This month comes with a bonus ski day (thank you, leap year). Make the most of the extra 24 hours with a trip to Loveland Ski Area, which sits about an hour away from downtown Denver. Here’s how to maximize your mountain time.

Rapid Rations

Save yourself a lunch break by grabbing a sandwich from Two Brothers Deli in Idaho Springs on your way up. The speedy sandwich shop opens at 6 a.m., so you’ve got time to stop and still make first chair at 8:30 a.m. (9 a.m. during the week).

5280 February 2016
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Out Front

If you snowboard, make sure your ticket is attached to your front leg for easy, no-fumbling-with-zippers-and-pockets scanning.

Access Point

Lift One hauls you 1,000 vertical feet in seven minutes. Yes, other lifts go faster, but none give you access to this much terrain (19 runs ranging from green to double black).

Early Exit

If you can’t stay for the entire day, try a Flex Ticket. Buy a regular day pass ($65), and if you return your ticket within four hours—even three hours and 59 minutes—you get a $12 refund.