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 / August 2022 Construc... August 8, 2022

August 2022 Construction Updates

August 8, 2022 Update

Steamboat Square/Base of Resort

Framing has begun in the lower level of The Range Food Hall.
Staining on the second floor beams continues.
The curb for the Ice Rink has been poured.
The timbers for the Stage are in place and the roof will start to take shape.
Exterior stone work on the Creekside level building has started and will continue over the next few weeks.
Christie Peak Express lift will be re-set on the lower terminal towers this week.
The terminal canopy for Wild Blue Gondola has been set.
Grading and earthwork on the base slope continues.

Greenhorn Ranch

Lining is being placed on Sprung Tent structure.
Mid-station terminal foundation for Wild Blue Gondola will be poured this week.
Upper towers of lower leg of Wild Blue Gondola were placed with a helicopter this week.

News / July 2022 Constructi... July 6, 2022

July 2022 Construction Updates

July 6, 2022 Update

Steamboat Square/Base of Resort

Concrete and timbers for the second floor of The Range food hall will begin over the next few weeks.
Timbers for The Stage will begin to take shape mid-July.
Work on the Ice Rink will begin mid-July.
Exterior stone work on the Creekside level building has started and will continue over the next few weeks.
Major earth work and grading at base area continues for Wild Blue Gondola and Christie Peak Express terminals and new tower locations for Christie Peak Express.
Foundations are being built for both the Wild Blue Gondola and Christie Peak Express lift.

Greenhorn Ranch

Yampa Valley Electric duct installation happening through the end of the month.
Underground utilities are being installed for sprung tent structure and the Wild Blue Gondola mid-station.
Concrete backfill foundations are being poured through the end of the month.
Excavation on the Greenhorn Ranch Express lift will begin at the end of the month.
Magic Carpet installations will begin in early August.

News / World Class Learning... July 5, 2022

World Class Learning at Greenhorn Ranch

An innovative, terrain-based approach to ski and snowboard instruction will transform Steamboat’s SnowSports School this coming winter. The brand new Greenhorn Ranch, located near the previous Rough Rider/Bashor Basin area, will feature Terrain Based Learning® to give Snowsports School guests the ultimate and most successful experience when learning to ski and snowboard.

Previously, Steamboat Resort’s SnowsSports School was located at the base area. However, as part of Full Steam Ahead, the SnowSports School will have a new location at the recently re-graded Greenhorn Ranch, which will be accessible via the new Wild Blue Gondola’s mid-station. All guests in the SnowSports School who are learning to ski or ride will now have an incredible facility dedicated solely to them.

A company known as Snow Operating is the exclusive provider for the trademarked teaching system known as Terrain Based Learning®, which is what Steamboat’s SnowSports School will be implementing this upcoming season. The premise behind this innovative, progressive and well-regarded approach to ski and snowboard instructing lies in the terrain itself. By using the terrain to naturally teach skiing and snowboarding, new skiers and riders are able to feel sensations such as gliding and turning to acquire skills faster on the snow. While the shaped terrain provides a sensation to create learning, the instructor facilitates the process by pointing the skier/rider to those specific sensations.

Greenhorn Ranch is unique in that it is a brand-new area that has been re-shaped, re-graded and re-designed to create the ultimate Terrain Based Learning® experience. There will be four carpet lifts and one brand new high-speed quad known as the Greenhorn Ranch Express. Two of the carpet lifts will be relocated from the previous base area and one will be a new, covered, double barrel lift to access two different types of terrain.

Within Greenhorn Ranch, there will be a shaped-terrain progression that skiers and riders will follow to give them the appropriate sensations in the correct order. The first carpet lift will access a very short slope at a 7% grade with rollers, to give new skiers and riders the sensation of gliding with the ability to stop by simply running out of speed. By giving SnowSports School guests the ability to feel the gliding sensation in a controlled environment without the fear of falling, Steamboat Resort is boosting confidence in their most beginner skiers and riders.

Once the gliding/stopping technique has been mastered, the second shaped terrain feature is a ‘Banked Turn’ course to give skiers and riders their very first turning sensations. The shaped banks will guide the flat ski/board around the corner to facilitate edge change naturally. Accessed from the covered, double barrel carpet lift, the ‘Banked Turn’ course is a way to create effortless turning as well as sensations of turning the legs, tipping the ski/board and changing pressure before moving onto the third terrain feature.

Also accessed from the double barrel carpet lift, but this time on the skier’s left, ‘the perfect slope’ will be the main terrain feature for SnowSports School guests. A perfectly groomed slope at a 12% grade, which is the ideal steepness to learn to turn, will have raised sides to allow skiers and riders to turn naturally, traverse the slope, and then turn naturally again with some assistance from a concave-shaped hill. Imagine a super-duper mini halfpipe groomed perfectly at a 12% grade, and that is what you will find at the third shaped-terrain progression.

The fourth and last carpet lift will access a slightly steeper and longer slope at a 14% grade and 200-foot length. The last shaped-terrain progression will feature two more banked turns, but this time with a slightly tipped road in between turns to teach the skier/rider how to naturally traverse on uphill edges. Once all four different terrains have been mastered in the carpet lift area, it will be time for the Greenhorn Ranch Express.

The brand-new Greenhorn Ranch Express will be a high-speed quad but will run at lower speeds to give beginner skiers and riders a safer and more successful experience when learning how to ride a chairlift. This chairlift will be accessible to all skiers and riders at Steamboat Resort, however, the carpets and shaped terrain will be exclusive to guests within the SnowSports School.

Greenhorn Ranch will be dedicated to beginner skiers and riders at Steamboat Resort (within the SnowSports School), and will be the gateway to learning how to ski and ride all across the mountain. With the innovative Terrain Based Learning® approach, new skiers and riders will be set up for success and have an enjoyable experience learning how to ski and ride at Steamboat Resort.

Written by: Erin Campbell

News / VIDEO: June 22, 2022... June 22, 2022

VIDEO: June 22, 2022 Construction Update

Charlie MacArthur, President of Native Excavating, gives a Full Steam Ahead update on how Phase II is coming along at Steamboat Resort.

News / The Centerpiece of S... June 7, 2022

The Centerpiece of Steamboat Square: Skeeter’s Rink

With Full Steam Ahead in full swing these days, excitement is building over the impending improvements that Steamboat Resort has in store. The centerpiece of Steamboat Square at the base area will be Skeeter’s Ice Rink, welcoming all resort guests to a very festive winter scene. Skeeter’s Ice Rink is currently under construction and slated to be completed by the upcoming winter season.

The rink itself will be 133 feet by 58 feet, which is not the size of a hockey rink (200′ x 85′), but is large enough to accommodate a variety of winter activities. The sides of the rink will not be typical plexiglass, instead, the rink will be surrounded by open rails, which will create quite the dreamy winter experience. Outside of the ice rink there will even be some “drink rails” where spectators can watch the activity in the ice rink while sipping on hot chocolate or their beverage of choice, of course.

During Phase I of Full Steam Ahead, the foundation and some of the infrastructure for the ice rink was already completed, but the more visual construction for the rink will start in about one month. The curb, mechanical installation and actual construction of the rink itself will begin in early July, and will give a much more visual perspective to the public by the end of July or early August. The railings aren’t slated to go in until October, but by that point, you’ll have been able to see the rink really take on an exciting new shape.

Steamboat Resort has some exceptionally fun ideas and concepts surrounding Skeeter’s Ice Rink, for the winter and summer seasons alike. As for winter, which will be the true season of the ice rink, Steamboat plans to have the rink open from 10 A.M. until 8 P.M. every day. Guests can enjoy daytime skating or nighttime skating, or both, with an open skate concept where if you bring your own ice skates, you can skate for free. A skate rental kiosk in the form of a converted horse trailer will also be stationed close by the ice rink to assist guests. Figure skates and hockey skates will be available for rent, along with helmets and some trainers for the youngest or most beginner skaters, to enhance their experience and enjoyment.

While nothing is set in stone, Steamboat Resort is exploring the idea of facilitating a curling league, figure skating lessons and other special activities on ice. Earlier I mentioned that the rink will be surrounded by open rails instead of plexiglass, so there will not be hockey on the rink at this time. Within the rink’s mechanical system will be a cooling system, which will make the rink not dependent on Mother Nature and open from the start of the winter season through the end of March.

Next to Skeeter’s Ice Rink will be the new Range Food Hall featuring a variety of foods like Pioneer Pies, Twister Tacos, Sunshine Bowl Ramen and Why Not Sweet Spot, along with a full bar, catering to indoor and outdoor diners alike. Surrounding the ice rink will be rocking chairs and fire pits for guests to enjoy while either spectating or simply taking a break from skating.

During the summers, Skeeter’s Ice Rink will be covered in a soft turf, allowing for other activities to come to fruition like yoga, lawn games and outdoor movies. As for the outdoor movies, the large screen would be towards the base of the gondola, giving viewers the experience of an outdoor movie with a backdrop of Steamboat Resort. The idea here is to take the wintertime centerpiece of Steamboat Square and also make it a summertime centerpiece that guests can enjoy in a more summery way.

Photo Credit: Tread of Pioneers Museum, Steamboat Springs, CO

Now that I’ve painted the visual and given you the details on Skeeter’s Ice Rink, one question that you may have left for me is: Who is Skeeter? Good question. Skeeter, also legally known as Gladys Werner, was the oldest child in the famous Werner family that included Buddy and Loris. She was born in 1933 and began skiing in 1934, at the age of one. In 1949 she rose in the ranks of competitive skiing and garnered national attention by winning the West of the Mississippi Championship in Sun Valley, Idaho. From there she continued in competition and became the youngest member of the U.S. FIS team and placed 10th in downhill. Skeeter was featured on the cover of a Sports Illustrated magazine and went on to marry Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker in 1969.

Skeeter started the Steamboat Ski School, serving as director and owner until 1969. She also coached for the Colorado Junior National Team and the infamous Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. In 1984, Skeeter was inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame and went on to receive the Hazie Werner Award in 1989. In 2001, Skeeter passed away at the age of 67. Her legacy lives on in the Steamboat Springs community today, and Skeeter’s Ice Rink will soon be a wonderful reminder of her impact on the world of women’s skiing and Steamboat Resort.

Opening day for the winter ski season at Steamboat Resort will be November 23, 2022 (subject to change). Skeeter’s Ice Rink is also planning to open that day, bringing a new and more exciting facade to Steamboat Square. Stop by and check out the construction progress at the base area and get ready for a winter of skiing and skating alike!

Written by: Erin Campbell

News / VIDEO: May 26, 2022 ... May 26, 2022

VIDEO: May 26, 2022 Construction Update

Ryan Stone with East West Partners gives a Full Steam Ahead construction update on how Phase II is coming along at Steamboat Resort.

News / May 2022 Constructio... May 25, 2022

May 2022 Construction Update

May 11, 2022

Steamboat Square/Base of Resort

The elevator core and Shear wall for The Range Food Hall is nearly complete. Structure of building will start to take place over the next few weeks.
Preparations are being made to the Christie Peak Express lift lower terminal for relocation.
Preview Lift has been removed. The mini golf course and mountain coaster/coaster building have been removed about halfway up the hill.

Greenhorn Ranch

A crane has been mobilized at Greenhorn Ranch to load in a large amount of equipment and materials. There will be heavy truck and machinery traffic over the next week. Keep an eye on the website for any temporary trail closures.
Excavation work has started for the Wild Blue Gondola mid-station terminal. The Bashor restrooms have been removed.

May 25, 2022

Steamboat Square/Base of Resort

Heavy timbers for The Range Food Hall will begin installation this week and will continue for the next few weeks.
The Stage will begin to take shape mid-June.
The lower terminal of Christie Peak Express has been moved to the grass while waiting to be reinstalled.
Major earth work and grading at base area continues for Wild Blue Gondola and Christie Peak Express terminals and new tower locations for Christie Peak Express.

Greenhorn Ranch

The sprung tent structure at Rendezvous has been deconstructed and will be relocated at Greenhorn Ranch for SnowSports School use.
Excavation of the mid-station terminal for Wild Blue Gondola and new location of sprung tent structure has begun.
Forms/foundations for mid-station of Wild Blue Gondola are starting to take shape.

News / April 2022 Construct... April 28, 2022

April 2022 Construction Update

Construction crews have mobilized, fencing has been erected, and work has started in Steamboat Square, base of the Resort, and Greenhorn Ranch.

Steamboat Square/Base of Resort

The elevator core is currently being constructed for The Range Food Hall and underground plumbing is being installed.
Christie Peak Express cable and chairlifts have been removed to prepare the lower terminal for relocation.
Mountain Coaster/Mini Golf demolition has started and the coaster building has been removed.
Preview lift removal began on April 25.

Greenhorn Ranch

A crane will be mobilized at Greenhorn Ranch to load in a large amount of equipment and materials at the end of May.
Bashor Pavilion restrooms will be removed the first week in May.

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.

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.