Learning to Ski? Start at This Laid-Back Colorado Mountain Near Denver

I was 14 the first time I went skiing. It was at a well-known (to me) ski resort in southeast Indiana. The hills were small and the snow was man made. I fumbled my way through the day, falling more than once, the day ending in a failed dismount from the ski lift that left my junior high bestie in stitches while more skilled skiers swerved around me.

Nearly three decades later, I found myself in Colorado for a 2-night getaway to celebrate my daughter Pearl's 8th birthday. She has been asking to go skiing since forever and so I reached out to the Gaylord Rockies to see if they could recommend a ski resort near Denver, Colorado, that was beginner friendly. They recommended the Loveland Ski Area and since Pearl had never skied, they booked us a private lesson.

Having skied only once in my life—almost 30 years ago, and rather clumsily—in the Midwest, skiing in Colorado felt like a big step up, and I was intimidated. However, decades after that first ski experience, I am a stronger, more capable, and more confident person. And also, this time I was not skiing with a judgemental teenager, I was skiing with my daughter who is my biggest cheerleader. We would do this together.

Checking In at Loveland Ski Area

We arrived at Loveland Ski Area at 8:30 a.m. to get checked in. The drive from Denver had taken longer than anticipated because it began to snow about halfway in. We picked the most colorful ski coats and one of the resort's awesomest instructors, John David Palmer (JDP), helped us get set up with ski boots, skis, and helmets. (And by helped, I mean he got Pearl snapped into her boots—me too—and showed us both how to snap in and out of our skis.)

Something I noticed right away was how supportive and friendly everyone was. JDP is an advanced skier, but he was so kind and patient with us newbies. No questions were bad questions and he did a really lovely job explaining things in a way that both Pearl and I understood.

Beginner Ski Lessons at Loveland Ski Area

Now it was time for our lesson and JDP took us out to the ski school where we met Jen, our instructor for the morning. I didn't know it at the time, but over the course of the next 3 hours, the three of us would become fast friends. Jen took an immediate shine to both of us, with her full-face smile and silly jokes making us both very excited to ski.

We went through the basics, getting our footing, taking the magic carpet to the kids' slopes, and then graduating to the ski lift and larger hills, our morning culminating in a hilly forest course that tested our skills.

And yes, after an impressive morning of successful ski lift dismounts and stealthy skiing, I totally wiped out at the end. Skis up, me belly up in a deep snowbank as flurries fell from the sky. It was epic; Jen and Pearl were laughing so hard (as was I!) and another instructor snapped out of his skis and helped me upright and back onto the course. Everyone cheered me on the entire time. It was a really sweet moment, honestly.

A Day on the Slopes at Loveland Ski Area

Not once during our day at Loveland Ski Area did I feel out of place, rushed, or apologetic. Rather, I felt at ease, empowered, unhurried, calm, content. The chair lift rides were lovely; Jen and I chatted away and she gamely answered all of Pearl's questions. "Skiing feels like life," I said, after Jen advised me to keep my sight on where I wanted to go, not where I didn't want to go. "And if you have an oh no moment," she said, "let it happen, then focus on where you need to go, and how to get there."

She'd given Pearl and me plenty of tips about controlling our speed, J turns, and angling our skis so we could stop. "And if you fall, that's okay too!" One of my favorite yoga instructors, Kirra Michel, always says that falling is okay, normal, human. She often says that babies fall again and again before learning to walk; what would happen if a baby gave up after the first few falls? Skiing requires so much coordination, balance, strength—of course we're going to fall.

What I did find, however, was that skiing kept me fully in the present in a way that's not always easy for me. But training my eyes on where I wanted to go, remembering my form, and feeling happy rush of adrenaline as I glided down the slopes was immensely grounding and fun. I was not expecting to so wholly enjoy doing something that, frankly, scared me. And also, 3 hours outside in the snow in 19 degree weather... it flew by.

At the end of the morning, Pearl and I both got big hugs from Jen and as I was thanking her, she smiled really big to thank me. "You ladies are why I love my job," she said.

Why Loveland Ski Area Stands Out Among Ski Resorts in Colorado

Returning our rentals was an easy process and I'm not exaggerating when I say that literally everyone we interacted with from Loveland Ski Area was kind, helpful, warm. (To the rad person who helped me get out of my boots when she saw me struggling: thank you! Also Adam on the ski lift, who witnessed a clumsy fall by yours truly: I appreciated your sense of humor and helpfulness!)

Now, I'm not knocking skiing in the Midwest; I love the Midwest. But skiing in Colorado is something completely different: the mountains, the scenery, the culture... it truly is a skier's playground. And while there are certainly lots of ski resorts in Colorado worth seeking out, if you're in the Denver area and looking for a ski resort that's beginner friendly, beautiful, accessible, and all good vibes, Loveland Ski Area is a standout.

Oh and if you're not a skiing newbie, Loveland Ski Area is equally thrilling for the more advanced. The resort has two separate base areas: Loveland Valley and Loveland Basin. Pearl and I skied in the Loveland Valley, which is just for beginners, but the Loveland Basin offers a wide variety of options and terrain—and elevation! The Ridge at Loveland Basin provides intermediate and advanced runs at higher altitudes (up to 12,700 feet!).