Loveland business provides year-round ski, snowboard season

By David Young

Colorado skiing is world-renowned. We are fortunate to be home to some of the best ski slopes and resorts in the country. However, for beginners, learning to ski and getting to the mountains can be time-consuming and intimidating. That’s where Loveland’s Infinity Slopes steps in to make skiing accessible anytime.

The new northern Colorado indoor ski trails feature three large revolving ski slopes that rotate. Think of a giant treadmill creating an endless ski or snowboard run in a climate-controlled environment. While it may not be exactly like skiing the back bowls of a resort, it does offer a great place to learn or – for more advanced skiers and riders – to practice. And, it never shuts down for mud season or summer.

Travis Corder, owner and operator at Infinity Slopes, came up with the idea for the indoor ski facility after a family ski trip that went south. His daughter fell ill and they were unable to learn to ski or get a refund for their passes and lessons. Corder returned home determined to create an alternative to the traditional way of skiing, which can be time-consuming and expensive.

Corder did his research before opening the business and found that indoor ski facilities are quite common in Europe, but still relatively rare in the U.S.

“People can learn six to eight times faster than you would on snow,” Corder said. “It’s a lot of fun, and it is a different vibe and experience. We make sure everyone has a good time.”

The surface is a grass-like texture that imitates the feel of real snow conditions. At the same time, the Infinity Slopes instructors can adjust the speed and incline of the slope to challenge riders to improve and hone their skills.

Perhaps the best part, the slopes are open year-round. For die-hard ski and snowboarders looking to get some turns in during the heat of summer when all the ski resorts are closed, they have a place they can go.

“It’s a lot of fun. People progress very quickly. Good skiers and snowboarders see it and don't understand the friction underfoot,” said Corder, who noted he can really crank up the speed and even project obstacles onto the carpet to make it more challenging.

Infinity Slopes' mission is to make skiing or snowboarding more accessible to people and in turn, inspire a lifelong love of the sport. Infinity Slopes offers a range of options when it comes to using its slopes. There are ski and snowboard lessons available for those looking to learn. They also have open sessions for people to book and use the carpet or the freestyle park.

Corder created the freestyle park after trying it on his own at Eldora Mountain, where he discovered that it was much harder than it looked. Infinity Slopes’ terrain park has a ramp with jumps and transitions. Users can change out features such as rails, boxes and board slides.

Prices vary depending on what you are looking to do, but a good starting point is a private lesson for $80. From there, Corder said people tend to buy a pack of lessons, which are interchangeable so anyone can use them over the course of a year. Infinity Slopes is located at 1301 S. Roosevelt Ave. in Loveland and accepts bookings online.