News / A Sustainable Approa... August 15, 2022

A Sustainable Approach to Snowmaking

Expansion and efficiency are two key words in describing future snowmaking plans at Steamboat Resort. As part of Full Steam Ahead, Steamboat Resort is not only expanding their snowmaking capabilities to cover additional terrain, but they are doing so with the most efficient and sustainable equipment on the market.

While the work is already underway, completion of on-mountain snowmaking improvements is slated for the start of the 2023-2024 ski season. Sunshine Bowl and Greenhorn Ranch are the two additional areas of focus in terms of snowmaking expansion. These two areas are pivotal when it comes to holiday guests, and having snowmaking equipment to open the slopes earlier, regardless of whether or not the snow is falling, will be a huge improvement to Steamboat Resort.

For the 2022-2023 ski season, the new ski school area at Greenhorn Ranch, located in the previous Rough Rider/Bashor Basin area, will be covered by new and highly efficient snowmaking equipment. The snowmaking capacity for the 2022-2023 ski season will remain the same, but it will cover that additional terrain. It will take another year to get everything in place, and by the 2023-2024 ski season, snowmaking equipment will be present in the Sunshine Bowl area as well, and Steamboat Resort’s snowmaking capacity will expand at that point. Within the Sunshine Bowl area, Tomahawk, Sundial, Upper and Lower High Noon, Spike and part of Daybreak will all be covered by new and efficient snowmaking equipment.

Currently, a new water supply line is being put into place from the base area to Greenhorn Ranch, and then will continue up Heavenly Daze to the Rainbow Saddle. That work is expected to be completed by this summer/fall. It will take another summer/fall season to run those supply lines from the Rainbow Saddle down Moonlight and to the bottom of Elkhead, where there will be a new blockhouse, which is where multiple pipes come together with valving. A new pumphouse will be going in near Rendezvous Lodge (exact location TBD) to control the new snowmaking equipment that will be installed in the Sunshine Bowl area next year.

While natural snowfall is always the hope, it is sometimes not the reality. It takes 40 inches on the ground (which means more than 40 inches of total snowfall when you consider melting/evaporation rates) to safely open a ski slope. Often in Steamboat Springs we get the infamous champagne powder® that we all love, but when it comes to packing a base, manmade snow is much more dense and can last much longer. By adding snowmaking equipment to Greenhorn Ranch and the Sunshine Bowl, the snowmaking team will be able to better control the density of the snow needed to provide 40 inches on the ground, which ultimately will allow for more terrain to open earlier in the ski season.

All new snowmaking equipment that is being put into place is the most efficient and sustainable equipment on the market. In order to make snow, you need to be able to pump water and create air, which is what creates the energy output. Without going into too much technical detail, the newer and more efficient equipment is able to pump more water with less air, ultimately creating less energy output. The newer pipes are also smoother and 20% more efficient over the course of 5 years as there is no friction loss when compared to older and rougher pipes.

Not only is the snowmaking equipment efficient and sustainable, but it is also impressively smart. Each snowmaking gun will have its own weather station and will be able to control itself based on the weather conditions, which are constantly changing. That will allow for the snowmaking team to optimally produce snow more efficiently when the conditions are just right.

When it comes to snowmaking, there is no guarantee. However, with additional and more efficient snowmaking equipment, Steamboat Resort will have more control when it comes to opening certain terrain. Weather is the constant variable, and you do need the right conditions to make snow, but with smarter snowmaking technology in place, the snowmaking team will have the resources they need to open more terrain earlier in the season than in past years.

Enhancing the guests’ experience is the ultimate goal, and with snowmaking expansion and efficiency, Steamboat Resort is well on its way to capturing that goal.

Written by Erin Campbell

News / Steamboat Moves Full... April 6, 2022

Steamboat Moves Full Steam Ahead With Phase II 

Wild Blue Gondola, Greenhorn Ranch, Food Hall and more in second year of $200+ million development 

 

Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation is moving Full Steam Ahead with the second phase of its $200 million, multi-year transformation of the base area and mountain, after receiving final approval from the Steamboat Springs City Council and Planning Commission. With support from Alterra Mountain Company, the second year of Steamboat’s Full Steam Ahead project will begin this spring after the resort closes for the winter season, and will infuse nearly $100 million into the world-class resort including a second Gondola, a new beginner’s area and base area amenities. Additionally, the resort will invest $5.4 million in upgrades to existing resort infrastructure including other on-mountain improvements, employee housing and more.  

 

“It’s hard to imagine a summer more exciting than last year, but Phase II promises to bring even bigger changes to the resort,” said Rob Perlman, president and COO of Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “These significant resort improvements will enhance the overall experience for our staff, guests and community building upon our strong brand and industry leading guest service.” 

 

Steamboat Square’s facelift continues with the addition of Skeeter’s Ice Rink in the heart of the square and The Range Food & Drink Hall, featuring four new eateries with a variety of options for resort guests. In the tradition of great food halls around the world, the Range will open with Sunshine Bowl Ramen, Twister Tacos, Why Not Sweet Spot and Pioneer Pie on the main floor. Each floor will have a full bar, with the second-floor bar featuring an outdoor deck space overlooking Steamboat Square and the resort’s lower mountain. Additionally, amenities lining the Promenade will include a new Patrol base, bathrooms, lockers and a new home base for Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports (STARS) on-mountain operations. 

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Across the promenade from Steamboat Square, the lower terminal of Christie Peak Express lift will be shifted to the south to make room for the lower terminal of Wild Blue. During Full Steam Ahead Phase II, the lower leg of Wild Blue Gondola will be completed to Greenhorn Ranch, spanning 4,212 feet with 54 cabins and about a 5-minute ride time. Eventually Greenhorn Ranch will serve as the mid-station for the Wild Blue Gondola, where it will extend its journey to the top of Sunshine Peak providing direct base area access to the resort’s most popular terrain. Upon completion of the second leg in Phase III of Full Steam Ahead, the Wild Blue Gondola will be the longest 10-person gondola in North America, spanning 16,008 horizontal feet and 3,371 vertical feet with 171 cabins and a total ride time of 13 minutes. The second leg is scheduled to be completed for winter 23/24.  

 

To make room for the Christie Peak Express lower terminal shift and maximize skier/rider egress to the Steamboat Square, the Outlaw Mountain Coaster and Maverick’s mini golf course will be removed after the end of the winter season and are not expected to be reinstalled. “We have long recognized the Mountain Coaster is not in an ideal location as the first impression in the base area,” said Perlman. “Now we have the opportunity to be thoughtful about our approach to base area improvements. As we move Full Steam Ahead with shifting Christie Peak Express lift to make room for the Wild Blue Gondola, it is time to remove the mountain coaster from the main thoroughfare in the base area.” 

 

Known as one of the best family resorts in the world, Steamboat’s new beginner’s area Greenhorn Ranch will redefine the first timer’s experience by whisking skiers and riders to 7,513 feet to start their mountain adventure. Instead of keeping first time skiers and riders in the base area out of convenience, as many resorts do, Steamboat’s beginners will be immersed in the mountains. Greenhorn Ranch will feature one lift, four beginner magic carpets, 30 snow guns on 14 acres of terrain-based learning utilizing the re-graded terrain to teach skiers and riders. Students of Steamboat SnowSports School will have access to the Greenhorn Ranch Sprung Structure for lunch and warming.  

 

The Full Steam Ahead project began in spring 2021 with the demolition of the Gondola building, relocation of the lower gondola terminal and the addition of escalators from the resort’s main entrance to Steamboat Square. Full Steam Ahead will continue through winter 23/24 with Phase 3 completing the second leg of Wild Blue from Greenhorn Ranch to the top of Sunshine Peak, adding 655 acres of advanced/expert terrain and a detachable quad into Pioneer Ridge/Fish Creek Falls and finalizing Steamboat Square amenities. With the addition of new expert terrain, Steamboat will become the second largest ski resort in Colorado. For more details on Full Steam Ahead including a complete timeline, projects already completed and what to expect in the future visit www.steamboat.com/FullSteamAhead 

 

In addition to Full Steam Ahead, Steamboat will invest more than $2 million in on-mountain improvements to snowmaking, lift maintenance, ski patrol equipment and mountain machinery including 2 new tier 5 snowcats which reduce NOx emissions by 90 percent and particulate matter by 75 percent over a tier 4 engine. The resort will also demo hybrid snowcats to understand their sustainability in cutting fuel use and increasing energy efficiency to our on-mountain fleet.   Sunshine Express lift will undergo more than $800,000 in maintenance and nearly half a million dollars will be put into new ski and snowboard rental fleets including performance equipment from Rossignol and Burton. The resort continues to invest in its staff with $400,000 in upgrades to employee housing in the Walton Pond complex including a complete interior renovation of one of its buildings. 

 

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News / Full Steam Ahead December 30, 2021

Full Steam Ahead

Major capital enhancements are unfolding at Steamboat over the next three years.

This ranching town turned ski town has experienced a lot since the ‘60s. Today, we’re stampeding in a whole new direction, teaming up with world-class partners for $180 million in monumental improvements.

Upgraded mountain flow, more expert terrain, revamped learning and base areas and much more come together with loads of pioneering spirit to shape the Steamboat experience for every visitor.

Decades in the making, three thrilling years of growth and stoke are underway at Steamboat. Here’s what we’re excited about:

A Base Area Facelift

Pardon our dust while we redo the entire resort base area. The ambitious Steamboat Square undertaking includes escalators (read: easier access to snow!) and plans for an après ski plaza, new restaurants and bars, a ski beach and an ice rink. Watch for The Range Food & Drink Hall, a new retail spot for kids and a stage for live music.

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Mountain Camp – New this season, Steamboat’s Mountain Camp building — formerly the Kids Vacation Center — is a one-stop-shop for families with small children. Little skiers ages 2 to 6 enjoy lift access, lunch, lesson instruction and equipment rentals. The new location in the west wing of the Sheraton Hotel has been built from the ground up as an intentional, warm and welcoming environment.

A Top-to-Bottom Gondola – The new Wild Blue Gondola arrives for Winter 2022/23 as the longest gondola in North America and the fastest 10-person gondola in the country. The state-of-the-art gondola will feed skiers/riders through a newly created mid-station adjacent to Bashor bowl with the final destination at the top of Sunshine Peak. 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. The bottom gondola portion opens next winter and the top half opens the following season.

More Lifts, More Terrain – New lifts and 650 new acres of terrain will make Steamboat the second largest ski resort in Colorado. Crews are re-grading a whole section of the mountain, transforming Greenhorn Ranch into a new dedicated learning area for beginners. Mahogany Ridge will serve up 650 acres of new expert terrain. All in all, terrain will increase from 2,965 permitted acres to 3,615 permitted acres. Increased snowmaking efforts on Sunshine Peak will guarantee great early season snow.

Take a Ski Tour – We love sharing the Steamboat Dream with guests! Guided tours are a great way to get the lay of the land and master chairlift navigation. Now, your guide will also fill you in on how Steamboat is investing $180 million on and around the mountain to enhance the guest experience. Tours are offered Sunday through Wednesday 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. from January 10, 2022 until April 6, 2022. Meet at the top of the Steamboat Gondola at 9:45 a.m. Cost and Requirements: Adults 13+: $15, Child 12 and under: $5, Kids 12 and under complimentary with purchase of adult. Proceeds are given to a non-profit focused on sustainability efforts in the Yampa Valley. Must be 10 years or older and comfortable on BLUE runs. Children age 10-18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Author: Lisa Blake

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