Should you choose Steamboat Springs for your family ski trip?

Steamboat Springs is a quaint ski town in the Yampa River valley with ample lodging and a great selection of restaurants and shops.  As a ski destination, Steamboat has a few perks over other Colorado resorts. 

1. You can fly directly into Steamboat and avoid the drive on I-70 from Denver. 

2.  Kids under the age of 13 ski free with a 5 day adult ski pass.

3. Since it is a solid 3 hours from Denver, it doesn't get as much weekend traffic as resorts closer to Colorado’s most populated city. 

4. It’s a decent sized city with a wider selection of amenities than other ski towns. 

5. They get good early season snow and are known for their “champagne powder.” 

Overall, our family had a great 5 day trip skiing in Steamboat.  With 40 inches of fresh snow the week we arrived, the conditions were excellent the week before Christmas. We were able to get a place that was only a short walk to the slopes for a reasonable price, and there were great dining options.  All of this being said, there were a few downsides to Steamboat as well.  Compared to other places we have skied in the last 5 years (Big Sky, Deer Valley, Park City, and Taos) it was much more crowded.  In my opinion, the Colorado resorts oversell their lift tickets and the experience would be much better if they would just sell less tickets.  

In Steamboat, there are currently only two lifts from the main mountain base .  The Steamboat Gondola is modern and quick, but it isn’t enough to accommodate the crowds.  We had to wait up to 40 minutes for the first run of the day on a Tuesday.  The Christie Peak express is currently the only other option to get up the mountain and it is extremely slow.  It services the bunny slopes and transports all the ski school kids, resulting in a lot of stopping and starting.  They are currently working on getting a second Gondola up and running which should improve things in the future.  (Update: The new gondola from the base is now open)

If you are willing to brave the crowds in Colorado, Steamboat is a good choice for a family ski trip.  Read on for tips on how to make your trip to Steamboat as pleasant as possible.

How to get to Steamboat Springs:

When traveling to Steamboat, you have three options. 

1. Fly into Denver, rent a car, and drive to Steamboat (about 3 hours if all goes well).

2.  Fly into Denver and hire a shuttle to drive you to Steamboat.  You can find more information on the shuttle at https://www.steamboat.com/plan-your-trip/getting-here-and-around/airport-shuttle .

3. Fly directly in Hayden/Yampa Valley Regional Airport.  

We chose option 1 because the flights were much cheaper.  We were able to get a Four Runner with snow tires through Turo for a reasonable price and our experience getting to Steamboat was smooth.  The drive from Denver at 8 pm on a Saturday was doable and took us about 3 hours.  The trouble came on the day of our departure.  A winter storm swept through the night before our 4 PM flight out of Denver.  This resulted in treacherous conditions and the closure of I-70 East.  In order to avoid missing our flight, we had to take the alternate route on 40 East through Winter Park and over Berthoud Pass.  It took us nearly 5 very stressful hours to get from Steamboat to Denver.  If we ever return to Steamboat, we will try flying directly into Hayden and using the shuttle.  

Where to stay in Steamboat Springs:

We stayed at Kutuk Condos on Ski Times Square drive.  The condo was nothing fancy but provided all necessary amenities and the location was great.  They provided ski lockers and we were able to walk to the slopes each day with relative ease.  I would recommend staying in Steamboat ski resort rather than in the town of Steamboat (about 10 minutes away from the resort).  There are a lot of ski in-ski out options and there is a free shuttle to the slopes as well.

Ski Rentals in Steamboat Springs:

If at all possible, I recommend picking up your rental equipment the evening before you want to ski.  Getting boots, ski’s, poles, and helmets for a family of five is always a tiring and painful experience.  By the time we are done getting our equipment, we are all exhausted.  If you can uncouple that from your first day of skiing, do it.  We used Christy Sports for our rentals and I have no complaints.  If you want to use one of the smaller shops, such as Steamboat Ski and Bike Kare, be sure to make your rental reservations in advance.  We tried just dropping in to get our rentals there and they were booked solid for the day.  A final option is Black Tie Skis which is a service that will come to your condo and bring your rentals to you.  We haven’t tried it yet, but I am considering it for the future.

Our favorite runs in Steamboat Springs:

Favorite green runs: 

1. Tomahawk: nice open green off the Sunshine Express lift with fun little hills.  It is a little harder to get here than some of the other greens, resulting in less crowds.  

2. Broadway: this can get a little more crowded but offers beautiful views of the valley below.

Favorite blue runs: 

1. QuickDraw: very easy blue route that is similar to Tomahawk but even less crowded.  This is a good first blue to try.

2. Sunshine lift line: If you are looking at a map while reading this, you will notice a pattern as this is another run off the Sunshine Express.  This one is a little steeper but more open that QuickDraw.

3. Cheesy Grits: fun, easy run through the trees on the other side of the mountain off the Storm Peak Express lift.

4. Vagabond: Solid, relatively open blue with less ice than the other popular routes.

Favorite black diamond runs:

Prior to skiing in Steamboat, I have always avoided skiing black diamonds.  As a 41 year old mother of three who learned to ski at age 32, blues usually offer enough speed and challenge for me.  The ratings at Steamboat, however, are much softer than other places we have skied and a groomed black at Steamboat would be a blue at Taos.  We also found that skiing blacks was the best way to avoid the crowds.  Find which runs are groomed every morning with Steamboat’s Interactive Map. Our favorite runs at Steamboat are the groomed blacks.

1. Cyclone: sustained, wide open run that isn’t too steep.  This is a good first black to try.

2. Ted’s Ridge: get off the icy and crowded Heavenly Daze and hop on this groomed black just below Thunderhead lodge.

3. Rolex: Short and sweet run that is a tad steeper than Cyclone and Ted’s Ridge off of South Peak Flats.

Where to eat in Steamboat Springs:

Cafe Diva: we had one of our top 5 family meals of all time here.  This is a great place to splurge on an incredible meal.  The service was great.  The food was creative but not too far out.  Don’t miss the steak tartare, Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwiches, and Crab and Tomato Bisque.  You can’t go wrong here.  Everything was perfect. Be sure to make your reservations far in advance if you want to give this place a try.

Taco Beast: this is a food truck/snowcat that sets up at various locations around the resort.  It was parked at the base of the sunshine express lift our first 2 days there.  It only operates Thursday-Sunday but offers delicious, fresh tacos and outdoor seating.  This is a great option for bluebird ski days.  

Final tips for skiing Steamboat springs:

1. Ski one level up.  The routes are less steep and easier than comparable ratings at resorts in Wyoming, Montana and New Mexico.  The higher you go in difficulty, the smaller the crowds.  If you are a solid green skier, try skiing blues here.  If you are normally a blue skier, try some groomed blacks.  See the daily interactive map to check and see which blacks have been groomed.  

2. Never, ever ski “Why not”.  It is the most crowded and miserable ski run I have ever experienced.  Do everything you can to get over to Tomahawk and Broadway if you really need to ski green runs.  

3. Expect long lines at the beginning of the day.  The Steamboat Gondola line moves fast and the line for the Christie Peak Express moves very slow.   Don’t be tempted to take it instead.  

4. If your kids are trustworthy and experienced enough, use the single line for the gondola instead of the group line.  You will often get to ride together anyway and it is much faster.  

5. Pick up your ski rentals the evening before your first day of skiing and consider making a reservation for your ski rental fittings.

6. Fly directly into Steamboat and use the free shuttle.  If you choose to drive from Denver, like we did, be prepared for potential weather/traffic delays and give yourself plenty of time.

7. If you rent a car, use Turo and get a car with all-wheel/four-wheel drive and snow tires.  

8. Stay near the resort, not in the main town of Steamboat Springs.

9. Splurge on dinner at Cafe Diva and make your reservations in advance (30 days if possible).

10. Don’t forget that kids ski free with an adult 5 day lift ticket.  Even though we could only ski 4 days, it was still cheaper to buy the 5 day pass and have Gus ski free.  

Final thoughts on Steamboat Springs:

We had a great family ski trip to Steamboat Springs.  The well appointed town, abundance of convenient lodging options, and early season powder made this an enjoyable ski trip.  That being said, the trauma of the drive back to Denver and the long lift lines at the mountain base will likely keep us from going back for a while.  The next time we visit, we will fly directly into Hayden and we won’t be back until the new gondola is up and running.  Share your experience with Steamboat Springs in the comments below.