Loveland Ski Area

Loveland Ski Area is located near the town of Georgetown, Colorado and is one of the closest ski areas to the Denver metro area and Front Range. The Ski Area combines the Loveland Basin and Loveland Valley Ski areas and is one of Colorado’s highest ski areas with a summit of over 13,000 ft. It’s also the second highest lift-served area in North America at 12,697 ft. This ski area takes its name from Loveland Pass, which separates it from the Arapahoe Basin ski area, and is part of the Continental Divide at an altitude of almost 12,000 ft. Due to the unique location by the Continental Divide and the volume of natural snow, Loveland is one of the best places in Colorado to ski powder and also is generally one of the first of two ski areas to open in Colorado.

More Resort Facts

Nearest Town: Georgetown, Colorado

Base Elevation: 10,400 feet (3,200 m)	Average Snowfall: 400 inches/year
Top Elevation: 13,010 feet (3,970 m)	Snowmaking: 160 acres

Total Runs: 77
13% Beginner	41% Intermediate	23% Advanced	23% Expert

Terrain Parks: 1

Love Park- It is situated along the Tempest run off of the #1 lift. The Park has terrain for everyone from beginners to advanced riders and includes Rails, Funboxes, Tabletop jumps, Kickers. The Park occasionally hosts competitions like the Vert Alert and the Rail Jams.

Total Lifts: 11

3 quad chairs, 2 triple chairs, 4 double chairs, 2 surface lifts

Total lift capacity: 14,293 people per hour

2011/2012 Daily adult lift ticket price: $ TBD (multi-day discounts are available)

The Basin is the larger of the two areas that comprise Loveland Ski Area, and is the location of the main lodge. Facilities at the lodge include the ticket tower, a rental and repair shop, lockers, a retail area, ski patrol, a nursery, and administrative offices. The Valley is the other area in Loveland and is suited to beginners. It has only 2 lifts, one for the intermediate runs and another just servicing the beginner slope, “All Smiles”. The beginner slope is also the home of Loveland’s Ski and Ride School. Many happy little tots and beginner grown-ups enjoy learning to ski on these gentle hills. Loveland Valley has a smaller lodge building, the Ski and Ride School office, a ticket office, a rental shop, lockers, a cafeteria and bar, and a retail area.

The Ridge @ Loveland is the lift served area off chair 9 at an elevation of 12,697 feet and features almost entirely Black and Double Black runs. It also has 360 degree view across and beyond the Continental Divide. Loveland Basin also has a Terrain park named Love Park, which has terrain for everyone from beginners to advanced riders. It includes Rails, Funboxes, Tabletop jumps, and Kickers.

From humble beginnings, when it first opened as a ski area in 1936 with a single portable tow rope, Loveland certainly expanded. The following year, a modified Model T was used to power the tow. In 1941 the area was named Loveland Ski Tow Inc. and through the 1940’s the area continued to grow until it had 4 tows. “In 1955 Loveland Ski Tow Inc. was purchased by stockholders and Peter Seibert, the founder of the Vail Ski Resort, would be hired on as the General Manager. 1955 also brought about Loveland’s first chair lift, Chair 1.” The construction of the Eisenhower Tunnel was important to the ski area, and it continued to grow through the 1950′s and 60′s. In 1984, the first snow making machines were installed. Steady progress was made to the ski area through the years and expansion of the lodges and guest amenities were accomplished in the 1990′s. Due to the location and elevation of Loveland, it generally remains less crowded and less expensive than other Colorado ski areas which have more resort facilities, however the people who enjoy a day on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains will love Loveland!