Loveland
Thursday 20 April 2006

Weather

Conditions

Story of the Day

I left Chicago (O'Hare) at about 8:15 and got to Loveland ski area just after midday. This included a stop to rent skis on the drive up from Denver airport. MY plan was a couple of hours skiing on the way to my overnight hotel in Silverthorne. Getting started took some time. I needed to make sure than I had a drink before I started and I also needed a hat to protect me from the strong sun.

I got going just before 12:30 with an easy run from the top of Chair 1. This gave me an idea of what I was in for. Forest Meadow is marked green on the trail map. On the gr5ound however, it was far from easy. No grooming and moguls!

Underneath Chair 1	Chair 1
Avalanche Bowl	The top of Chair 1
Catwalk

Skiing got more difficult almost immediately. From the top of Chair 6, I found myself on the wrong side of a fence. On the other side the run was groomed. On my side, I was in ungroomed, heavy snow.

Chair 6	Straight Rush
Almost deserted runs	The top of Chair 6

Not sure where I was going, I found Chair 4. From the top, I followed the easiest route and found myself at the bottom of Chair 8. The run down along the lift line was comfortable.

Back at the top of Chair 8, I took a groomed track with the intent of getting back to the base area. This didn't work out quite as planned. I found myself at a rope and forced to track along it, eventually getting back to the bottom of Chair 4. There was a trail down from this point, The Face, marked black and with a warning of variable conditions. It looked OK, so I started down. I got about as far as I had been able to see from the top and then the trail suddenly narrowed and steepened.

With deteriorating snow conditions it was no more than 6 feet wide, steep and with a drop to the left. I side-slipped down for a while and when it opened up slightly, risked a turn and followed the track to the bottom, with no real chance of stopping. A classic case of  "I got down, but no way am I going to do it again".

Getting back to the base involved walking through a rather nasty, dark and icy tunnel under I-70.

Loveland Ridge and the top of Chair 9	Loveland Ridge and the top of Chair 9
Looking down from the top of Chair 4	Looking up Chair 8
Near the top of Chair 8	Looking down Stardust
Powder trails in April	The top of Chair 8
The Face got a lot narrower than this!	Skier's tunnel under I-70

After a brief break, I tried the other chair from the base area, Chair 2. During the ride, I had to decide whether to try the chair up to the highest elevation on the ride. It looked as if there was a groomed trail down, so I decided to give it a go. Tomahawk down to the base of Chair 2 was interesting, with ungroomed bumps softened nicely in the hot sun.

Chair 2	The East Portal of Eisenhower Tunnel
Bowls below Loveland Ridge	Chair 6
Shadow of Chair 2 (See maker's name in chair back)	The top of Chair 2
Ptarmigan Ridge near the top of Chair 2

For a year or so, Chair 9 at Loveland was the highest lift station in the US, until overtaken by a new lift at Breckenridge. The top of the chair, on Loveland Ridge on the Continental Divide is extremely exposed but has spectacular views in all directions. After taking a few photos, I decided to try the bowl, rather than taking the easy way down. After a track across the ridge, I face a choice - either hike uphill for a little way or traverse below a rock.I chose the traverse and then turned into Primer Bowl. This turned out to be pretty comfortable in the conditions, but took a lot out of my legs.

Nearing the top of Chair 9	View towards Keystone from the Ridge
View towards Breckenridge from the Ridge	Trail along the ridge
The top of Chair 9

Once more to the top of Chair 9 and this time, I did take the easy way down to the right.

Loveland Basin from the top of Chair 9	Loveland Basin from the top of Chair 9
I-70 cuts through the middle of the resort	Rookie Road

Not a long session, but pretty enjoyable. I tried to phone Sue, but she was out, even at 10pm and then took the scenic route over the top of Loveland Pass to get my hotel for the next 2 days in Silverthorne.

Loveland Valley base area

Runs

Last updated: 4th February 2007