Loveland Ski Area, sitting on top of I-70 along the Continental Divide, is one of Colorado’s greatest ski areas. It offers some incredible bowl terrain right off the chairlift, bountiful tree skiing, big annual snowfall totals, free cat skiing, and so much more. Plus it’s one of the closest ski areas to Denver, sitting just around an hour drive. And yet, even on some of the deepest powder days of the year, the ski resort rarely sees crowds comparable to the state’s larger resorts. PeakRankings explored why Loveland hasn’t become a destination magnet like many of the other I-70 corridor ski areas.
There are several reasons that PeakRankings points out. For one, Loveland can get some pretty brutal wind leading to some inconsistent conditions and very cold days, driving away the customers looking for a more consistent ski experience. Much of the ski area faces East or South as well, creating some unfavorable terrain exposures that can further impact the conditions.
Potentially the most important factor that leaves Loveland less-visited is its lack of nearby hotels or places to stay. Ski areas can usually get away with not having ski-in/ski-out housing, but the closest hotels are a good 15-20 minute drive on the other side of the Continental Divide, a drive that can quickly become unpleasant or traffic heavy dependent on the weather.
That said, when Loveland Ski Area’s conditions are firing, it’s a truly incredible place to spend a day, so make sure you add it to the list if you’ve never visited.
