Citing recent snowfall and ongoing snowmaking operations, officials with Loveland Ski Area announced Monday it will open this week for the 2013-14 season.
Loveland will open the season at 9 a.m. Thursday with Chair 1, providing skiers and riders with access to three trails, including Catwalk, Mambo and Home Run, and more than 1,000 vertical feet of terrain. Thanks to the hard work of snowmaking crews, Loveland’s base boasts 18 inches of tree-to-tree coverage, according to a Loveland Ski Area news release.
“Our snowmaking crew has done a tremendous job getting the mountain ready for opening day,” said Rob Goodell, director of business operations for Loveland Ski Area, in the release. “The snow guns are still firing and there is more snow in the forecast, so the first turns of the season are going to be exceptional.”
Dave Barjenbruch, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Boulder, confirmed Goodell’s statement on Monday, saying Mother Nature was expected to add by Monday night 1 to 3 inches of snow on top of the “man-made stuff” already on Loveland’s trails. More snow is in the forecast today and later in the week, Barjenbruch said.
“We’re predicting just about an inch of accumulation Tuesday, but we have another system making its way to Colorado on Thursday,” Barjenbruch said. “We’re keeping an eye in it. It could slip off to the east, but these systems usually pan out for us and it could bring additional snowfall Thursday into Thursday night.”
Loveland will be the second ski area in Colorado to open for the 2013-14 season. On Sunday, local snow bunnies and powder hounds packed the beach at Arapahoe Basin for its official winter kickoff.
“We usually shoot to open in mid-October, so we’re right in line with where we are usually at,” said John Sellers, marketing and communications director for Loveland Ski Area. “The big difference this year is all of the natural snow, and we’re hoping this early snowfall is a good sign of what’s to come. The skiing and riding really is going to be great on opening day.”
Loveland Ski Area will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends and designated holidays. Early season lift tickets are $49 for adults and $25 for children aged 6 to 14.
Adult season passes start at $379 and feature three free days of skiing and riding at Loveland’s partner resorts, including Monarch Mountain, Durango Mountain Resort and Crested Butte, as well as one free, unguided day at Silverton Mountain.
Unrestricted 4-Paks also are available online for $129 at www.skiloveland.com through November 24. 4-Paks are not available for purchase at the ski area.
Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.
