Copper Mountain or Jackson Hole?

Neither place is for swimming, but Jackson Hole at least offers a real dip for a few weeks. By late summer, String Lake below the Tetons is warm enough for a proper swim off its shallow, sandy edge, which makes a good break from a hike.

At Copper Mountain the reservoirs fed by snowmelt stay cold and are used for boating, so swimming means a heated lodge pool or a hot tub.

Copper Mountain feeds you well enough after a day on the hill, with burgers and chilli in the mountain lodges and pizza, Mexican and pub food in the village. Many visitors cook in their condos and drive to Frisco or Breckenridge when they want a change.

Jackson eats noticeably better. Wealth in the valley supports chef-led dining rooms that serve elk, bison and Rocky Mountain trout, huckleberries turn up everywhere, and there is a summer farmers' market on the Town Square. The choice is still narrow, though, and there is almost nothing cheap.

Copper Mountain is a purpose-built village of condos and lodges with nothing to visit. The region's mining history is found in the neighbouring towns.

Jackson has a modest but real set of sights. They include the elk-antler arches and wooden boardwalks of the Town Square and the National Museum of Wildlife Art above the elk refuge. Inside the park are the barns of Mormon Row and the log chapel whose window frames the Tetons. It fits into a day, but it gives the place a character Copper lacks.

Both are early-night mountain towns without clubs, but Jackson offers more once the lifts close. Besides loud après-ski in Teton Village, the town has a historic saloon with saddle bar stools and a country dance floor, plus brewpubs and cocktail bars around the square.

At Copper, the evening is mostly boots-on drinks at the base bars and some music on the plaza at weekends. Anyone wanting a later night drives to Breckenridge.

Both are first-rate mountain bases, and Jackson Hole is the more remarkable. The Tetons rise without foothills, Grand Teton National Park is on the doorstep and Yellowstone is about an hour and a half away. Moose, bison, eagles, bears and the wintering elk herd make every outing a wildlife trip, and the tram reaches some of the steepest terrain in North America.

Copper's strengths are different. Its terrain divides neatly by ability, there are treeless bowls above 3,600m, and a week can take in several Summit County resorts and Vail. In summer the Colorado Trail and the Vail Pass path start from the village.

This is where Copper Mountain clearly wins. Within about half an hour are Breckenridge's Victorian main street, the silver-boom town of Leadville, Vail's Alpine-style village and lakeside Frisco. Towards Denver lie Georgetown with its historic narrow-gauge railway, and then the city itself, though weekend traffic on I-70 can stretch the drive.

From Jackson, nearly every outing goes into the parks rather than to another town. The farm towns of Victor and Driggs over Teton Pass make a pleasant drive but are not worth a whole day.

Both work well for families, in different ways. Copper is the easier resort. Its car-free core, slopes split by ability, snow tubing, mountain coaster and an indoor centre with trampolines and foam pits also give children something to do when the weather turns.

Jackson is the bigger adventure, with wildlife spotting from the car, Junior Ranger badges, sleigh rides through the elk herd, the summer rodeo and the staged shootout. Expect long drives and little to do on wet days. It sits about 1,000m lower than Copper's village, which helps with young children and the altitude.

Copper Mountain is easier without a car. Walkways, lifts and a free shuttle link its villages, and free county buses run to Frisco, Breckenridge and Keystone. Arriving is the harder part: Denver's airport is about two hours away, and I-70 can be slow in snow.

Jackson has the closer airport, inside the national park, and a compact town centre you can walk. Beyond the bus to Teton Village, though, you need a car for the parks, the trailheads and wildlife watching at dawn and dusk.

Copper's shops sell rental skis, outdoor gear and resort-branded clothing, and little else. For more choice, visitors drive to the outlets at Silverthorne.

Jackson gives you a reason to browse. Its covered boardwalks are lined with galleries of Western and wildlife art, and you can buy handmade cowboy hats, boots and leather goods, turquoise jewellery and good mountaineering gear. Outside that the choice is narrow and mostly souvenirs.

Both are expensive, and Copper Mountain is the gentler of the two. It costs somewhat less than the grandest Colorado resorts, condos with kitchens keep meal costs down, beds in Frisco or Silverthorne cost less again, and summer is much cheaper.

Jackson ranks among the costliest stays in the United States, from rooms and rental cars to rafting trips. Once you are there, the parks, trails and roadside wildlife cost little, and staying over the pass in Idaho or coming in late spring or autumn makes a clear difference.

Jackson has a real summer programme. The Grand Teton Music Festival, running since the 1960s, brings players from major American orchestras to a timber hall in Teton Village, and there are chuckwagon dinner shows and an arts centre with dance and touring acts.

Copper offers summer concert weekends on the plaza and acoustic sets at après-ski. For classical music, visitors drive to Breckenridge.

Natural hot springs give Jackson Hole the edge. One pool sits in a forested canyon south of town, reached in winter by snowmobile or dog sled, and a riverside park beside the Snake has several soaking pools. The resort spas cater to sore skiers.

At Copper, rest means an outdoor hot tub facing the slopes or the athletic club's pools and massages. The nearest hot springs are a long drive away, and the higher altitude makes the first nights' sleep harder.