Photo: Steamboat Gondola (by Greg Burke)
1. The Snow... this
Colorado resort receives over 350 inches of their trademark
Champagne Powder each season, often the most of any
Colorado resort. When eastern resorts are having downer
years for downhillers, the sprawling
Steamboat, Colorado's third largest ski resort with 3,668-vertcal
feet and 3,000 acres of terrain, usually sees plenty of "white out" days.
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Photo: Steamboat Storm Peak (by Greg Burke)
2. Access... Flying into Hayden airport, you are just a 25-mile shuttle
ride to Steamboat Ski Resort… fly and ski the same day. Folks we
met who flew to Denver lost their luggage, and two days of
skiing.
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Photo: Steamboat Glades (by Greg Burke)
3. The Trees... Steamboat gets those classic Colorado sunny days
with brilliant blue sky and endless mountain vistas from the 10,384’
summit. But the serious stash is in the trees, tucked within the
stunning Aspen groves. The 'Boat has
phenomenal glade skiing (check out Shadows and Closet – shhh).
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Photo: Steamboat's Billy Kidd, Director of Skiing (by Greg Burke)
4. Olympic Training... If you want to be a good skier, ski where the Olympians do.
Steamboat, nicknamed “Ski Town USA,” is the breeding ground to 56
Winter Olympians (and counting)…the most of any town in America.
They even have an Olympic Cauldron in the center of town that
burns during the Winter Games.
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Photo: Billy Kidd skiing Steamboat (by Greg Burke)
5. Ski with Billy Kidd... Steamboat is the only ski area I
know that offers free ski clinics with Olympic Medalists and World
Champions, Billy Kidd and Nelson Carmichael. Do you see Bode doing
this at Bretton Woods?
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Photo: Steamboat (by Greg Burke)
6. The Town... Steamboat is the real deal
– a frontier town of cowboys, ranchers and passionate skiers.
Instead of the fancy, fur-draped faux skiers of Deer Valley or
Beaver Creek, you find friendly fall-line fanatics and converted
cowboys. Don’t worry ladies; there are several chic shops that
line Main Street – where you can lasso an authentic cowboy hat
for your chap. Steamboat Springs also has some fantastic
cantinas and legendary cowboy coffee (or Starbucks – your
choice).
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Photo: Steamboat Grand Hotel (by Greg
Burke)
7. The Grand... Steamboat is home to some grand lodging… literally.
The monstrous Steamboat Grand at the base, built in 1998, is
a posh, proximate place to crash.
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Photo: Strawberry Park Hot Springs
at Steamboat (photo by Greg Burke)
8. Natural Hot Springs... Hot springs are the ultimate
après ski, and Steamboat Springs has 150 of them – hence the name.
Strawberry Park Hot Springs is a beautiful, warm and wonderful
natural spring. The 104-degree mineral springs
are aesthetically impressive and super soothing. Take the kids for
a geological dip during daylight – or visit at night for an
adults-only (suits optional) “hot spring.”
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- Photo: Steamboat Ski School
(by Greg Burke)
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- 9. The Kids... Steamboat is dialed in on
deals for families. They were the first resort to promote “kids
fly free” with paying parents in 1986. You need to book the trip
through www.Steamboat.com central reservations.
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Photo: Steamboat Chute 1 (by Greg Burke)
10. The Terrain... Steamboat's
got everything from wide-open cruisers, to steeps, glades, bumps
and chutes - all covered in glorious Colorado snow. When it’s a “three wire winter” in
Steamboat, that’s ranchers’ terminology for measuring deep snow to
the top of the fence, its time to go!
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Photo: Steamboat Gondola (by Greg Burke)
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Photo: Steamboat Morningside (by Greg Burke)
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Photo: Steamboat, Colorado (by Greg Burke)
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Photo: Slopeside Grill Après Ski in Steamboat, Colorado (by Greg Burke) |
