There is something missing at Loveland Ski Area.
It might take you a few moments to notice. You might even miss it from I-70, but you will not miss it from the east side of Loveland Pass. The old chairlift running overhead is partially dismantled.
That is Chair 5, the 56-year-old two-person chairlift linking Loveland Basin to Loveland Valley over U.S. Highway 6. Already pulled from the cables are the original chairs. Coming down soon are the towers and terminals.
Later this month Loveland is selling 130 chairs from Chair 5, and this one is for Loveland diehards only. They are available at $650 apiece through a lottery open only to 2026-2027 season passholders.
“The chairs are more than 40 years old and are being sold as-is, complete with the wear and character earned from decades of service,” reads a ski area statement. “Lift pads have been removed from every chair, and chairs will be assigned in random order.”
Here is how the Loveland Chair 5 lottery works:
- Registration is open through July 22.
- Winners will be notified July 23.
- Winners will receive a redemption code and must complete their online purchase by July 30. Any unclaimed chairs may be offered to alternate winners.
- One lottery entry is permitted per eligible season passholder.
- Season passes must be paid in full to qualify. Season passes on a payment plan are not eligible.
- Multiple season passholders from the same household may enter, but only one winner per household will be selected.
- Lottery entries and winning opportunities are non-transferable.
- All sales are final.
Change is the only constant in these big mountains, but we have to admit – rolling up to the Loveland parking lot with no chairlift overhead will be strange. We’re getting just a little bleary-eyed thinking about it.