Steamboat locals, and diehard mountain bikers have been pedalling the mountain biking trails in Steamboat Springs for a little while now. Howelsen hill and Emerald Mountain have had several trails open for a few weeks; other routes to explore have included Red Dirt at Mad Creek and the Hot Springs Trail.
For more mountain bike trail guides check-out:
Today, the summer mountain biking terrain just got a lot larger with the opening of the Steamboat Ski Resort trails. Below is an except from the press release and a link to the resort's mountain biking trail map:
MOUNTAIN BIKE & HIKING TRAILS OPEN FROM THUNDERHEAD TO BASE AREA
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO-June 20, 2008
Rubber hits the dirt this weekend as the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation opens nearly all of its mountain bike and hiking trails from Thunderhead, top of the gondola, down to the base area today, Friday, June 20, 2008.
“Continued snowy/wet spring conditions including snow as recent as last week and construction on Headwall in the base area may have lead to confusion as to the timing of our opening for bikes and hiking,” said Doug Allen, vice president of mountain operations for the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “Our crews have been working diligently to complete the grading on Lower Right-O-Way and to provide a dedicated route through the Headwall construction zone connecting the trail head at the base with the mountain trail system.”Zig Zag, Valley View, Short Cut, Huffman’s, Sitz, Spur Run and Yoo Hoo mountain bike trails as well as the Thunderhead and Vista Nature hiking trails are open. Moonlight and Creekside bike trails on the lower mountain along with all upper mountain trails will remain closed until conditions permit.
The resort will maintain a marked route through the Headwall construction zone and requests that all guests stay on the trails and follow signage in this area. Be aware that temporary trail closure and re-routes may occur due to construction or other mountain work. Please adhere to all closures, re-routes, signage and check with the Information Center for updates throughout the summer.
When in full operation, the resort will offer 50 miles of professionally designed and maintained mountain bike trails that offer plenty of variety for adventure seekers of all abilities. Mountain Bike rentals, lessons and Diggler All-Mountain Scooter rentals are available at RideSports in Gondola Square.
Yampatika offers guided interpretive tours on the Vista Nature Trail, or do a self-guided tour on the Thunderhead Hiking Trail, roughly 3.8 miles from the base to top of the gondola, a 2,180-foot vertical gain/loss.
Again this summer, extreme high-speed downhill riding as well as riding and/or hiking on renegade trails are prohibited. This policy will be strictly enforced; and violation will result in the loss of year-round (summer & winter) mountain/lift privileges.
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2 comments:
Hi. I am thinking about a trip to Steamboat from March 28 to April 3 of 2009. Is that too late to have good conditions? I notice the mountain is scheduled to close on April 12.
Please email me at apaidas@mindspring.com
The short n sweet: April can be hit or miss. Last year we a base of over 100” and we had incredible powder days up until the last day. The year before it snowed 14 inches the Friday before closing day and actually went down as one of my top ten days ever!
Some years the snow can be patchy on the runs that get a LOT of traffic and sun. However, with increasingly improved snowmaking and grooming, it is not really a problem.
At that time of year, the lodging rates are the cheapest they get all season (and ResortQuest is offering 30% off 3+ nights running right now). Lift tickets are also cheaper.
If you come at that time because it works for you -- timing-wise and budget-wise -- just have an open mind. Steamboat will have had a whole season to build up an excellent base of snow so conditions, at worst, enjoy the excellent groomers during the longer, warmer days.
The conditions may be icier in the mornings and slushier in the afternoons. So, if for some reason the conditions are not “epic” look at your vacation as allowing you the opportunity to enjoy a sleep-in, ski throughout the middle of the day till 2-4pm, and then enjoy Steamboat’s après ski scene. At that time of year Steamboat also offers a lot of free concerts at the base area, and Slopeside Bar outside the Torian Plum (on the ski slopes) often has live music. Soak up some sunshine, brews and wood fired pizza – in your ski boots!
Please let me know if I can do anything else to help you with your vacation plans!
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