Plan your family ski holiday to an authentic western town full of surprises and winter magic.
Families love skiing Steamboat. When I announced my trip on social media, I was impressed by the responses from the Momtrends community. My last visit was back in 2015, and I was solo. This time I brought along my 17 year old daughter to join in the Steamboat family fun, we made some fresh memories and are excited to share all of the investments Steamboat has made in the family ski experience.
Book Ski Butlers here for your Steamboat trip.
The resort has a down-to-earth feel. Nothing too fancy or stuffy. This is about having a great time outdoors and getting in some great skiing. There’s no need to show off when your resort is blessed with pristine powder and a gorgeous setting—you can let the mountain do the PR for you! I'm breaking down your trip planning by topic. These tips for managing your trip to Steamboat should help you cut out the trip-planning stress.
STEAMBOAT UPGRADES AND INVESTMENT
Since my first visit, Steamboat has been purchased by Alterra (aka the Ikon Pass company). Soon after the purchase, Alterra decided to invest $90 million dollars into upgrades to the skier experience at Steamboat. My visit lined up with the big reveal of Phase 2 of Steamboat's Full Steam Ahead redevelopment. They've made it faster and easier for beginners to get up the slopes and they've expanded the offerings of Steamboat Square making it more inviting and family-friendly than before.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the investment this season. Even on the busiest days, skiers will be able to maximize time in snow. As an Ikon Pass holder, I'm happy to see the company wisely flexing their ability to get more passholders out of lines and onto snow.
GETTING TO STEAMBOAT
One of the first things you’ll notice about Steamboat is that it’s an authentic western town. Folks wear boots and cowboy hats without irony. You’ll spot ranch after ranch on your drive in from the airport and you won’t get city sass or attitude anywhere. The vibe is one of friendly independence. Folks are happy to help if you need it, but just as happy to let you explore on your own.
Hayden Airport is adorably small—with four gates in all. It’s also pretty darn close to the mountain. Unless you’re renting a condo, there’s little reason to rent a car. Most of the hotels offer free shuttles into town and to the ski hill. Hayden is about 30 minutes from downtown and 45 minutes from the resort. If you can skip the car, book a shuttle ahead of time with Go Alpine, once you are at the resort you can walk or use the free shuttles and buses to get where you need to go.
The trick is finding affordable flights. When I searched, the prices were 3x a flight to Denver. On my most recent visit, I ended up flying to the nation's most poorly thought-out airport and renting a car. I started my trip in Aspen and then drove to Steamboat along the extremely scenic Rte 40. From Denver it's about 3 hours with no bad weather or traffic (which can add an hour or more to your trip). Families will have to price the trip out wisely and keep in mind that I-70 (the route from Denver to Steamboat) can be treacherous in the snow.
STEAMBOAT SNOW REPORT
There was a big dump of powder right before my arrival at Steamboat. With 24” of fresh snow, I would be hard-pressed to find anything to criticize about the ski conditions. Steamboat has a top-notch grounds crew—so even when snow isn’t falling, they know how to manage what they have to give skiers the best possible outings.
They get reliable snow all season long, and also have excellent snowmaking coverage. You can easily make a week-long trip to Steamboat and never run out of things to do. The resort opens (snow permitting) in late November, it'll be pretty limited terrain. Christmas week is a pretty safe pick and anytime after that is going to be reliably snowy. Annual snowfall is 400 inches. The resort closes in early April.
STEAMBOAT SKI SCHOOL
Western friendliness is the name of the game at Steamboat. There’s nothing forced or artificial about the smiles and warmth exuded from the professionals. It all starts with gear rental—that’s made super easy at Steamboat. There’s tons of storage options too—taking much of the schlepping out of the equation. Families gather in Gondola Square to start and end the day. The staff quickly sorts kids by ages and ability and gets them off in the snow. In 2021, Steamboat opened the renovated ski school called Happy Camp. Built just for kids – with parents in mind – Happy Camp is centrally located and expertly organized for the youngest skiers. And they offer childcare to tots as young as a year.
- Happy Camp Childcare: is a one-stop-shop for families with small children. 12 months – 2.5 years. Pricing starts at $159, please book in advance.
- Happy Camp Wippersnappers: offers 1 hour private lessons with 1:1 instruction for skiers ages 2.5 - 4 years and snowboarders 2.5 - 6 years. Lift access and rentals are included during the lesson duration. Available lesson times are 9:00am, 10:30am, 12:30pm, or 2:00pm.
- Group Lessons: Are available for ages 7-12 and for teens. Lesson are grouped based on discipline (ski vs snowboard) and ability level.
- Ski Free Programs: Steamboat's Kids Ski Free and Grandkids Ski Free programs enable children 12 years of age and under to ski free the same number of days as their parent, grandparent, or legal guardian when the parent, grandparent, or legal guardian purchase a 5-or-more day.
There are also seasonal programs and private lessons available. Head here for details. www.steamboat.com/plan-your-trip/lessons/snowsports-school
Rentals are not included with lessons. All rental equipment must be picked up and properly fitted prior to your lesson start time. Steamboat Sports rental shops open at 7:30am, but allow fittings starting after 3:00pm the night prior to the scheduled rental start date. Definitely plan on getting them the night before the lesson. The Rental shop is available inside Happy Camp for Happy Camp lessons and Whippersnappers. Older kids will need to get rentals BEFORE heading to the lesson.
Lift access is required and NOT included with lessons. The exceptions are for Happy Camp lessons and during the duration of Whippersnapper 1 hour private lessons only. If you are a pass holder you do not need additional lift access/tickets. If you are a non-pass holder, choose 'add-on lift ticket' or other lift ticket option during the booking process. I know it's confusing, make sure to ask all the questions when booking your lessons.
And one more note about kiddos, Steamboat is leading the way in supporting families that work in the industry with their on-mountain daycare for members of the Steamboat team. Find out more here www.steamboat.com/employment/employee-perks/child-care-center
LEARNING TO SKI AT STEAMBOAT
This is an excellent place to introduce your family to skiing. With a top-notch crew on staff, you'll find a lesson to suit your needs. Kids often like the group lessons--it's always fun to make a new friend.
I loved seeing the instructors launch the kids from Camp Happy onto the mountain. They had the cutest little orange wagons to take the kiddos out to the gentle slopes.
The bigger kids meet up on the snow out at the giant polar bear in the learning area.
Grown-ups are grouped by ability and eased into the terrain. There is a ton of variety at Steamboat. That means there are appropriate challenges to be found. You won't get in over your head, but you will have lots to keep you busy as you master new skills.
PRIVATE GUIDES AT STEAMBOAT
With nearly 3,000 acres to explore, this mountain can be intimidating. Why not consider a private guide? One of the many perks of my job is gaining access to the best ski guides in the nation. On my first trip, Steamboat matched me up with Laura Sjoblom. With more than a dozen years of experience, Laura gave me one of my most enjoyable days on skis ever. We came up with an early plan—to get me out of my comfort zone—and then tweaked it throughout the day. Laura was full of local anecdotes (like tapping the head of Buddy Werner with our ski poles to bring us luck) and tips (I’m still working on keeping my hands forward Laura—I promise to keep working on it!).
For you to secure a guide like Laura for the day, it’ll cost around $1100 and you can bring up to 5 people. But here’s the deal—you're getting a coach, a guide, a historian and a new friend.
In addition to hiring a guide, you can join a "Full Steam Ahead Tour." Tours are offered Sunday - Tuesday from 10:00am to 12:00pm from January 08 - April 4, 2023. Two tours will be offered, with a maximum of 9 people per tour. Meet at the bottom of Wild Blue Gondola at 9:45am. Cost and Requirements: Adults 13+: $20, Child 10 - 12: $10 (Child 10 - 12 complimentary with purchase of an Adult tour). Proceeds to be given to a non-profit to be focused on sustainability efforts in the Yampa Valley. Must be 10 years or older and comfortable on BLUE runs. Children age 10-17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
MANAGING YOUR SKI DAY AT STEAMBOAT
The base area is served by a series of shuttles and buses. Ski-in-ski-out lodging is limited and most people rely on transportation to start the ski day. The Sheraton and the Grand are both within walking distance. For on-mountain condos, the Ptarmigan is one of the best situated, others require a bit more of than expected with the term "slopeside."
I suggest getting your rentals sorted the day before you plan to ski. In the mornings the rental shop gets crowded and busy. Make your reservations before you arrive and book your session. We were happy with the Elan demo-packages we booked with the Grand Hotel. We got our boots fitted over at the hotel and then walked across the street to get skis and poles. This system is a bit convoluted, it would be better to get everything in one spot. The best bet is to have Ski Butlers supply your family rentals. Read more about that service here.
No one loves a gondola more than I do. They’re fast, warm and a good way to chat with locals who can give you tips. Plus when run well, they can move massive amounts of people up the mountain. Your day will begin and end in Gondola square. It's nice to have a central location for the day's activities and kudos to Steamboat for providing all the red wagons to haul kids and ski gear.
The new Wild Blue Gondola will be the longest gondola in North America and the fastest 10-person gondola in the country. The lower leg is open now, and the upper leg will be opening in 23/24. At a total length of 3.16 miles, the new gondola will increase the out of base capacity from 6,000 people per hour to 10,000 people per hour, getting skiers from bottom to top in 13 minutes. And if you are tired, you can take the Gondola down to the base area at the end of your ski day.
I suggest downloading the Steamboat App before you head out on the mountain. It'll help you navigate the terrain and give you weather reports.
Steamboat has a lot of intermediate and advanced terrain. It is a little light on expert trails and steep verticals. That's not to say there aren't challenges, there are! I worked up quite a sweat on the moguls off of the Sunshine Express lift. We loved the blue and black terrain in this area.
There are many LONG runs at Steamboat, but the good news is you can refuel on the mountain with ease. For breakfast, we loved The Paramount for hearty breakfast bowls and smoothies. Plus, they make excellent coffee.
Steamboat Après Ski
You'll definitely want to save a little bit of energy for enjoying the apres-ski in the base area. There's loads of outdoor seating to sip your favorite beverage of choice. The family can also head to the skating rink or into one of the many shops in the base area.
If conditions are on your side, head to The Bear River Bar & Grill--an outdoor bar where you can enjoy live music and a cocktail. I was thrilled to see so many parents enjoying a beer (responsibly) and the tunes. Little tykes played in the snow as mom and dad got some chillax time.
As for dinner, there are loads of options to walk to, we had a great dinner at the Truffle Pig. Our favorites were the burrata appetizer and the ravioli. An added bonus: the bartender made an awesome mocktail for the teenager in our group.
One of the many great aspects of Steamboat is the enormous pedestrian base area. It's one big party. It's safe, full of activities and a wonderful spot to end a ski day.
STEAMBOAT MOUNTAIN STATISTICS
Steamboat has a bunch of peaks: Mount Werner, Sunshine Peak, Storm Peak, Thunderhead Peak, Pioneer Ridge, and Christie Peak with a total of 2,965 acres. Deservedly, they are known for producing amazing powder and the annual snowfall last year was 219".
Mountain Vertical: 3,668 feet
Lifts: 23 total: 2 gondolas, 1 high-speed six-pack, 6 high-speed quad chairs, 6 triple chairs, 2 double chairs, 6 surface lifts
Longest Run: Why Not is 3 miles (5 km)
Trail Classification:
- 14% Beginner
- 42% Intermediate
- 44% Advanced
Cozy bedroom at the Steamboat Grand
STEAMBOAT LODGING
I have stayed at both the Steamboat Grand and the Sheraton. While the Sheraton is a tad closer to the mountain and more modern in feel, I liked the western feel of the Grand. It’s more modest in many ways, but fit in better aesthetically with the Steamboat vibe. For families, the best bet will always be a condo—it gives you space to spread out and freedom to tackle a few meals on your own.
Our condo at the Grand had incredible views of the mountain and tons of space to spread out. Our gas fireplace kept things cozy. While the furniture is a bit on the clunky side, it's all sturdy and functional. There is a ton of storage space in these rooms and you can't beat the views. The Cabin restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had a hearty breakfast there one morning (a thumbs up for the egg sandwich). In addition to the restaurant, there's a small cafe market in the hotel and a gift shop.
The Grand also has a massive heated swimming pool and two hot tubs--perfect for rejuvenating after a long ski day. And you can book spa appointments too. It's a monster of a building, but the staff is friendly and they make a real effort to help families enjoy the resort. We found the shuttle staff and the gym staff to be especially friendly.
During our holiday stay we were treated to piano music in the lobby. There was a stunning poinsettia display and daily free cocoa and cookies for guests. In addition, there were other holiday activities for kids. It was all quite thoughtful and festive.
EXPLORING STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
No visit to Steamboat should miss spending time in Steamboat Springs. It’s home to the Howelsen Hill ski area where many Olympians got their starts. Skiing since 1915, Howelsen Hill has produced nearly 100 winter Olympians and has helped generations of Steamboat residents enjoy the sport. There's a tubing hill to enjoy at the base area as well as a place for sledding. And the town subsidizes Sunday "Ski Free" days. It's all part of the vibe in this great Western town.
In addition to celebrating snow, downtown Steamboat has a wealth of restaurants and local shops. Get a few recommendations from your concierge and take a free shuttle into town.
And don't miss a chance to visit the city’s geothermal hot springs. The Old Town Hot Springs are right in the downtown area.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Ready to plan your visit? Start here www.steamboat.com
Steamboat is on the Ikon Pass. If you plan to ski more than 3 days, please get the pass. It will save you time and money.
MORE FUN IN THE MOUNTAINS
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- How to Get Your Child Involved in Ski Racing
- Family ski trip to Solitude Mountain
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Momtrends was not paid for this trip. Travel accommodations were made to facilitate coverage of the report.