Everything to Know for a Trip to Steamboat Ski Resort

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Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous activities, please ride within your ability levels and respect others around you

Alright it’s winter and your interested in taking a snowboard (or ski) trip to Colorado. Well one of the best hidden gem resorts is located Northwest of Denver in the Yampa Valley. Right on the continental divide, Steamboat Springs is a small town and only ten minutes from the ski resort. Averaging over 300 inches of snowfall per year, time it right and you’ll be riding champagne powder until the lifts stop spinning.

As you drive into town, there is an authentic feel to it that doesn’t feel touristy with a couple old school ski shops and locally owned restaurants. You’ll even notice the famous Rabbit Ears Motel, that always seems to have a no vacancy sign. What I like most about riding the resort, is even during the busiest times of the year, the lift lines seem to go quick and you still get plenty of laps in for the day. With that being said, in the this post I’ll be going over how to get to the resort, what to expect, where to stay, eat, and what to know about the resort. Coool, lets get into it.

Any cool history of the town and Ski resort

Like many towns throughout Colorado there is some cool history. The name is thought to be originated from early settlers who thought they heard the sound of a Steamboat engine, yet it turned out to be a natural mineral spring, that they named the Steamboat Spring. By 1900 Steamboat became an official town, and by the early 1900’s the commercial railroad sparked a boom in ranching and visitors to the area. In the early 1960’s Steamboat opened to the public and was named Storm Mountain before it became Steamboat ski resort. After putting in new lifts and trails the ski resort was able to make over 100,000 in revenue by the 1966-67 season.

Are there Hotsprings nearby

Yep, the infamous Strawberry Hotsprings will be about 7 miles from downtown Steamboat. They require reservations with slots being two hours. You can make a reservation on the Strawberry Hot Springs website. The cost is $20 cash only and you’ll need a four wheel drive vehicle to get up to the springs. They offer a shuttle service if you don’t have a vehicle or AWD, that don’t require reservations.

How to get there

What’s cool about Steamboat is it’s farther away from the front range and DIA, therefore it doesn’t draw the crowds during Holidays and weekends such as other Colorado resorts closer to Denver. There’s two airports that you can fly into, Denver International and Yampa Valley. Yampa Valley Airport will be much closer. Below I’ve listed times and distances from these areas. If you’re coming from Denver or the front range, you’ll take 40W from I-70 driving on Rabbit Ears pass until you reach Steamboat.

Rabbit Ears pass can be a little sketch if it’s dumping snow, so be careful!

Denver International Airport- 3 hours 15 minutes/180 Miles/290 km

Yampa Valley Airport- 30 Minutes/24 Miles/39 km

Boulder- 3 hours/163 Miles/262 km

Ft Collins- 3 hours 15 minutes/160 miles/258 km

Where to Stay

You can either stay near the resort or in downtown Steamboat. The resort is only about 10-15 minutes away from the town depending on traffic. There’s some nice options right on the slopes which is what I decided to do. I booked through VRBO and stayed in a nice 1 bedroom right by the Wildhorse gondola. The place was pretty epic with easy parking and some good views from the balcony.

If you’re looking for something more affordable, there’s a few cheaper hotels in Steamboat such as the Rabbit Ears Motel or the Nordic lodge.

Where to Park

One of the best parts about Steamboat if you’re day tripping it is the free parking that is close to the base of the mountain. During busier times, try to get to the lots early as they fill up. The two free lots are the Upper Noll and Meadows. Meadows is much bigger with a quick shuttle service. You can also hop on the Wildhorse gondola if you don’t want to take the shuttle. It is a farther walk to this gondola then just hopping on the shuttle.

Any good Restaurants

Downtown Steamboat will have some of the best restaurants in my opinion with a number of different options. Just make sure to make a reservation ahead of time, especially for larger parties! You might even have to do this months in advance, depending on the time of year. For breakfast I really liked Creekside Cafe and this biscuit spot on the North End of town called Lil’ Country Biscuits and Coffee. I was also recommended the Shack by a local for more of a classic old school diner menu. But my favorite breakfast place was actually Colorado Bagel Company. Simple menu and close to the parking area. The Tuscan bagel is pretty incredible.

For Dinner there’s a number of restaurants in downtown and also a couple at the base. I was recommended Cafe Diva’ at the base. In town Laundry, Salt and Lime, and Table 79 were highly recommended. I tried Salt and lime as well as Laundry and both were amazing! Salt and Lime has an awesome menu with lots of taco options! (only $4 each until 5:30!) and cocktails with Laundry being mostly family style with shared plates.

Table 79 will be an upscale restaurant and is also farm to table with sister restaurants Aurum and Periodic Table also in Steamboat. For a more local vibe, check out Old Town Pub. Great happy hour and if you like sports, post up at the bar to watch the game.

Where can we rent or buy snowboard and ski equipment

There will be a handful of shops at base of the mountain and also close to the base area such as Christy Sports and Powder Pursuits. For snowboards Powder Tools has been around for a long time and is more of a core snowboard shop; with knowledgable staff, rental, and tuning services.

Of course my favorite snowboard shop will be the Burton store, right at the base as well. They will have just about everything you need for a day on the mountain. The Burton store has rental and demo packages too, so you can try a set up out before you buy one.

In town there is Ski Haus, a huge store with lots of different options for equipment, including splitboard and back country gear. They also have a large selection of rentals and a legit tune shop. The shop has been around for over 50 years! They even provide a shuttle service that will pick you up if you don’t have a car so that you can check out the store or pick up rentals.

Is Steamboat on the Ikon or Epic

The full Ikon will get you unlimited access to Steamboat Resort with the Ikon base pass giving you five days at Steamboat.

Are there lessons and beginner terrain

Yep, Steamboat will offer lessons for Adults and kids in groups or with a private instructor (for skiing and snowboarding). Full and half day times are available with private lessons being more expensive. Private lessons can be nice because if you’re looking to ride and learn the mountain, an instructor will show you around the resort. Make sure to book these far in advance as they can fill up quickly throughout the season!

The Mountain does have a great area with beginner to intermediate terrain. The Sunshine Express lift (lookers right on the mountain) and Wildblue Gondola at the main base, both have runs that cater to beginner to intermediate skiers and snowboarders. What’s cool is you can still get the ski trip experience with some pretty nice views even though you are on easier terrain. Tomahawk and Why Not are some easier green runs, Also nice to ride on powder days as they don’t get tracked out much.

What is the mountain like and where to ride

One of the most unique resorts in Colorado, Steamboat doesn’t have any above tree line terrain or huge back bowls. Instead they have awesome tree riding, a handful of fun bowls, plenty of blue or black groomers, and a hike-to zone that accesses cliff drops and steeper faces. It has the feel of an original ski resort without all of the big commercialization (even though the base area is growing and lifts are being updated). Even during the busiest times, the crowds aren’t bad in my opinion.

Mountain Stats

Skiable acres: 2,965

number of runs: 171

Lifts: 21

Summit Elevation:10,568 feet/3224 meters

Favorite places to ride

For easier fun cruiser laps I like to take lifts Thunderhead Express, Storm Peak, and Four Points. If you’re looking for some of the easier more family friendly runs those can be found off of the Sunshine Express lift and Sundown Express lift! If the main gondola has a long line head over to the Wild Blue Gondola and either keep going up or get off halfway and cruise over to the Thunderhead Express lift to access a lot of the mountain.

If you’ve never skied or snowboarded before, take the Christie Peak express right at the base and get off at the half way point. This will be an easy run to get warmed up on and to learn the fundamentals!

If you like steeper terrain with deep snow after a storm, my favorite run is East Face, accessed off of the hike to the top of Mt. Werner. You have to take the Morning Side lift then head right off the lift to access the hike. Its an easier trek that takes about ten minutes to get to the top. Be aware of signage and cliff areas when riding through here! If you like jumping off cliffs, this is the best area for that in my opinion. Keep in mind that towards the bottom you either have to ride through trees or skate on a catwalk to get back to the main area of the mountain.

If you want to do the hike again, the quickest route is to take the Barue lift back to the top, drop into Frying Pan, and hop on the Morningside lift for round 2. It’s also fun to only hike up halfway and drop into Alarm Clock or Wake up call for some quick steeper laps to the bottom of Morningside.

Does Steamboat get a lot of snow

Depending on the season, Steamboat can get lots of snow, as you can see in some of the photos. The average snowfall is around 314 inches with January and February on average having the most snowfall. On a really good year, they can get over 400 inches of snow.

When there’s that much snow it’s good to ride with a friend or partner as it can be dangerous with tree wells and other terrain hazards. If you are going to ride by yourself be cautious and aware of your surroundings. I ride by myself quiet a bit, but try to lean on the side of caution if its a really deep day.

Is there good tree riding

Yep! However I recommend riding with a partner if you decide to venture into the trees, because when it snows a lot, Steamboat is known to have tree wells. A tree well is a pocket that forms around the base of the tree, if you get too close, you can sink into it and become trapped. Tree wells can be very dangerous! so be careful.

Some of my favorite tree runs will be off of the Pony Express lift as well as the Cheesy Grits and Gravy Runs, off the backside of the mountain. These are quick runs, but I like how secluded and quiet it is when riding through them. The trees runs off Pony will be Aspens and the trees through Cheesy Grits or Gravy will be huge Pine trees.

For Longer tree runs, ride through the Aspens off of Thunderhead Express. I’ve definitely like to cruise through these at the beginning or end of the day and on deep days it honestly feels like your maybe in Japan. It’s a cool experience that I haven’t experienced at too many Colorado ski resorts.

Is there a Terrain Park

Steamboat has three different terrain parks which includes the pipe. Rabbit Ears will be the main park with a few jumps and a number of rails, while the Lil Rodeo Park and pipe will be smaller with some great beginner features. You can do laps through both parks or if you want or just lap the smaller park by taking the Christie Peak express lift up to the halfway point.

For a bigger halfpipe there will be one close to the Rabbit ears park off of the Bashor lift. If you like to race and hangout out with friends, every year there is the Steamboat Slash and Burn banked slalom competition. This is a snowboard event where riders are timed on a slalom course. Picture a race course with snow bank turns. It’s not a serious event and more for fun and bragging rights.

Is there anywhere to eat on the mountain

There are three lodges with food; Four Points, Rendezvous, and Thunderhead Lodge. Four Points has a cabin like feel inside and overlooks the different mountain ranges and the Yampa Valley. They also have outdoor seating for those Bluebird days. Four points will also have some healthy options with local ingredients while Thunderhead and Rendezvous will have more traditional resort food.

Each lodge will have a bar too if you’re looking to grab a drink and chill in between riding.

Does Steamboat have Night Riding

Any great places for Apres’

The base of the mountain will have a few places to grab a drink and food, however I really like Apres’ burger bistro not too far from the base. There’s less people and also a local brewery, Storm Peak, on the ground level.

Is Downtown worth checking out

Definitely, as mentioned there’s a number of good restaurants as well as outdoor/winter gear shops. There’s even an old drugstore and movie theatre right in the middle of town. It’s a cool downtown area that’s fun to walk around if you get the opportunity. You’ll even notice a ski resort in the downtown area called Howelsen, the oldest operating ski resort in North America!

If you have film camera or digital camera, even a phone it’s also a cool town to walk around and shoot photos of if the lighting is good, especially in the evening when the sun is going down. I highly recommend having a warm jacket when walking around town as it can be pretty cold once the sun starts to go down. A thicker puffy jacket, such as the Baker Expedition, is guaranteed to keep you warm, especially with single digit temps.

Parking downtown

Is free with plenty of side street parking if Main Street is full. Typically two hour limits in a lot of spots.

Looking for other Colorado ski or snowboard trip ideas? Check out Hiking the bowl at Aspen Highlands which is also works with an Ikon pass. Thanks for reading the blog and if you have any questions or comments to add, leave them below! See you on the next post.

Aspen Colorado, A complete guide to hiking Highlands Bowl

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in.

Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous activities, please ride within your ability levels and respect others around you

The infamous Highlands bowl, located in Aspen Colorado is one of those resort hikes where the juice is definitely worth the squeeze. A friend once quoted that it’s probably the best inbounds terrain you’ll be able to ride in Colorado and the closest you’ll get to riding back country with out having to go into the back country. It seems that when the resort reports a few inches theres always 6-8 more up top in the bowl, turning a light dusting into a blower powder day.

Highlands is one out of four resorts in Aspen, and on any given day there’s also almost no people at this resort, which makes lift lines none existent and laps endless. In this post I’ll be going over how to get to Highlands, parking, where to stay, what to expect, and details on the hike. Alright lets do this!

Where is Aspen Highlands

Aspen Highlands will be in between downtown Aspen and Snowmass with Buttermilk being right up the street. Aspen itself is about 4 hours west of Denver. Below I listed times and distances from Denver International Airport and other major areas. You’ll be able to see the peak of Highlands when driving into downtown Aspen if the skies are clear and it is quiet the view. If you fly into Aspen International Airport, you will be right out the street from everything.

Denver International Airport- 4 hours/219 miles/352 km

Vail- 2 hours/102 miles/164 km

Summit County- 2 hours 45 minutes/130 miles/209 km

Where to stay

There’s going to be lodging right at the base of Highlands, however if you like riding all four mountains I would also consider staying in downtown Aspen or Snowmass. VRBO or Hotels.com is where I book most of my stays for snowboard trips. I like staying in Snowmass because the lodging is a little less expensive yet your still close to everything.

Is Aspen Ikon or Epic and how much are lift tickets

Aspen is on the Ikon, however you only get 7 days total combined, at all 4 mountains (Snowmass, Ajax, Highlands, Buttermilk). With the Ikon Base Plus, you’ll get 5 days, but with Blackout dates. There are different Aspen pass options that vary in price, with the unlimited no Blackout dates pass costing over $3,000. Expensive, but the plus side is the mountains don’t get crowded, especially on the weekdays. Lift tickets will be just over $200 for the day. If you plan on riding more then three days, only in Aspen, I would look into the Valley Pass. This is a 7 day pass with no blackout dates.

Where to park

You can park at the base of Highlands or in a few of the free lots they have nearby. Parking is $25/day at the base of the resort. However! the three free lots are Brush Creek, Rodeo, and Buttermilk. Busses run often and are free within the Aspen area, just hop on the bus that goes to downtown Aspen. The route has a drop off at the round-about on Maroon Creek Road, where you need to get on another bus that takes you right to Highlands Village (it’s not as complicated as it sounds). The Rodeo Lot is the free lot near Snowmass. Check the RFTA site for schedules.

What to expect

Highlands will be much smaller then Snowmass, however it doesn’t usually get crowded and the bowl is what makes this resort so special and unique. Most of the mountain will be for the more advanced skier or snowboarder, however there are still some easy runs that are great on the frontside for a beginner to intermediate rider. If you have the ability to hike and ride the bowl, I highly recommend trying it. The experience isn’t something you can experience at most ski resorts, continue reading for more info!

When hiking the bowl expect there to be steep parts and heavy winds throughout your hike. On deep powder days it’s also fun to ride Olympic bowl and Steeplechase. I noticed that when the snow gets tracked out these areas of the mountain can get bumpy, so not as fun to ride through.

Mountain Stats

Months of operation in the winter: Mid December to Mid April

Bowl operating hours: Usually 10ish-2:30pm

Vertical Feet- 3,365 (1026 Meters)

Skiable acres- 1,040

Highlands Bowl Peak- 12,392 feet (3,777 meters)

Does Aspen Get a lot of snow

Part of the Elk Mountain Range, Aspen can get some awesome storms. If you love powder, January and February can bring some deep days at Highlands, especially in the bowl! The snow seems to just stack up in Highlands Bowl. Aspen itself can see more then 250 inches of snow/year, but on average they receive 200-300 inches/year (508 cm-the 762 cm).

How to Get to Highlands Bowl

Pretty simple, to get to the bowl, you’ll hop on the lift right at the base of the mountain, Exhibition. When you get off the lift ride down just a little bit past the Highlands Bowl Information center, and hang a right to the Loge Lift.

The Loge lift not only is the way to Highlands bowl, but also is a way to access pretty much the entire mountain if you don’t feel like hiking the bowl. Once you get off the lift head straight and you will see signs that point to the start of the hike! The views from Loge are also amazing, especially on a sunny bluebird day.

There is a cat that runs at the base of the hike, that will shave off some time and energy if it is operating that day. It’s free and doesn’t cost anything.

Is the hike challenging and how long does it take

The hike is a bit of a challenge, especially if you are coming from a lower elevation. Slow and steady is the name of the game for this hike. There’s a portion of the hike that locals dubbed, heart attack ridge, which will be the most challenging part. Depending on your speed the hike takes about 45 min to an hour on average I would say.

What are the best spots to take photos

This all depends on visibility! Sunny or partly cloudy days will be your best bet for amazing views. Two of my favorite places to grab photos will be close to the top, looking out to the right. They are Hunter Peak shown in the second photo below and Maroon Bells/Pyramid Peak, which can be seen off in the distance from the bootlick.

Where should we drop when we get to the top

One thing to keep in mind is that there will be a couple places to drop early if you don’t feel like hiking all the way to the top, such as Box Car and Whip’s Veneration. A pro tip is to hike the bowl and then if you still have energy hike it a second time, but descend into one of the early drop points. These tend to be more untouched because everyone hikes to the top.

There’s multiple drop areas once you get to the top and if you’ve never ridden the bowl you’re going to be thinking, “where do I go?” The lookers right and the middle tend to be a bit steeper, with lookers left a little more mellow as you descend. Watch out for rocks at the very top and then once you drop in, enjoy the deep turns that Highlands Bowl can be known for!

I like to drop lookers left and ride the trees on that side of the bowl. Either Hines-Site or G-3/G-4. It’s a little more hidden and there never seems to be too many tracks through this area.

How long of a run is the bowl to the bottom

Once you ride the main part of the terrain, it will flatten out significantly in what’s call the North, Middle, and South Fork. This area is wide open with a few trees that you can ride through as well. The run will eventually funnel down spit you back onto a catwalk and you’ll take the Deep Temerity lift to get back to where you originally started at the top of Loge. It takes about 20 minutes I would say from the top of the bowl to the Deep Temerity Lift depending on your speed.

Any unwritten rules

A few things to keep in mind when doing the hike are to follow the boot pack and to let people behind you pass if they are going quicker then you (as long as your in an area that you can get over).

What should we pack

1. Make sure to apply sunscreen beforehand and to have chapstick with you

2. Pack water and snacks, HydraPak is great for this hike. The water bottle can fit into your jacket pocket.

3. Check the weather ahead of time and layer accordingly! I like wearing a shell with good ventilation and if it’s really cold a lightweight puffy such as the Burton Baker down

4. A helmet, not that you shouldn’t try to wear one all the time, but because the terrain is more advanced I would recommend wearing one

Is there anywhere to eat on the Mountain

There is a couple places on the mountain such as Cloud 9 Bistro. They’ll have your standard sandwiches, soups, fries, and salads. In the spring there’s a nice deck to chill on and grab a drink. For breakfast, Cafe Siena will be right at the base. Good spot for a lift snack or coffee.

Can you do Highlands Bowl if you’re a beginner

I wouldn’t recommend it honestly unless you’re more of an advanced rider. The runs are all considered double blacks. However the resort still has some nice cruiser blue runs off of Loge, Exhibition, and Cloud 9 lifts

Any ski or snowboard shops at the mountain

There is a Four Mountain Sports at the base for Ski/Snowboard rentals, outerwear, gloves, goggles, etc. There’s also a Strafe outerwear shop at the base as well, a local Aspen outerwear brand. If you’re looking to buy ski or snowboard equipment I would check out shops in either Downtown Aspen or Snowmass. There’s a Four Mountain Sports in the Snowmass Village mall as well as Radio Boardshop in downtown Aspen (Snowboards only). Ski Shops in Downtown Aspen include Miller Sports and Aspen Sports.

Is there anywhere to Après at

For Après, check out downtown Aspen as there will be a lot more options for restaurants and bars. It’s also cool to check out the town after a day on the mountain.One of the best restaurants for food in general not just Apres, is the White House Tavern. They have a great menu, music, and ambience inside!

That’s a wrap on Aspen Highlands and riding the bowl. Thanks for reading and if you liked this post and want information on outdoor content, subscribe to our email list below. Looking to take a cool ski or snowboard trip? Check out Mt Baker in Washington! See you on the next post.