Steamboat Springs: Winter fun in the Colorado Rockies

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. - Come winter, many Iowans head either south for warmth or west for snow. If you're in the latter category, the Colorado town of Steamboat Springs is waiting to welcome you, promising exceptional skiing as well as a full slate of other activities that will help you enjoy the cold.

Steamboat Springs gets an average of 350 inches of snow a season. 'Our snow tends to be light and dry, which makes it very maneuverable on skis,' explains Ben Brodsky, manager at Ski Haus, a local ski shop. 'And we have a wide variety of terrain for all types of skiers, from cross country and backcountry to Olympic-level—in fact, we've produced more winter Olympians than any other town in North America.'

Two ski areas offer many options for visitors of all ability levels. Howelsen Hill is Colorado's oldest continuously operated ski area and offers tubing, snowshoeing, and ice skating in addition to skiing and snowboarding. Steamboat Ski Resort is a much larger complex that straddles the mountains overlooking the town, with elevations ranging from 6900 to 10,568 feet. The resort has 3,000 skiable acres as well as shops, restaurants, and lodging in hotel rooms, vacation homes, and condos. In addition to skiing, its visitors can enjoy activities such as moonlit snowshoe expeditions on Mt. Werner, guided photography tours, and horseback riding through the snow.

Many of the people who come to Steamboat Springs for its skiing end up falling in love with the town, according to Sandy Jenny, co-owner of the local restaurant Harwigs. 'With about 12,000 people, we're a lot smaller than other ski resort areas in Colorado,' she says. 'Steamboat Springs started as a ranching community, and it's still a real town, not just a tourist destination. The whole town prides itself on being family-friendly.'

The best way to get a feel for the community is to stroll the wide downtown thoroughfare of Lincoln Avenue, which is lined with shops and restaurants. Don't miss F.M. Light and Sons, a century-old Western outfitter store, and the Steamboat Artisans Market, which features works by 100 artists. After shopping, take a brisk walk along the Yampa River Core Trail, which winds through town and is kept free of snow during the winter.

Be sure to visit Old Town Hot Springs sometime during your visit, for this indoor/outdoor water complex is inviting no matter how frigid the day. These springs gave the town its name, for when French trappers visited here in the early 1800's they thought their bubbling, burbling waters sounded like a steamboat. Soaking in the steaming, mineral-rich waters on a cold day is one of the sensual delights of a winter visit to Steamboat Springs.

Routt County has more than a hundred other natural springs, including Strawberry Park Hot Springs, located seven miles from town on a four-wheel drive road (guided tours are offered during the winter). Beautifully situated amid aspen and blue spruce, the site has a funky, laid-back vibe.

After a toasty soak at either site, venture out into the cold again for one of Steamboat's most delightful winter activities: horsedrawn sleigh rides. Several locations offer rides, including the 8,000-acre Saddleback Ranch, now in its fourth generation of family ownership. Guests are tucked into a sleigh pulled by sturdy draft horses, who clip-clop their way up a mountain valley to a spot near the treeline. At a cozy lodge, a home cooked dinner is served, followed by a demonstration of roping done by the ranch's cowboys.

'The sleigh rides are great fun in the snow, but I think most of our guests actually prefer the clear nights,' says owner Wayne Iacovetto. 'People tell us they've never seen so many stars in the sky before.'

Steamboat Springs has a wide array of other activities as well, including dog sledding, snowmobiling, hot air ballooning, helicopter tours, and ice fishing.

There's even snow biking, a sport done on a bike equipped with small skis instead of wheels.

After all that exercise, you'll appreciate the eclectic range of restaurants in town. For breakfast, enjoy locally sourced meats and eggs at the Creekside Café overlooking Soda Creek. For casual dining, eat at the Old Town Pub, housed in a 1904 former hotel. And for a special treat, make a reservation at E3 Chophouse. With some luck you'll snag a table by the window so you can watch the snow falling on another beautiful Steamboat Springs winter evening.

Celebrate winter in Steamboat Springs

In Steamboat Springs they don't just appreciate winter: they love it. And the highlight of that romance comes each year in early February during the Winter Carnival. This Steamboat tradition is going strong after more than a century, making it the oldest, continuous winter carnival west of the Mississippi.

Held this year on Feb. 3 to 7, the event includes all the usual activities of a winter carnival — torchlight parades, bonfires, fireworks, live music and winter sports exhibitions — plus a few unique additions. There are kids on skis being pulled behind horses, for example, and skiers jumping through fiery hoops. And on Saturday evening, the 'Lighted Man' comes skiing down Howelsen Hill wrapped in colored lights as roman candles shoot out of his backpack — a much-anticipated Steamboat Springs tradition.

If you go

What: Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Where: Steamboat Springs is 180 miles northwest of Denver and can be reached by car or flights into Yampa Valley Regional Airport in Hayden.

More information: Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association, (970) 879-0880 or www.steamboatchamber.com

Skiing: Steamboat Ski Resort at (877) 783-2628, www.steamboat.com