Steamboat Ski Resort
Steamboat is a world class ski resort that offers an all-round great experience. The Steamboat ski resort has plenty of terrain and it’s covered in “champagne powder”, a term invented by Steamboat to describe the light fluffy snow.
The ski resort sits near the town of Steamboat Springs which is commonly shortened to just “Steamboat” or called “Ski Town USA” because Steamboat has produced a large number of Winter Olympians, which speaks volumes for what this ski town has to offer.
Steamboat has a rich western heritage and you’ll find plenty of cowboys, ranches and horses. If you’re looking for celebrities and want to wear fur you might not fit in, but if you want to strut about in Stetson boots or wear a cowboy hat whilst skiing, you’ll definitely blend right in!
Pros & Cons of Steamboat Colorado
Pros
- Steamboat Colorado has great glade skiing amongst widely spaced trees that are ideal for those learning the art of tree skiing.
- The Steamboat Ski Resort is a very good all-rounder.
- The terrain is particularly good for beginners and intermediates.
- Steamboat is well recognised for being a very family friendly resort, and kids 12 and under ski free with a parent or grandparent.
- Steamboat has lots of winter activities on offer.
- Steamboat Powdercats is a fantastic US cat skiing outfit.
- Whilst not quite as cute as some Colorado ski towns, Steamboat Springs is still rather nice.
Cons
- Lift passes are expensive if you pre-book and the prices are completely insane if you buy them on the day.
- Steamboat Ski Resort has very little challenging terrain for experts.
Pro or Con Depending on Your Perspective
- The crowds are a little less than the Colorado ski resorts on the beaten path of the I-70 region, because Steamboat is relatively remote and it doesn’t get the day-trippers from Denver.
- The quality of the powder that falls is lovely, but the snow is often not well maintained and due to low elevation the spring melt arrives quickly. One upside is that unlike other Colorado ski resorts, altitude sickness is not usually a problem.
- Steamboat Ski Resort is accessible on the Ikon Pass.
Steamboat Ski and Snowboard Terrain
Steamboat is the 5th largest ski resort in Colorado with 2,965 acres (1,200 hectares) of terrain, 169 named trails, and 3,668ft of vertical. The terrain is spread across six peaks, providing a variety of aspects. Steamboat ski resort is serviced by 18 lifts which includes a gondola and 6 high speed chairlifts.
The whole resort is below the tree line so there are no alpine bowls and only a couple of chutes, but the glade skiing for advanced riders is rave worthy. Tree lined groomers and moguls make up the rest of the terrain, as well as an impressive terrain park and superpipe.
Steamboat is paradise for intermediates. Forty two percent of the trails are blue, and many of the single black runs are also great for strong intermediate riders. Steamboat has a small amount of aptly rated double black runs, but they’re short and won’t keep die-hard ski bums entertained for very long. And relative to some other Colorado ski resorts, there’s little that would fit into the “pucker” category. On the plus side, the resort provides gated access to some good backcountry terrain.
Steamboat Snow
Where Steamboat excels is the quality of the fresh snow. Despite the ski resort being at a low elevation relative to other
Colorado ski resorts, the powder is a highlight of “the Boat”. Steamboat also does reasonably well in the quantity stakes, with 314 inches of snowfall per season on average.
What I don’t fully understand is why Steamboat would go to great lengths to trademark the term “champagne powder” and then aggressively send cease and desist letters to anyone who dare use the term not in relation to Steamboat. In my mind “champagne powder” conjures up thoughts of bubbly yellow snow! That doesn’t sound too appealing!
Where is Steamboat Springs Ski Resort?
Steamboat is located in northwest Colorado, 160 miles (267km) northwest of Denver. The Yampa Valley Regional Airport (known as Hayden) is only 22 miles (35km) from the resort and has scheduled shuttle services to and from Steamboat.
Flights can be somewhat expensive, so the other alternative is to fly into Denver International Airport which is 180 miles from Steamboat. The drive takes about 3 to 4 hours depending on weather and road conditions.
The town of Steamboat Springs lies just 3 miles (5km) from the base of Steamboat Ski Resort. There are free buses between the town and resort, and some lodgings also provide shuttle services.
Steamboat Lodging
You can either choose on-mountain accommodations at the ski resort or lodging in downtown Steamboat Springs, and considering the efficient bus and shuttle systems, it’s easy to get between the two locations.
The Mountain Village at Steamboat Ski Resort is purpose built and most of the lodging consists of condominiums and hotels. The lodging is ski-in ski-out or close to it, thereby offering the superb convenience of being close to the slopes.
Steamboat Springs is an authentic cowboy town with a really friendly atmosphere. The accommodations include hotels, motels, and lodges. It’s generally cheaper to stay downtown and there are a few more dining and drinking options than on-mountain.
Steamboat Accommodations Listings
Steamboat Activities
A huge plus for Steamboat is the number of activities available aside from skiing and snowboarding at Steamboat ski resort. Powder hounds looking for fresh tracks can head out cat skiing with
Steamboat Powdercats, whilst chook footers can make the most of the 120km of groomed cross country trails.
Activities for down days include winter fly fishing, snow tubing, ice climbing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, a day spa, or a visit to the
Strawberry Park hot springs. And Steamboat is horse country so naturally there are horse drawn sleigh rides and you can also go horse riding in winter.