Colorado's Loveland ski area fires up snow guns; Copper already blowing

Colorado’s Loveland ski area fires up snow guns; Copper already blowing{mosimage}With a storm expected to dump up to 10 inches of snow in the Colorado high country on Wednesday night, Loveland Ski Area will begin snowmaking operations as the resort shoots for yet another October opening.

“We finished our summer maintenance on the snow guns and fans and started up the compressor last week,” said Mark Abrahamson, Loveland’s snowmaking and trail maintenance manager. “Since then we’ve been waiting for more consistent temperatures so that we can accumulate as much snow as possible.”

On the other side of Loveland Pass in Summit County, Copper Mountain last weekend became the first Colorado resort to start blowing snow. The resort is targeting an opening date of Nov. 3.

Loveland is aiming to be first ski area in the nation to open for the seventh consecutive season. The ski area has found that a great asset to help achieve that goal is the help of professional snow makers from New Zealand, who will return for a seventh season and assist Loveland’s own crew.

“Snowmaking at Loveland is solely for the purpose of opening early and providing a good base,” Abrahamson said. “We know people are ready to ski and we want to give them what they want.  Once we open the runs we rely on the natural snow to take over.”

“It is always exciting when the snowmakers fire up the guns for the first time.  And when it happens earlier than expected, optimism about the upcoming season is even higher,” said Loveland Marketing Director John Sellers. “Skiers and riders are accustomed to great early season conditions at Loveland and we will not disappoint them.”