SAM Magazine--October 6, 2009--Loveland Ski Area will be the first ski area in North America to open for the 2009-2010 ski season when Chair 1 starts turning at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, Oct. 7. This will mark the earliest opening for Loveland in 40 years. And that is enabling the area to reclaim the distinction of being the first area to open for the winter, after losing out to Arapahoe Basin the past two years. A-Basin plans to open Friday, Oct. 9.

Loveland Ski Area started making snow on September 21, 2009. "We took advantage of the cold temperatures and got an early start making snow this year. Those extra days paid off and we are opening a week earlier than last season," says Eric Johnstone, snowmaking and trail maintenance manager. "Now we can move some equipment to other trails and try to open more terrain as quickly as possible."

For the first turns of the season, skiers and snowboarders will have access to a top-to-bottom run consisting of 1,000 vertical feet via Chair 1. The trails Catwalk, Mambo and Homerun make up this opening day run, which is over a mile in length.

Loveland's regular operating hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 8:30 to 4:00 on weekends and designated holidays. Early season lift tickets are $44 for adults and $21 for children ages 6-14.