Steamboat Mountain Resort
Summit Elevation 10,568 feet
Vertical Drop 3,688 feet
Average Annual Snowfall 339 inches
Skiable Acres 2,965
www.steamboat.com
Steamboat Mountain offers almost 3,000 skiable acres, consisting of glades, cruisers, and chutes, all filled-in with snow so light and fast the resort actually trademarked it with the famous description — Champagne PowderTM.
Steamboat’s snow is like ‘cold smoke’, mostly because the stuff just disappears as you float through it, but also because the term ‘smoke’ implies speed, something not typically associated with powder in great doses. Those skiers and snowboarders who criticize Steamboat as a low-angle hill and not steep enough for their macho turns have obviously never skied the ‘Boat’s East Face, or the Closet trees on a powder day.
For this review we skied the East Face, plus Closet and Shadows, on an 18-plus inch powder day, and now have chapped lips to show for it, a result of the many face shots of Champagne we drank while banging the fall line at mach speed. Photos? Uh, nope. Like friends, photos are scarce on a powder day.
Prior to the big dumpage, from Friday through Sunday, our crew skied in spring-like conditions, which offered up the chance to chase soft groomers in the warm sunshine, drink beers on the sundeck at Rendevous over lunch, and then again at the Slopeside Grill at the end of the day.
Mountain Highlights:
- Terrain Surrounding Pony Express- largely vacant on a sunny, Saturday afternoon, the trees interspersed between the runs funneling to the Pony Express lift held stashes of Steamboat’s finest, especially Cabin Fever, Perry’s Park and Diamond Hitch. We torched through some signature Aspen trees at the top and then through a playground of rolls and drop off’s in the terrain surrounding Outlaw.
- Broadway Bench – there is a picnic bench located to the left of Westside, over by Rolex that not only offers a sunny spot for a brown bag lunch, but also picturesque views of the Yampa Valley.
- Backcountry Gate on Pioneer Ridge – expert terrain that is open to exploration amidst the most beautiful fields of powder one could ever imagine, accessible by a five-minute hike. Be prepared if you decide to exit the resort, however. If you get hurt outside the rope, your rescue is in your own hands. If you get hurt inside the rope, someone will come to your aid.
Steamboat Mountain Resort adult full day lift ticket — $91.00/Adult ½ day lift ticket — $72.00
For lift ticket deals try CraigsList.com, or Liftopia.com.
See part 2 from Steamboat Springs where I cover lodging and getting there!
[...] on a powder day first escaped my lips on the chair that day, and then dominated my mind until our Steamboat trip of a couple of weeks ago, where we were assaulted with oodles of champagne powder. Somehow, in the [...]