  
 Looking
for snow? Steamboat
gets it, upwards of 390 inches and still shoveling. Our family was experiencing
serious snow withdrawal this winter here in Maine. Symptoms included
my daughter wearing summer clothes to school, and my son playing golf
in the backyard. We needed a snow fix and a trip to Colorado’s
award-winning family resort in Steamboat Springs was just the elixir. We were the only Steamboat “first-timers” on our flight full off excited skiers landing at Hayden Airport (more like an airstrip amid a snow-covered prairie surrounded by Rocky Mountains). During our 22-mile shuttle to Steamboat Springs, we gleaned why Steamboat has such a return rate. First, kids fly free and rent free equipment with paying parents (the first ski resort to do so two decades ago). Second, there’s snow and beautiful Colorado sunshine. The resort even registered their trademark “Champagne Powder.” Arriving at The Steamboat Grand, the bellhops could not have been nicer at the immense 4-star hotel. Modeled after its sister Grand hotels at eastern resorts, but – grander, rising seven stories including a wilderness themed lobby of waterfalls cascading over redwood logs.  The
Steamboat Grand is a short walk to the resort’s Gondola Square, where
you board and launch 2,200-vertical feet to mid-mountain with
magnificent valley and mountain vistas along the way. I had heard that
Steamboat was tame, family-friendly fall line, and our first runs down
Heavenly Daze and High Noon were ego pleasers. The natural snow
beneath our boards sounded heavenly (making no sound at all – unlike
eastern manmade). The deep snow and frosted trees were quickly curing
our brown ground Eastern epidemic. I was not prepared for how sprawling Steamboat is, 3,668’ vertical, 164 trails encompassing six peaks, and forests of glades. Steamboat’s Maverick is the longest halfpipe on the continent. Whoever told me Steamboat is tame was simply off base (and clearly never ventured off-piste). With a 10,568’ summit elevation and 3,000 acres, I was glad we had a week to roam this western resort, the third largest in Colorado. So that you don’t loose your posse in all this snow-covered space, Steamboat offers “Mountain Watches” - wristband tracking devices worn to locate family members by scanning your watch at kiosks strategically placed about the resort (there’s little Johnny in Giggle Gulch). This Star Trek meets Steamboat service is free to families enrolled in their exceptional learn to ski and ride programs, otherwise its $25 for the week.  Our
two kids are beyond ski school, but we couldn’t pass up the free
clinic with Billy Kidd, 1964 Olympic silver medalist. Kidd grew up
skiing Stowe, but converted to cowboy hat wearing and Colorado skiing
in 1970 – he’s been the director of skiing at Steamboat ever since
(his free clinic is at 1pm almost every day). It was a treat to meet
Billy (another reasons to go to Steamboat). During photos, we told him
we were from back East. Kidd said, “Skiing the Eastern hard pack is
great if you want to race in the Olympics and win a Gold medal, but if
you want sunshine and great powder snow, you should ski Steamboat.”
Billy gave everyone tips on how to win a Gold medal; he talked about coming within a fraction of a second of Gold in Innsbruck and discussed Bode Miller. Kidd said that Steamboat has produced more Olympic skiers than any ski area, 56 and counting. “The whole town of Steamboat supports our Olympic tradition,” said Kidd. “Everyone turns out for our Olympic send off ceremony and we light an Olympic torch in town that burns throughout the games.” Olympic bronze medalist Nelson Carmichael hosts a free bumps clinic at Steamboat, but we chickened out when we saw the monster moguls on Nelson’s Run (maybe next trip). The ‘Boat has plenty of bump runs, but my daughter prefers glades (ironic given her name Aspen). We discovered the Steamboat secret: “the goods are in the woods.” We scored acres of beautifully-spaced, silvery Aspen groves drenched with delightfully light snow, in ever pitch from passive off the Sunshine Express quad, to perfect in Shadows, and precipitous in Christmas Tree Bowl off the summit. All this skiing and Rocky Mountain altitude works up a rancher-size appetite. Steamboat’s on-mountain dining carves a notch above usual ski area fare. At Rendezvous Saddle Lodge, we were served a sumptuous lunch at Ragnar’s by our early morning gondola companion (you know its good when local’s slip in runs before their shift). In the evening, you can take a sleigh here for a gourmet five-course dinner. Hazie’s at the top of the gondola also serves superb cuisine topped with sweeping views of the slopes, the town, and the surrounding mountain ranges, for lunch daily, and dinner by gondola certain nights. Storm Mountain was the original name of Steamboat, appropriate given that the 10,372’ peak has its own weather (generally snowy), and its own weather station. Storm Peak was renamed Mt. Werner for Buddy Werner, local Olympian who died in a Swiss avalanche in 1964. Intrawest, the ski resort real estate success company of Whistler, Copper, Mammoth and Tremblant fame, recently bought Steamboat for $265 million. The name Steamboat Springs dates back to 1865 when fur trappers passing through heard a sound like a steamboat – turns out it was the fizz and gurgle of hot springs. There are 150 geothermal springs in Steamboat, yet another reason to visit this cool – or hot - spot. We took an afternoon off from riding the Pony Express quad (a family favorite) to soak in the incredible natural mineral spring baths at Strawberry Park Hot Springs. This is après ski absolute, with steamy waterfalls and pools at 104-degrees, plus polar plunges to refresh you. The serene setting and masonry design of these springs is awe-inspiring and the soak is super at $10 per adult, $3-5 for kids. At night, things heat up, when the springs are adults-only, suits optional (or so we heard).  During
our week out west, another reason to go to Steamboat became evident –
the people: pleasant raccoon-tanned locals, vibrant vacationers, even
friendly cowboys in this authentic ranchers’ settlement. Steamboat’s downtown (a free 3-mile shuttle from the mountain) has frontier town flavor, and flavorful restaurants from cantinas to Italian bistros, and cowboy coffee cafes. There aren’t so many furry boutiques like Vail or Aspen, but there isn’t the swanky ski town ‘tude either. There are just enough shops and native boutiques; you can buy your guy the Steamboat-essential cowboy lid. Our family has skied our share of western resorts. Steamboat ranked high, the brilliant blue-sky scenery is sensational, the skiing is wide-ranging, and the folks are genuine in nicknamed “Ski Town USA.” Steamboat is ideal for fall line families, or for ski writers considering a switch to ski bumming (the thought crossed my mind one crystal clear bluebird powder day). Did I mention the snow? You should go. Steamboat Ski Town USA, Colorado www.steamboat.com 1-877-237-2628 For a snow fix, check out www.bigsno.com |
