The historic mining district of Mayflower Gulch, now preserved as open space by Summit County, is just a short drive away from Copper. The four-wheel drive road into the gulch offers easy access to the west side of the Tenmile Range.

COPPER MOUNTAIN — There aren’t too many places in the world where you can start the day with a hike to a historic goldmine and end up listening to a world-class music act, but Copper offers all that and more.  Popular music fests like Copper Country, Sunsation and Guitar Town  bring renowned musicians to play in a spectacular mountain setting. Before the concerts begin, play a round of disc golf at the new course,  take a spin on the extensive Summit County recpath system or visit some of the hundreds of miles of high country hiking trails. Summer in the high country is short and sweet, so make the most of it.

Relaxing at the base area in Copper Mountain Village.

The summer festival scene at Copper Mountain.

America plays during the 2010 Copper Country event.

Zydeco at 9,000 feet in the Rockies, thanks to Copper Mountain's summer music scene.

Late summer llight in the Tenmile Range near Copper Mountain.

Lots of summer music ahead at Copper Mountain, Colorado.

Upcoming shows feature plenty of Grammy winners

By Copper Condos

COPPER MOUNTAIN — Summer may be half over, but the concert season at Copper is just winding up into high gear, starting this weekend (July 30) when the Freddy Jones Band takes the state in a benefit concert coinciding with the Hike MS event at the resort. Still to come are Guitar Town, with the likes of David Lindley and Larry Carlton, as well as Copper Country, with headliner Ricky Skaggs.

Here’s a listing of upcoming music at Copper:

BENEFIT CONCERT WITH THE FREDDY JONES BAND, July 30

Following the Hike MS event on Saturday, July 30, the Freddy Jones Band will take the stage in Burning Stones Plaza to deliver an “expansive and energetic live show”. The roots-rock band has been likened to the Allman Brothers Band and promises to keep the crowd on their feet with their “fluid guitar playing” and high energy jams. A $5 donation is suggested.

GUITAR TOWN, August 12-14

Copper’s has announced the official line-up for it’s 7th Annual Guitar Town, a three day festival packed with free music performances, guitar workshops, the ArtGuitar silent auction, and more. Scott Goldman, Peppinio D’Agostino, Tony McManus, Doyle Dykes, David Lindley, John Jorgenson Band Qunintet and Larry Carlton will all take the stage at Copper Mountain on Saturday, August 13. Additional performances on Sunday, August 14 will include Mark Selby Band, Bill Kirchen, John Jorgenson Electric Band, Albert Lee, Carolyn Wonderland and Lee Ritenour.

Performances will begin daily at noon with continuous live music all day (and into the night) throughout several venues in Center Village. Copper will be teeming with legendary musicians guaranteed to deliver a weekend of memorable performances. Check out the full schedule for individual performance times.

COPPER COUNTRY, Labor Day Weekend, Sept 2 – 4

Copper Mountain has a history of gathering famed musicians for the Copper Country music festival. This year’s lineup is no different, boasting a combined 18 Grammy award wins and over 20 additional nominations for excellence in the genres of country, blues, bluegrass, folk and gospel. In addition, the Colorado State final of the Texaco Country Showdown, America’s largest and longest-runnng country music talent search, will take place on Saturday evening.

Headliner Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder has garnered an astounding 14 Grammy wins, and in the most recent Grammy Award ceremony, Ricky Skaggs was contender for both Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album and Best Traditional Folk Album. Also contending for the Folk Album award was a second Copper Country star, Luther Dickensen of the North Mississippi Allstars Duo. The North Mississippi Allstars have earned nominations for 3 of their 5 albums including Best Contemporary Blues Performance with their debut album Shake Hands with Shorty. Dickensen is also known for his role as guitarist in the American rock band, the Black Crowes. The Grammy-packed lineup also includes Tim O’Brien, winner of Best Traditional Folk Album with Fiddler’s Green in 2005, and 2-time winner Taj Mahal, recognized for his talent in contemporary blues and roots.

The weekend of noteworthy live music will conclude Sunday evening, with a closing performance by headlining artist Jimmie Vaughan, a legendary and respected guitarist among popular music. He most recently earned a 2010 Grammy nomination in the category of Best Traditional Blues Album for Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites. Prior to embarking on his solo career, Vaughan also celebrated 2 Grammy award wins with The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Copper Country delivers this Labor Day weekend with a comprehensive lineup of world-renowned musicians. Visit www.CopperCountryFest.com for show times.

The snow is still piling up at Copper Mountain!

Season passes on sale, Sunsation coming up

SUMMIT COUNTY — Along with the eagerly anticipated Sunsation music festival, Copper Mountain’s Swinger Pass returns this year, with $39 dollar tickets for anyone who shows a season pass from another ski resort anywhere in the world.

Passes for next season are also on sale right now, with sweet deals for the Copper-Winter Park joint pass, back for another year even after Copper’s ownership changes. Go to SkiColorado.com for all the pass info.

This year, Sunsation features the Gin Blossoms, Quiet Riot and The Samples, and there plenty of other action besides music, with Collegiate Alt Games Slopestyle Event and the Red Bull ’76 Games. All the info is online here: http://www.coppercolorado.com/sunsation/home/index.html

While browsing Affordable Music, our favorite record store in Summit County, Colorado, we found an old copy of Jethro Tull's Aqualung and noticed a strange little blurb about skiing on the cover. We've owned copies of this album, but strangely, never noticed the lettering on the handbill above Aqualung's left shouder. It's a little hard to read, but it says: "Spend Christmas Skiing." Click on the image for a larger view. And we here at Copper Colorado Condos could not agree more, and we'd love to help you plan your ski vacation in Colorado.

Yesterday we asked if anyone could identify a classic 1971 rock album with an interesting ski reference. The album, of course, is Jethro Tull’s Aqualung (look closely at the photo), and we here at Copper Colorado Condos are left wondering whether Ian Anderson, the band’s  flute-playing front man, had a thing for skiing.

What gives with Jethro Tull and snow sports? After we noticed this little blurb on the album cover, we quickly cruised over to YouTube and watched an old video of the band performing Aqualung in concert, and we must say that, while the guys were stylish in their striped pants and fringed leather vests, they didn’t exactly look like they’d be found anywhere near a chairlift – but who knows, we could be totally wrong. If anything, we’d say that Ian and the crew would be into snowboarding, except that wasn’t really happening back in that era.

Hmmm, maybe it’s just part of the album’s theme of social commentary about the disconnect between affluence and abject poverty, often to be found on the same street in most major cities of the world, or maybe the artist who did the cover was a skier. Then again, maybe not. Maybe it’s just one of those totally random cosmic coincidences. In either case, we agree, and would like to help you plan your best-ever Christmas ski vacation.

Please browse our web site and Facebook page and have a look at all the great condos available at Copper Mountain, then feel free to contact us for more information and to make a reservation.