lead them down a trail, stopping occasionally to point out specific trees and animal tracks. This free tour provides skiers with insights into Mother Nature’s influence on the slopes, fostering a deeper understanding of the environment.

“I would definitely call it a hidden gem, where you can see on a Sunday afternoon there’s really not that many people,” Cohen stated. “Not long lines and it’s got awesome terrain, awesome tree runs, tons of really cool species, like lynx and other vegetation, within just the habitat of the different trees, just so much to learn and see here.”

Skiers have the chance to learn something new about Cooper mountain with the option of skiing for free with a park ranger on Sunday afternoons.
Skiers have the chance to learn something new about Cooper Mountain with the option of skiing for free with a park ranger on Sunday afternoons.

This educational experience, taking place at over 10,000 feet elevation, is made possible through the partnership between the Forest Service and Ski Cooper. Together, they can leave a lasting impression on visitors, enriching their overall experience.

“It’s a win-win for the Forest Service and Ski Cooper getting to work together, but it’s an even bigger win for our guests who participate in this,” Torsell said. “It’s a program that we just never developed over the years in-house, and when the opportunity came to get together with the Forest Service, and they’re the experts on a lot of this stuff, I think it is very fulfilling for them to be there.”

During one stop of the adventure, the group stopped to learn facts about the trees on the slope.
During one stop on the adventure, the group learned facts about the trees on the slope.

Cohen expressed her love of serving the mountain community and sharing knowledge of the area with others. She said, “It’s just such a long history of people that have worked here, lived here multi-generation Leadville and Cooper employees. They’re such an easy group to work with.”

While the mountain welcomes new and returning visitors, this program offers a distinctive opportunity to gain new knowledge while also marveling at the beauty of the surrounding area.

One little girl and her dad joined the interactive tour, she looked at the photo of the lynx handed out on one stop.
One little girl and her dad joined the interactive tour, she looked at the photo of the lynx handed out at one stop.

“I’ve often seen them coming back in, and just there’s, they’re still talking and asking questions and smiling,” Torsell said. “I think that’s probably the best part.”

Don’t forget about this opportunity on upcoming Sundays to make new memories and a chance to return home with a new ski tale.

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