Locals don't want to brag too much about the awesome terrain at Loveland but certainly don't mind a few more friendly faces on the mountain. Loveland's 1,500 acres are decorated with stellar cruisers, fast trees and for the daring at heart, steep and exposed bowls whose summits top out at nearly 13,000 feet. Due to its unique position directly on the Continental Divide, Loveland is able to harvest over 400 inches of snow annually. And thanks to the fact it's not connected to a resort, there's not much in the way of crowds. 

Pushing powder on the northern half of Loveland. — Photo courtesy of Courtesy of Colorado Ski Country USAThe southern half of the mountain features a bevy of excellent blue and green runs on the lower reaches while spine-tingling double black diamond bowls grace the upper sections. If the wind is howling cold, a trip to the moderate black diamond Porcupine Saddle is perfect for those wanting the bowl experience without having to deal with super steep and icy slopes. And one bonus note regarding the southern side of Loveland: Chair 2 has a particularly thrilling exit at the end of the lift. You'll see what we mean when you get there. 

The northern trails on the mountain (as designated where Interstate 70 cuts the ski area in half) are less traveled but equally as fun. The terrain here is fast with fun pockets of well-spaced trees. For those looking for extra fun in the woods, try hitting the steep forest below Chair 8, where all trails feed into a tunnel that goes under the highway back to the southern part of Loveland. 

Even on weekends, Loveland rarely experiences any lift lines and the wide open mountain holds powder late into the afternoon. It's also one of the few resorts with quality skiing within an hour of the Denver metro area – perfect if you need to get back into town later in the evening. Easy in and out, quick access on the mountain and plenty of challenging runs make Loveland a winter oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the bigger and busier  resort mountains.