A Western spirit sets this ski town apart
Steamboat’s vibe makes Texans feel right at home
Yeehaw! I can’t seem to escape this enthusiastic refrain. I hear it reverberate off the hardwood glades of the Shadows, Steamboat Resort’s famous tree run, and it’s bellowed victoriously at the T-Bar after an intense game of Hammerschlagen.
Bogner and Moncler may be the apparel of choice at Colorado’s swankier ski resorts, such as Aspen and Beaver Creek, but on Steamboat’s snow-dusted main thoroughfare, Lincoln Avenue, Stetsons and Wranglers still make a fashion statement. This is Cowboy Colorado. Settled by homesteaders long before the ski lifts were up and running, Steamboat’s Western spirit gives the town its distinct character. It’s no wonder Texans feel a kinship with the place.
Locals joke of the Texan migration that descends as soon as the snow starts to fall. Each winter, this mountain town tucked away in Colorado’s northwest corner welcomes roughly 20,000 visitors from Texas. Many come for the trademarked “champagne powder,” but the majority feel at home in a town where rodeo champions try to land ski jumps at the annual Cowboy Downhill competition and Shiner Bock flows on tap at local watering holes.
Steamboat’s cowboy roots are on full display each February during Winter Carnival. The oldest, continuous winter carnival west of the Mississippi was founded in 1914 as a way to lift the spirits of locals during seemingly never-ending months of cold. The festivities go way beyond a parade and fireworks. An evening extravaganza at Howelsen Hill is best described as Cirque du Soleil on skis, as illuminated athletes flip and fly down the hill. The highlight is a Lighted Man bedecked in a pyrotechnic suit with 70 pounds of fireworks. By day, Lincoln Ave becomes a snowy racecourse for street slalom, skijoring and the Donkey Jump, an event in which children launch 30-some feet after being towed into jumps by a horse.
Needless to say, Steamboat isn’t afraid to do things its own way, and that applies to the on-mountain experience as well. Ski snobs complain that the skiing here is “tame.” But loyalists come for the pure enjoyment of skiing diverse terrain, not simply the rush of nonstop double blacks. Steamboat often catches stormfronts from both Wyoming and Utah, which means powder days are plentiful. The terrain off of Pony Express and Storm Peak lifts is classic Steamboat, with its ungroomed, pitchy champagne powder trails. And the resort boasts some of the country’s best lift-served tree skiing. After a few quad-burning runs through high-alpine spruce, you’ll be ready for lunch — and the resort has upped its dining game this year.
The hard-core first-to-last chair crowd will welcome the addition of Taco Beast, a roving snowcat-turned-food truck that delivers guac-topped fish tacos, carnitas, esquites (Mexican corn salad) and cold Modelo beers on the slopes. And after a sixmonth renovation, the base area of Steamboat Ski Area has an exciting new hangout, Timber & Torch. Named for the resort’s legendary tree runs and Olympian heritage, the indooroutdoor restaurant is primed to be this season’s new après hotspot with its expansive heated patio, two bars, an al fresco fireplace and an outdoor barbecue area where chefs can grill burgers to order. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu includes bistro-inspired dishes such as poutine with duck confit; duck gravy and cheddar curds; open-face steak sammies; and three cheese truffle gnocchi. Signature cocktails include a beet and blood orange cosmo and a smoky negroni, which gets prepared tableside. And being Colorado, there’s of course a deep selection of the state’s best craft brews.
Despite its name Ski Town USA, Steamboat also excels at down-day activities. The thermal waters at Strawberry Park Hot Springs, just 7 miles outside town, are the go-to cure for ski-weary muscles. Want an adrenaline fix while still giving your legs a rest? Head out snowmobiling. The extensive trail system on Rabbit Ears Pass in Routt National Forest is a snowmobiler’s dream with wideopen meadows and views extending to Wyoming. The adventurous shouldn’t miss the excitement of snowmobiling under a starry sky. Moonlit excursions run by Steamboat Snowmobile Tours wend through powder fields along the Continental Divide en route to a secluded cabin where a dinner of grilled rib-eye and Rocky Mountain trout await.
If Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, there’s plenty else to do. Steamboat is one of the only ski destinations where fun isn’t 100 percent snow dependent. The newly installed Outlaw Mountain Coaster, the longest coaster in North America at more than 6,280 feet, replicates the thrill of downhill ski racing or rodeo barrel racing. Riders reach speeds of up to 27 miles per hour making hairpin turns and riding steep descents 40 feet above the slopes.
This being cowboy country, horseback riding is a specialty and offers a unique way to take in the Western heritage and alpine beauty of the Yampa Valley. A few of the area ranches, including Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch just 45 minutes out of town, lead winter rides along scenic trails in the wilderness of the Routt National Forest.
Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten your Western duds. F.M. Light & Sons, a Lincoln Avenue staple since 1905, can outfit you for a day of riding or a wild night on the town. Unlike many ski resorts, the village base area isn’t the only option for nightlife. Steamboat Springs has a thriving downtown and superfriendly locals. No matter what kind of boots you show up in — cowboy or ski — you’ll always feel welcomed.