As the ski industry has morphed over the last 20 years, Loveland Ski Area has remained committed to its roots and mission as an independent ski area that does things differently.

As a family-owned ski area since the day the Upham family purchased it in the early 1970s, Loveland continues to offer opportunities on the mountain that are hard to find elsewhere. While Loveland tries to shy away from fancy lodges and major additions, the ski area has found success with giving guests something you won’t find at many mountains in Colorado: guided snowcat tours.

While both Keystone Resort and Copper Mountain Resort used to offer snowcat tours on their slopes several years ago, new lifts now serve those areas, making resort-owned snowcat trips obsolete, but Loveland Ski Area offers two types of snowcat offerings, a paid trip and one that’s free for passholders.

The ski area’s free “Ridgecat” takes expert-level skiers on free trips to access runs like Field of Dreams, Velvet Hammer, Tickler, 13,010 and Marmot, which can only be accessed by foot or snowcat. Visit SkiLoveland.com/the-mountain/the-ridge-cat/.

In its third season, Loveland’s also offers paid experiences, like its Snowcat Tours that transport guests to Dry Gulch, located just to the east of Lift 8 and beyond the ski-area boundary. With two ski patrollers on every trip, the experience offers guests a backcountry experience that is not only unique, but also intimate.

“This is the third year that we have been taking paid, booked tours,” Loveland ski patroller Brendan O’Connor said. “Four years ago, we ended up having a couple private bookings basically. … There has definitely been a learning curve to it. We kind of had the same idea from the beginning and had these two different pick-up points that we wanted to use.”

The day-long trip begins at the base area of Loveland Basin where skiers and riders can fill up on breakfast, receive lift tickets, pack their lunch and prepare for the day ahead in Dry Gulch.

It is during this time that ski patrollers like O’Connor and Phil Johnson will brief the group on what to expect and get them outfitted with avalanche-safety gear.

While Dry Gulch is routinely visited by Loveland ski patrollers for avalanche mitigation work, the avalanche safety equipment is still required for every guest to ensure they are carrying appropriate gear in the backcountry zone. 

Once all the guests have a good idea of what the day will entail, skiers and riders load onto Chet’s Dream and perform a skills test down the mountain. The test is meant for the patrollers to get a feel for the level of skiers and riders on the snowcat tour before venturing out to the backcountry zone.

While the snowcat tours are recommended for intermediate to expert skiers and snowboarders, the patrollers make sure to guide guests to terrain to that is appropriate for the entire group.

After making turns across the mountain, guests pile into one of Loveland’s big red snowcats, and the operator makes the short drive into Dry Gulch. In a matter of a few minutes, skiers and riders are transported to an area that feels miles away from the nearest ski area. 

As equipment is unloaded from the side of the snowcat, the true skiing and riding for the day gets underway. 

Similar to how one would warm up before venturing over to the more advanced runs, the patrollers on the trip make sure to begin with introductory terrain in Dry Gulch. With a vast amount of knowledge about the terrain and current snow conditions in the backcountry area, the patrollers will specifically tell guests what line to ski so they can steer them away from large hazards. 

Eventually, guests ski down to a cat track where the snowcat sits ready to transport guests back up Dry Gulch for another lap. In total, each tour gets to complete eight to 11 runs throughout the day with a lunch break thrown in. 

While Loveland cannot guarantee powder-day conditions every tour, the ski area says the trip will either offer beautiful views with variable conditions or views shrouded by clouds with great skiing conditions.

True to the weather in Colorado, sometimes guests get to see both conditions in one day.

“I would say the majority of the feedback that we get is positive,” O’Connor said. “I would say some people have a different idea in their heads before they go on a cat tour. They are expecting knee-deep conditions every single time we go back there, but just with our geography and where we are located on the Continental Divide, we just see so many different types of weather. … We try to ski the best stuff and give everybody the best experience.”

The opportunity to take a snowcat tour in the backcountry is not only a highlight for the guests on the trip, but the patrollers as well. While still on the clock, the guided snowcat tours are a nice change in pace for the patrollers.

“We do really enjoy going back there, and we understand the conditions are going to be different every time we go back there,” O’Connor said. “They are going to be better on some days than others. It is super secluded back there and it is very quiet and peaceful.”

One seat on the Loveland snowcat tour costs $395. Loveland also discounts its ticket prices the more seats one buys on the 12-person snowcat. Two seats cost $385 each, three seats cost $380 each, four to 11 seats cost $375 each and a full cat costs $370 each.

“Our owners are very family oriented, and they are very focused on providing a great experience for families,” O’Connor said. “They want to make it affordable for families. … We definitely see people who are pretty thankful for price point.”

Loveland Ski Area’s snowcat tours will offer trips every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through April 13, as conditions permit. To book a tour, visit SkiLoveland.com/snowcattours/.