Learning to tree-ski at Steamboat in Yampa Valley
‘Champagne powder’ and serious sporting cachet underpin the growing ambitions of this ski town.
“Anything can happen child,
Anything can be.”
I do a brief double-take on the snow-packed footpath, which is lined with pick-up trucks in downtown Steamboat Springs. The night sky is deepening to a startling sapphire blue, the magical last light fading behind the surrounding mountain range. The words – from American poet Shel Silverstein and spelled out on the marquee above an old theatre – hit home.
Earlier that day, I’d tried tree-skiing for the first time. After a decade off the slopes (young kids, lockdowns, back surgery) my confidence was more valley-low than mountain-high. “I’ll just take it really easy,” I’d chirped to dynamo ski instructor Kari Rillos, caught in a mixture of trepidation and temptation. My snowboarding husband, on the other hand, had bolted like a horse from the gates to hit first tracks, getting so giddily lost he had to dig himself out of the unpackable powder.
It had been an epic morning. The early March snow shifted like sifted icing sugar under the skis as we hit the blues around Sunshine Peak, soaking up yawning Yampa Valley views. The runs were wide enough to trace long, looping turns, finding my rhythm, and varied enough for my husband to disappear among the trees (we could tell where he was by the whooping). I wanted what he was having. So, with shaky knees, I traced Kari’s trusty zig-zag turns through a grove of perfectly spaced aspens, flushed with pride as she (graciously) cheered my modest achievement and feeling, in the bone-deep thrill of that moment, that yes – anything can happen, anything can be.
It’s a sentiment I hear everywhere here, from chairlifts to bars; friendly locals to goggle-tanned visitors. Steamboat boasts a special alchemy of “champagne powder” so light and dry it’s trademarked, combined with well-connected trails for all levels, lose-yourself tree skiing, and a laidback vibe favouring cowboy boots over designer duds.
Home to more Winter Olympians than anywhere in North America – 100 and counting – the ranching town-turned ski area retains its soul with slightly madcap events such as the Winter Carnival, in which fearless youngsters on skis are pulled by horses through a slalom course down Lincoln Avenue. Kids board buses after school for training at Howelsen Hill, the oldest continuously operating ski area in the US (Norwegian Carl Howelsen introduced ski-jumping here early last century).
These serious ski creds provide a solid base layer for exciting new developments sharpening the edges of Steamboat’s appeal. “Full Steam Ahead” is a $US220m ($340m) investment that includes the whip-crackingly fast Wild Blue Gondola, which makes light work of congestion at base-level, zipping up to Sunshine Peak – elevation 3302m – in just 13 minutes, making it the longest and fastest 10-person gondola in North America.
A 263ha expansion encompassing Mahogany Ridge and Fish Creek Canyon newly positions Steamboat as the state’s second-largest ski resort after Vail, with more than 1514 skiable hectares, 182 trails and 23 lifts. The new advanced-to-expert level terrain includes steep cliffs and dense glades for highly experienced, well-prepared thrill-seekers, with some newly patrolled runs requiring a hike-out (others are serviced by the Mahogany Ridge Express). “You’re on an adventure when you’re over there,” grins Kari. Meanwhile, the revamped base area boasts an ice-skating rink, impressive stage and The Range Food & Drink Hall, which does a cracking pork belly ramen.
The international market accounts for about 10 per cent of visitors here, with Australians leading the cohort, says Loryn Duke, Steamboat’s director of communications. Flights into nearby Hayden via Houston, Los Angeles or San Francisco bolster Steamboat’s appeal for long-haulers, as does its inclusion in the Ikon Pass resort portfolio. But the biggest drawcard? That powder.
It’s bucketing down the afternoon we arrive, flakes as big as butterfly wings. Next morning, we board the Wild Blue Gondola, which also deposits beginners at Greenhorn Ranch. It’s another new notch on the belt that relocates novices from the fishbowl-like atmosphere sometimes found at base, positioning them partway up the slopes. Here, the terrain-based learning – crafted to introduce learners progressively to different skills, such as gliding and turning – is a boon for kids and grown-ups alike.
On-mountain dining highlights include Ragnar’s, a charming slice of Norwegian ski culture, and Four Points Lodge, where the views are a knockout, as is the Bloody Mary bedecked with crispy bacon, peppers, olive and cheese – just enough kilojoules to power you down to base. Accommodation-wise, One Steamboat Place remains hard to beat for stone-and-wood grandeur with all the bells and whistles, and it’s just boot-steps from the lively base area. Staying here is like coming home to a luxurious bear hug, with happy hour in the soaring, fire-warmed lounge, and light breakfast for those itching to hit the slopes. It also offers a free shuttle into Steamboat Springs.
Unlike some resorts, Steamboat was a town before becoming a ski destination. There’s a rugged solidity and sense of history in the fairy light-strung streets, where cowboy hats bob along beside beanies. A swag of recently opened (and established) venues will keep gourmands as happy as powder-hounds. Primrose is the go for buzzy, sociable dining; the Denver steak is beautifully marbled, with a nice crust and even nicer blush, and every second table seems home to a martini glass (or three). Periodic Table, cosily located in the Catamount Ranch & Club, changes dining concepts twice-yearly; we enjoy perfectly crispy tempura as part of a modern Asian menu. Another night, we descend the stairs at Tahk Omakase for a warm, stone-walled slice of Japan, where the chefs slice otoro (fatty bluefin belly) that dissolves in the mouth, and diners swap trail tales over sake and specialty maki rolls. At Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails, a seductive Negroni de Sicily warms newly reawakened limbs.
Cool-kid newcomer The Westerly provides a modern take on Western art, with an in-house bar and couches for kicking back and admiring the works. Nearby Ohana stocks Colorado-crafted curios, and FM Light & Sons (est. 1905) carries the torch for no-fuss cowboy style. Further afield, Strawberry Park Hot Springs offers low-fi, high-immersion relaxation, with rustic changing cabins and steaming relief in the multiple rocky pools.
Leaving Yampa Valley Regional Airport, two men with ski boots slung casually around their necks are chatting in line. “Were you there Monday?” asks one. “Damn, it would’ve been great powder.” I can’t help but smile. Yep. It really was.
In the know
Travelplan has a variety of Steamboat ski packages, including discounted lift tickets, flights to Yampa Valley Regional Airport connecting from San Francisco, Houston and Los Angeles, and accommodation at One Steamboat Place.
Nikki Wallman was a guest of Colorado Ski Country and Travel Plan Ski.
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