Loveland

Closed
Jack Lee
SnowPak Local Insider
Jack Lee
Pros
  • Free cat skiing
  • Enjoys a long season (often mid-October to mid-May)
  • Few crowds
Cons
  • Minimal amentities and no lodging at base

Loveland Ski Packages

Lodging Discount Price
Streamside Lane Condos by CRMR
22% off $1,465
Bay Club Town Homes by CRMR
21% off $1,279
Lake Forest Condos by CRMR
17% off $789

View all ski packages for Loveland

Overall

4.4

A true local’s gem, Loveland Ski Area is one of the highest ski resorts in Colorado, with a free snowcat to take you to the 13,010 ft summit and the resort’s most gnarly terrain! Click into your powder ski’s because the high elevation here means longer seasons and plenty of light fluffy pow. Snowfall comes sooner and stays for longer than other resorts with an impressive 422 in falling per year, the most in the Summit County! It’s also one of the closest ski areas to Denver (53 miles west) and has all the chutes, bowls, steep slopes that’s perfect for powderhounds to get their ski fix!

Best month to go

February to April

Loveland’s high-altitude means snow is kept fresh longer, which means extended ski seasons are not uncommon (the 2016/17 season finished around mid-May!). The skiing season starts late November but like most resorts, the first few days, weeks, or even month provide spotty conditions with patches of grass peeking through the snow. It’s best to hold off until the later months from February onward to April when there’s a good base of snow coupled with bluebird days. You might also see a bit more skiers on the slopes during March and early April during Spring Break weeks and when the weather becomes a bit milder. The ski area also retains its untouched powder extremely well, perhaps in no small part due to the fact that they experience relatively limited traffic, so there’s plenty of freshies to find all season long. If you want estimates on the choicest bluebird days, the Loveland Ski Area website does a pretty good job of posting up-to-date forecasts for the best skiing conditions.

FLY TO

Denver International Airport

DRIVE TO

Loveland (1-2 hours)

Silverthorne (10-15 mi)

  • Affordable lodging, more budget-friendly than Dillon
  • Range of dining options
  • Variety of hotels and motels

Find accommodations around here

Dillon (10-15 mi)

  • Affordable accommodation
  • 20 minutes drive away
  • Limited nightlife

Find accommodations around here

For beginners

Loveland Valley is a separate ski area that's packed with groomed mellow terrain for beginners! Most of the more experienced skiers will be shredding the slopes at Loveland Basin, making the wide open slopes at Loveland Valley crowd-free and stress-free for those working on their skills! Once beginner's have mastered the bunny slope near the base, they can head up the mountain and try out Zig Zag, a great "S" shaped progression path.

For intermediates

Intermediates have a wide range options all over Loveland Basin! From groomed trails like Richard's Run to bowls like Bennett's Bowl and even tree-skiing in the north face of the Basin, Loveland has it all! Tickler Gulch and Hook em'Horns (an achievable black run) is our picks for those up for tree-skiing adventure, especially if you like bumps that give enough air to feel like you're flying!

For experts

The Ridge is where it's all for advanced and experts with plenty of gnarly terrain from bowls to chutes; all of the black and double black diamond type! Best of all, there's a FREE snowcat to take you along the Ridge so you can save your energy for shredding the slopes. Velvet Hammer, Field of Dreams, Marmot, Rock Chutes and Super Nova are only some of our favorites for the extreme stuff because there really is just too much to choose from! For off-piste, Cat's Nix Trees is also a favorite!

Find freshies

Snow stays fresher for longer at Loveland, all thanks to its high altitude! Freshies can be found across the mountain and the resort is also never crowded so the good stuff doesn't usually get tracked out. Sunburst Chutes and the North Chutes are especially great for finding stashes after high winds.

Ditch the crowds

Most skiers flock to the larger surrounding ski resorts such Breckenridge so crowds aren't usually an issue here. Chair 2 at Loveland Basin is the most popular chair as it acts as a gateway to a significant portion of the mountain. It's the busiest during lunch hours so avoid it until the rush dies down.

Non skiers

There's not much activities for non-skiers at Loveland but there are plenty of fun things to do around the Summit County. Shop til you drop at the Outlets at Silverthorne or perhaps give fly fishing a go on the Blue River! There's also tubing at Keystone or dogsledding at Breckenridge.

Families

A local's mountain that's close to Denver and has cheaper lift tickets than larger Colorado ski resorts, Loveland makes for an ideal family-friendly ski destination. For those with beginners and little ones, the small and mellow terrain at Loveland Valley ski area is perfect!

Save up to 32% when you book a Loveland package!

View Loveland packages

Loveland Reviews

Fabulous 4.3 / 5
based on 57 reviews

How well the resort caters for beginner skiers / boarders

Beginners

How well the resort caters for intermediate skiers / boarders?

Intermediates

How well the resort caters for advanced skiers / boarders

Advanced

How accessible and convenient it is to get to this resort from a major destination

Accessibility

Quality of the off-piste terrain

Side/Backcountry

Overall value for money of the resort

Value for money

Quality of lifts, lift speed and lift layout in the resort

Lifts

Quantity and quality of the snow

Snow

How uncrowded is the resort

Uncrowded

Après ski and dining options

Town

Services and facilities e.g. child care, tubing, health care, equipment hire

Facilities

How family friendly is this resort?

Family Friendliness
Very Good!4 / 5Oct 15, 2021
KSKooper.Dooper@Hotmail.Com S.
intermediate snowboarder
It’s amazing park and I love the snow. It’s fun to shred but small park which is the only down side. The season pass is a cheaper and that’s why I love this park.... More
Good!3.8 / 5Sep 07, 2020
Loveland ReviewsBrian T.
advanced skier
As a billboard once said, "The best resort is the one you just passed" - or something like that. Small hill vibe, big mtn terrain. Great for beginners and advanced alike. Free cat skiing!... More
Fabulous!4.3 / 5Sep 07, 2020
Loveland ReviewsCasey B.
advanced skier
We LOVE Loveland! It has a wide variety of runs for all skill levels. It has two areas of skiing one with mostly greens and blues and the other side has more difficult runs. The bowl up top is awesome. The new high speed lift they opened last year gets you up the mountain quickly so you can spend more time on the snow. The ticket packages they... More
Very Good!4.2 / 5Feb 20, 2020
Loveland ReviewsEddie L.
advanced skier
Loveland is a great mountain to explore for the intermediate to expert level skier or boarder. An old school, no-frills mountain with mostly low-speed lifts, it is no problem to find some wide open terrain even though it is the closest ski area to Denver. Right off of I-70 (and on top of it), there isn't much for a family who is looking to do... More
Very Good!4.1 / 5Feb 20, 2020
Loveland ReviewsJared S.
beginner skier
My first ever ski trip was at Loveland. Really enjoyed it! Learned a lot. I know the facilities might not be world famous, but no sense paying for advanced prices if you're not an expert. Friendly staff too!... More
Good!3.7 / 5Feb 20, 2020
Loveland ReviewsD.
advanced snowboarder
Loveland is sort of a local secret. but there's nothing secret about it when you drive by it on the interstate people just don't seem to stop on their way to Vail and Breckenridge because they don't know it's half the price. They even have half day lift rates. The downside is the air quality around the interstate and the Eisenhower tunnel it's not... More
Poor!1.2 / 5Jan 05, 2020
MCMj C.
beginner skier
Worst ski experience. My son has full-day ski lesson on 12/27/2019 on Friday. My family arrived at the Love land valley about 9am to check in my son for ski group RESERVED lesson starting at 10am. Crowded and no instruction and no sign for check-in and rental process. I was waiting for 3 AND HALF hours to check him in and rent all equipment. The... More
Superb!4.7 / 5Sep 17, 2019
Loveland ReviewsMark R.
advanced snowboarder
Some of the best open terrain ive ever rode , easy to get too, freindly staff great lifts like lift 9, pretty chill environment great snow great views and easy to get to.... More
Fabulous!4.4 / 5Aug 08, 2019
Loveland ReviewsDaniel A.
intermediate skier
Great place with little to no lift lines even on the busiest days of the year. Great place for all skiers or snowboarders of all levels but keep in mind the ski area is at high altitude so you can become winded quite easily.... More
Fabulous!4.3 / 5Aug 08, 2019
Loveland ReviewsMatt D.
expert skier
A really nice local gem close to Denver with no crowds and plentiful snow. Great value for money and good terrain for all ability levels. There's no town at the base for accommodation, but it's easy to stay nearby in Silverthorne or Georgetown. The lifts are mostly slow, however they added their first high speed lift this year which guests are sure... More