Ski Independence Blog
Posts Tagged ‘Steamboat’
First Tracks in Steamboat
January 25th, 2011When you book Steamboat First Tracks three weeks out to coincide with a client visit, you certainly hope for either a fat Champagne Powder® snow day or a sunny corduroy dawn, but today exceeded all expectations.
My very charming and punctual guests showed up at 7:45am and we immediately boarded the Gondola and headed up the mountain under grey skies and a tolerable 15F/-9C with a report of 1”/2.5cm of new snow. From the top of the Gondola, we rode down Spur Run to Huffmans to the Sundown Express lift, where we claimed chairs #1 and #2 of the day, and as we climbed out of the Sunshine basin, we popped through the clouds into a brilliantly sunny daybreak. Sunbeams peaked through the snow-covered aspens and illuminated the snow surface with a diamond-like sparkle, and the whole world warmed.
Our first plan was High Noon top to bottom, and it was a fast and effortless descent on a smooth as glass surface with enough fluff on top to generate some serious face shots. As I neared the turn to Lower High Noon at Rendezvous Saddle, I recalled that steeper Westside was groomed overnight and would be untouched by other riders, so I lead my posse that way instead. Good choice –very fast and very fun! Next we hit Tomahawk. Yes, it’s a gentle blue Wally World run, but untouched and pristine with the sun coming up and frosted with new powder – oh boy! – we did it twice.
Untouched, pristine powder in Steamboat
Then our private mountain opened up to the general public, so we made a move across the top to Storm Peak Face to Triangle Trees to Cyclone to Vortex – all steep black runs groomed overnight and riding beautifully. The Burgess Creek lift then took us back up to Thunderhead for warm beverages and breakfast at the Stoker Bar. Once rested and refueled, it was time to fulfill a request for some tree skiing. From my favorite munchkin forest to the right of Buddy’s Run (not on the trail map – come and see me and I’ll take you there!) to the Sideburn side of Shadows, we were marveling at the depth and lightness and softness of the snow.
Then alas it was time to get on down and back to the desk, though I could have gone on snowboarding all day, as the turns were so free and easy. This was day #22 for me this season, and it definitely goes down as one of the top five so far! I also heard a couple of “best day evers” from my riding partners.
Steamboat stats for today, 24 January:
- 250”/635cm total snowfall to date
- Midmountain base of 72”/183cm
- 96”/244cm at the top (I must remember to get a picture by the Buddy Werner statue at Storm Peak – I’m now taller than him, and he stands 14 feet /427cm high in summertime!)
Fantastic first tracks in Steamboat
Ultimate Convenience For Ski Rentals
December 7th, 2010What could be better than having someone come directly to your hotel room to fit your skis & boots? Well here is your answer for many of our North American resorts.
Black Tie Ski Rentals provide a delivery service for ski and snowboard rentals that is second to none. All you need to do is provide your requirements and we will arrange for Black Tie to deliver your rentals to you at your accommodation at a time convenient to you – usually the morning of your first ski day.
Black Tie service is the perfect compliment for your Aspen ski holiday
Steamboat Snow Update
November 16th, 2010Very warm greetings from my cold, white world in Steamboat, Colorado! We’ve had 23cm of new snow in the last 24 hours, and we already have a 61cm settled snow base at mid-mountain at the top of the Gondola. I also see snowy days and/or cold days in the 10-day forecast, and although I would not dare second guess Mother Nature, all signs indicate an amazing Steamboat opening day on November 24.
I spent both weekend afternoons up on Emerald Mountain in downtown Steamboat Springs. On Saturday we hiked the 3-mile Lupine Trail up to the quarry in snow clogs, but after constant snow all day and night Saturday and through Sunday, too, we were very happy to have snowshoes and poles on the same trail yesterday.
23cm of new snow in the last 24 hours!
The uphill was challenging but fun, and we took Blackmeer Drive back down, where we ran into three snowboarders, several happy dogs and one mountain biker with the biggest fattest studded tires I’ve ever seen. The snow kept dumping throughout the night, too as evidenced by the 15cm or so that I cleared from my driveway before my slow and cautious drive into work this morning. There are a bunch of smiling faces around here for a Monday!
Only 8 days until Steamboat opening day
Make your plans and get here! If you want to keep an eye on Steamboat and see their latest videos – click here
How do you decide?
October 25th, 2010Hurrah for autumn! There’s a chill in the air, the first frosts make the world look white again, and in the Ski Independence office we start each day with a barrage of emails with photos of early snowfall. It’s also the time of year that suppliers from various ski resorts come to visit and remind us why theirs is the best ski resort!
It’s an exciting time for all the reservations team – we spend all day, every day, all year long spouting off all kinds of statistics and facts about snow and skiing, but at times we forget just how awesome getting out onto the snow really is. The visits from our overseas friends not only enable us to put faces to names and re-inforce our good relationships , but also remind us exactly what we’re missing when we’re sat behind our desks (thanks guys!) and we really appreciate the considerable effort it take to come to Edinburgh to see us. Read the rest of this entry »
Regards from snowy Steamboat
February 26th, 2010Today’s 5am Steamboat snow report indicated a small but welcome 5cm/2″ at mid-mountain and 10cm/4″ at the summit. However, when I was shoveling my driveway at 7am and fighting a losing battle against Mother Nature, trying to clear my way out before she erased my hard work, I knew that a lot had happened since the snow stake was checked pre-dawn. And I was right!
Finding myself in a generous and selfless frame of mind and with meetings on my midday schedule, I decided to check out Steamboat snow conditions on the first gondola so that I could provide detailed information to my esteemed friends and colleagues. I rode up the gondola with some nice folks from Fort Collins, CO who were up for a long weekend, and together we planned a ski itinerary for them. Good thing, too. It is definitely a day to have local knowledge or a local buddy, as visibility is as limited as the snow is fabulous. We’re talking superlatives here, folks!
On The Edge in Steamboat
January 28th, 2010Today I was riding on the edge! That would be on the edge of some otherwise lovely groomed runs that my companion was enjoying, but I was in the mood for some deeper, fluffier messier snow. And fortunately for both of us and all of you, too, in Steamboat there’s no need to compromise!
The noontime view from my south-facing office window showed colorless sky with just a bit of sun brightening the horizon, but when we got out to the Gondola, we found a bluebird day over our mountain. We started out down Rudi’s to Blizzard to the Storm Peak Express, and just as I suspected from my two driveway shovels in the last 24 hours, the snow was just right. It’s soft and loose, but it has just enough weight to it to offer some resistance to my sharp snowboard, and it’s a really fun ride.
On the edge!
Once up at 3000m on Storm Peak, I bounced my way over the loving and giving bumps in the steep Triangle 3 Trees and down through the meadow above Cyclone, and finally down skier’s right on Cyclone itself to catch some more of those overgrown push piles. We then rode up Bar UE and crossed over to Sunshine Peak to cut down through the top of Three O’clock and then sneak over High Noon through the trees to Sunshine Lift Line and down through the Wally World trees just off Flintlock. Just gorgeous! Then it was back up Southpeak and down precipitous Rolex, and although it was rolled last night, the generous groomers left me a roller coaster ride line down my favorite side of the run.
What a day!
Finally, we rode Elkhead back out of Sunshine and then found our way down Valley View from top to bottom, with me carving up the messy edge and my friend making rhythmic telemark turns down the smoothly groomed piste. I could have done this all day, but duty called, and there’s more snow in the forecast for the coming days. Come and see for yourself – you’ll like it!
Very best regards-
Jenny
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