Trang Thai
Google
I used to ski a small hill in Western New York on a weekly basis but I started at 37, so I am happy to be at intermediate/ beginner level. I now live in Dallas, Texas and my crave for skiing is monumental. I figured out not just Denver is my affordable solution but Loveland is also my go to.
Distance - closer to Denver compared to Vail, Breckenridge, etc. 1.5 hours from Aurora for me so 35 mins from Denver? I-70 could be a nightmare after a bad snow storm and the time to get there would double. Fun fact - it's a rare ski resort on top of a tunnel / pass.
Pricing - cheaper day passes (we do $50 for the Valley side and I am happy with the trails over there), for basin access, the day pass could be expensive but there are many pre-season sales. I am not a veteran nor a senior but I think they have great seasonal offers for those people.
Rentals - normally I rent from the city from Christi Sports and bring those equipment to skip the line, but when I skied in early May, they were not open, so, I rented from Loveland. Easy walk-in for $55 (no helmet), and I was a happy skier.
Parking - i never had a problem off peak season, during peak season, i still could park right at the lodge but the shuttle lot is not bad. Love the tailgate parties!
Shuttle - the line could be long and slow at the end of the day if one needs to go from basin back to valley or ski area to parking spots. But convenient and orderly.
Facilities - dining area is busy and it might be hard to grab an indoor table, looks like some larger groups like to hoard the tables. For me personally it never bothers me because I like snow time more than rest time, but if you have younger children, you have to be a bit strategical about it.
Lifts - lines are good, skiers are polite, most lifts are pretty slow. I think it is huge, so many trails... There is a point on top from which you could see other mountains. There is also a trail named Awesome!
Snow condition - of course it is way better than Western New York and there are great powder days. For me it could still be icy on some slopes and/ or I am not super good with bumps. But that means a lot of thrills for advanced skiers.
Bonuses - there is a free train? cog train? shuttle? at the top. There is a cute hilltop cabin with nice seatings, wonderful view, and live music (also at the bottom). It does not have resort-like lodging and shopping mall vibe like Vail but like this better.