Steamboat, Colorado
Every year, I go on a ski trip with the same group of old friends. Each year we look for a new spot that most people in the group have not skied before, this year, we landed on Steamboat. A little harder to get to than some of the other Colorado ski towns, the extra effort is worth it. Steamboat has this cool combination of old Colorado and understated luxury. It is not flashy or fancy but they do it right where it matters and the skiing is some of the best in the US.
DO: Ski. I have heard from those that have skied Steamboat in the past that a little thing called champagne powder peaks in Steamboat and that the conditions are unbeatable. Yes. Yes. Yes. It helped that there were some good snow dumps just before we arrived and every day was a bluebird day. The mountain is vast but easy to navigate, well designed, and the runs are long and wide. We were there end of February, so the height of ski season, and while there were plenty of people on the mountain, it never felt like the slopes were cramped. There were one or two lifts whose lines got long mid day so if that bums you out, get out there for first chair to get in a few hours without any lines. Enjoy a leisurely mid-day break at Four Points Lodge. It is THE spot for lunch with lots of seating options - inside, outdoor deck, slope-side picnic tables and Adirondack Chairs. Impressively good food for lodge food. I woke up every morning of the trip excited to make it to lunch!
I usually drag my feet on jumping into a sprawling, base of mountain, Après scene. It can feel rowdy, young, annoying. Not the case in Steamboat. We were there the weekend of Winter Wondergrass Festival so they had an outdoor stage and some additional bars set up outside of Timber and Torch. The sun was shining, bluegrass was live, there was spiked hot chocolate being served and life was good.
If you do want to venture to other spots from the slopes for a beverage…we hit the Truffle Pig which is in the same area but a little more refined. Decent spot. We also made it to Aurum in town one day for their epic happy hour. HIGHLY recommend this if you can make it in time. Their Happy Hour is 4:30-6p and the bar is full in the first 30 minutes. Great food and drink on the menu and quite a deal. The staff is swamped but friendly nonetheless.
After a day of skiing head to Strawberry Hot Springs. The natural environment of Strawberry is really special. The physical pools are similar to other springs I have been to but the way the pools sit deep in a little forest valley with the stone walls that surround the springs and the natural light looming in the background, it’s all very picturesque. There are multiple pools with varying temperatures, warm, hot, very hot and cold. I recommend going while it’s light out. The road is windy and narrow and I cannot imagine it at night with no street lights. We went just before sunset and it was perfect.
On every ski trip, I take a day off from skiing and find a local yoga studio, explore the town, shop around and slow down. I ventured to Out Here Yoga which looked to be up my alley with a heated power flow. The class was full of energy, heady Colorado beats and a challenging sweaty flow. Even from just going there once, I could see that this was a real yoga community that practices together daily. Very cool place, check it out. Oh and there is a mountain view from the studio!
EAT: While we did not have dinner at Aurum, if the happy hour is an indication of the dinner vibe then I would recommend it. We did eat at a new restaurant by the same owners of Aurum called the Periodic Table. It’s a little off the beaten path at Catamount Ranch and they change the full restaurant concept every season. We were there for the 1920s New York City era (think steak and martinis). It’s a beautiful lodge, they are still finding their footing with the food but overall it was good and we loved our server. The drinks are the best part. They had a martini cart for table-side martinis and the drinks were stiff and proper. The bar and the fireplace area felt like best seats in the house and I would recommend going for a cocktail and small bite.
We also had dinner at Cafe Diva which seems to be the most recommended of the nicer restaurants in Steamboat and has been around for over 20 years. It is pretty formal so be prepared for that, our server never left us alone and also forgot to put the order in for one of our dinners. While the service situation rubbed us the wrong way, the food and wine were both very good. The last place we tried for dinner was Laundry. This place is fun and easy, relaxed vibe and stellar tapas. We had everything on the small plates menu, there was nothing we did not like and we finished every bite.
SHOP: Three stores that I particularly liked in the town of Steamboat. The first is OHANA, who make the softest hand-printed tee shirts, sweatshirts and other apparel. All designed in the mountains of Colorado, cool prints, high quality. Second is Overland, which started in Taos, NM and is now in a number of ski towns. American classic style, there are hides and rugs for the home, hats, lots of leather, suede, fur, and various other clothing and accessories.
My last recommendation is a bookstore and coffee shop called Off the Beaten Path. There are so few of these small bookstores left, love this place and hope it lives on. Good spot to kill some time, get a coffee and roam the shelves.
KNOW: The Altitude always gets me. Steamboat isn’t the highest of altitudes as far as ski towns go, but you definitely feel it. I was dry, dehydrated and short of breath for a lot of the trip.
Getting there. Steamboat has a regional airport nearby- Yampa Valley Regional. Most of my group flew into Yampa. Some had positive experiences, some had delays. It can be risky with the Steamboat weather. I flew in and out of Denver and did the 3.5 hr drive to steamboat. It is an amazing drive and I highly recommend it in good weather. We had blue skies and open roads on our way to Steamboat and it was magical. On the way back, the weather was rough and there was traffic, which I hear is the case more often than not and makes it less ideal. That said, Denver is a more reliable airport with way more flights.
There is a good gas station stop about 2.5 hrs into the drive in the small town of Kremmling, where 9N meets 40W. At the gas station there’s a fairly large market where you can scoop up provisions. The backdrop of this old Colorado gas station (which also looks to be an old stagecoach stop) is stunning so take a minute to look around and breath in that fresh Colorado air!
