In its 81years of operation, Loveland Ski Area has never received as much early season snow as it is reveling in right now.
Loveland opened , and threeother Colorado areas . Vail moved its opening from Friday to Wednesday,Beaver Creek will open Saturdayinstead of the day before Thanksgiving, and Monarch will open Friday.It will be Monarch’s earliest opening in more than 20 years. The ski area was initially scheduled to open next week.
Winter Park opens Wednesday,and Copper Mountain will start its lifts on Fridayas scheduled.
Through Monday morning, Loveland had received 82inches this season, nearly double the 44it had at this point last year, and beating its record of 80inches by this date in 1995.Because temperatures have been below normal, snowmakers have been at work round the clock. Loveland currently has 18trails open, including some expert terrain that is rarely open this time of year.
“We’re rocking and rolling,” said Loveland spokesman Dustin Schaefer.“Amazing early season conditions. It’s been pretty busy. We’ve got race clubs from all over the world training here.”
Loveland wasn’t the only ski area with lots of snow. Eldora Mountain got nine inches of powder between 4 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday, according to a ski area spokesman.
Vail will be offering complimentary breakfast burritos and hot cocoa, while supplies last, when it opens on Wednesday. It will have 500acres in operation, served by both gondolas and fourchairlifts.
Winter Park spokesman Steve Hurlbertsaid he expects to learn later today how much terrain that resort will have in operation when it opens.
“We’ve gotten 42 inches up here in the last two weeks,” Hurlbert said, “so I’m thinking it’ll be much better than years past.”
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get outdoor news sent straight to your inbox.
