I visited Loveland this past spring and... please keep quiet about this place. I know this review will be contradictory to the previous statement but, give me a break for frothing.

Loveland is one of the best ski resorts that is hidden in plain sight. Every vacationer and weekend warrior stares directly at this resort on I-70 and just keeps on driving, which is a massive mistake. Loveland possess a surprisingly large footprint of variable and fun terrain at a discounted price. I got a weekday lift ticket for around $90, compared to $250 day tickets for nearby resorts. It is the best value ski resort, possibly in the country. Loveland consistently gets snow dumps and retains that snow deep into the season. There is plenty of expert level terrain to engage technical skiers, but also tons of terrain that is great for beginners.

Loveland does not get the praise of other resorts for a couple reasons. First, the lift infrastructure is not world class. There are still many single speed low capacity lifts that is not sexy or fast enough for the average skier. Second, the resort does not have any accommodations for vacationers to stay in, or a town at all for that matter. Lastly, Loveland does not have the extreme terrain, liveliness, and Ikon pass access that A-Basin possess. So while many locals choose to drive over the pass to A-Basin, Loveland is left to those who know. But hey, I will never complain about no lift lines. Please keep driving past!

Loveland is meant for the Colorado local that does not want to wait in a lift line but still wants advanced and expert terrain that will be engaging. Sorry locals, but Loveland is also great for the vacationers that want to spice up their trip and visit another resort. If you are coming for 3-4 days, take one of those days away from your primary resort and check out Loveland. You do not need more than 1 day to check it out. It is just a fun terrain, low stress, good snow, cheap, great little place.
See our video here

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