10 North American Mountains You've Never Heard of But Must Go Skiing This Winte

7. Loveland Ski Area, Colorado

PHOTO: HELEN H. RICHARDSON/GETTY IMAGES

 

Find it: I-70, Exit 216, Dillon, Colorado

Top elevation: 13,010 feet

There are many mountains with great slopes — especially in Colorado — but adventurous skiers and snowboarders can go one step further at Loveland Ski Area. Hop aboard the Ridge Cat, a free 18-passenger snowcat that will take you to unparalleled runs and views along the Continental Divide. Anyone with a season pass or lift ticket can pick up a Ridge Cat Pass free of charge. Some of the mountain's most challenging runs are accessed by foot or snowcat only, so perhaps it's this expert-level reputation that keeps the resort relatively quiet.

 

Loveland isn't only for pros, though. For the less advanced, the mountain has Loveland Valley, a separate area specifically for beginners with its own lifts and easier terrain.