Visited Loveland many moons ago during a snowy & blowy mid-February ski trip between Colorado & Utah. Straddling the Eisenhower Tunnel, which avoids the crossing of Loveland Pass, the top of the resort is a lung buster at around 3,870m. As a first stop coming off the plane from Denver airport, a little ‘altitude delirium’ added to our ski days here. But who cared, we skied powder with no one else on the slopes!
A few things readily stood out at Loveland.
1. Midweek heaven. For peak season in Colorado, there were relatively few skiers on the mountain mid-week (compared to the more fashionable resorts on the other side of the Eisenhower tunnel). Fresh tracks were easy to get with no previous knowledge of the hill. We suspect weekends could be bedlam when the Denver crowd descends (or ascends) on the mountain!
2. The wind (& cold). The high ridge line along the top of the resort is one of the windiest (& coldest) locations we have ever skied - and we have been to one or two! As a result, the high-tops can be bereft of snow for much of the season. Skiing to the numerous (but relatively short vertical) off-piste advanced runs is generally a boot-pack and/or rock dodging exercise (the cat wasn’t running when we were there). Remember though that all that wind deposits snow elsewhere on the hill or in in the county(!), so a little local knowledge or exploration goes a long way when searching for the goods up high. Beware the associated avalanche risks beyond the boundaries. Ski the trees for guaranteed fun.
3. The lifts were (& still are) slow, but the lift pass was (and still is) way cheaper than the nearby Vail Resorts. You get what you pay for!
4. Skiable vertical was not huge. We ski Europe so our expectations in this regard are high (super, mega, gargantuan high), so perhaps ignore this comment!
5. No resort accommodation. Shame there is no village or après ski atmosphere here, everyone just packs up & drives away. Luckily, the interstate allows for quick returns to wherever one is staying & perhaps some belated after ski shenanigans. See above regarding our high expectations cos we ski Europe…….
On its day Loveland is an affordable, fun ski area, awesome for powder hounds wanting a mid-week fresh snow fix without the fiscal shock associated with selling one’s arm or leg when day-tripping to the nearby corporate resorts (….. we do love you Vail, but your day pass prices are ridiculous). It’ll never be the world’s greatest ski resort but there is still a lot to love about Loveland. Combine with a visit to other Colorado gems like Monarch & Sunlight for a Colorado ski trip that avoids the masses and will not break the bank!
See our video here