400 Plus Inches of Snow- Steamboat Powder Morning

The Steamboat Ski Resort just announced that Steamboat has officially received over 400 inches of snow snow snow! And as soon as we announced that total,  Mother Nature decided 400 inches was not enough and gave Steamboat another 9 inches just to top it off!

I spent yesterday morning in all that brand new snow and it was, to put it mildly, soo soo soo much fun!  Some of my favorite days in a ski season can occur the last few days the ski resort is open - this morning was one of them.  The snow was soft, the snowflakes were perfect and it was perfect with so many runs of perfect untouched snow! This morning was foggy but the sun has already burned through any left over storm clouds and the Steamboat skiers and riders are playing in fresh pow with gorgeous sunshine!  Here is what all 400 plus inches of Steamboat powder looked like!

There is still plenty of time to come play in Steamboat's white Spring powder conditions! Springalicious is tasty with discounted lodging, discounted lift tickets- you get 4 days for $100 bucks! and there is plenty of free music, closing weekend events and sunshine and beers! Get to Steamboat for Springalicious spring!

Insider Snow Report: 350" Inches of Snow and Keep It Coming!

With only about a month left in the 2010/2011 Ski Season, Mother Nature has given Steamboat 350" inches of snow so far this year and we're telling her to keep it coming! Read more about our 350" Inch milestone! 

Tony U. is our front desk manager at our Torian Plum property and he made it out for some incredible ski runs yesterday when we received almost a foot of powder by the end of the day yesterday (3/8/2011).  Here is his insider tips...

"Yesterday, we woke up with 2 inches of fresh powder that had turned into nearly a foot by the day's end, and then the sun came out!  So the 3 o'clock shift change came around, and I grabbed the Helmet Camera from its shelf and hustled up for a couple of late day ski runs on the Steamboat Ski Area.  Steamboat is now open with their Spring Hours (read more), which means that upper mountain lifts run later, some as late as 4:15, and Christie Peak Express runs til 4:30!  

As I reached the top of the Steamboat Gondola, the upper mountain was still socked in so I did a quick run on Rudi's Run on down to catch the last few chairs on Burgess Creek Lift.  As I reached the top of Burgess Creek Lift, the glorious sun beckoned me towards Vagabond, and I followed two old-school locals down the sweet powder stash that frames the top of Upper Concentration over towards old Arrowhead lift line.  Not being an expert on the teles yet, I chickened out on the Arrowhead stash and bailed onto Vagabond, which, though skied over, was amazingly good for 4:15pm.  Not bad for an after-work break!" - Tony U.

This spring will be gracing us with Epic Spring conditions so make sure you do not miss the Spring Party- its called Springalicious.  We're even selling $99 four day lift tickets- seriously its going to be a party! Book now!

Springalicious Spring Skiing at Steamboat Ski Resort 2011

We've made it through an incredibly snowy, deep, exhilarating winter and the first signs of spring are beginning to show around here in Steamboat Springs!  The temperatures are getting a little warmer, the days have been staying lighter longer, the sun has been brilliant- perfect for those long days of skiing.  Spring is Springalicious in Steamboat!

Top Reasons Why We Love Spring Skiing?  

Glad you asked- other than the warm sunny afternoons perfect for happy hour, getting together with friends and family after some killer runs, live music and apres deals there are also these:

1. Extended Spring Ski Hours!  The sun is hanging out a littler longer each day and with that means more minutes to ski the day away. The Spring lift operating hours went into effect February 26th at the Steamboat Ski Resort providing up to an additional 30 minutes to enjoy the slopes. With the extended spring hours, Morningside and Pony Express chairlifts will now close at 3:30pm; Storm Peak Express, Sundown Express and Sunshine Express at 3:45pm; Burgess Creek, South Peak and Thunderhead Express at 4:00pm; and Elkhead at 4:15pm. Check the daily grooming sheet for daily lift status as some lifts may close based on business levels for that day.  See a Steamboat Ski Resort Map

2. Springalicious Ski Events: The final ski weeks in April are packed with live music from big names like Los Lonely Boys, Katchafire, and the Wailers- these outdoor free concerts are at the base of the gondola with beer sales, band merchandise tents.  Grab your friends and get your groove on off the mountain! 

The final week of the Ski Resort's 2010/11 season also hosts unique events like the  splashdown pond skim and the cardboard classic.  If you are brave enough to face the frigid waters of a barely above freezing pool in the attempts to skim across it and make safe to the other side then this is your sport! Otherwise grab a good spot and get ready for this hilarious event!  

3. This is the best one:  Springalicious Lodging and $99 4-day lift tickets!  Stay with ResortQuest for your spring fling trip and you'll get 20% off 2 + nights and you'll 4 days of lift tickets for only $99 dollars.  How awesome is that! Book now and get your spring skiing underway!

Surprise Sleeper Freshies- Steamboat Surprise Powder Part Two

NOAA.gov satellite images

While there has been some talk recently about this latest Steamboat winter storm, I personally was not expecting much.  The jet stream is bringing large amounts of the moisture out of the south west, which typically favors Southern Colorado.   Steamboat really gets hit real hard when the jet stream come from the West or North West.  Steamboat which is located in Northern Colorado, somehow still seems to get large amounts of snow.   This is why Steamboat is the best.  And what fell this morning was lots of powder.  Read part one of the Powder Surprise!

I met up with 4 other friends this morning at about 11:15 am.  I had a 2 hour break to ski.  I was quite skeptical of the conditions half expecting what locals call  “dust on crust.”  These “dust on crust” conditions occur after several days of warm weather melting and freezing the existing snow as the days go by.  Then when you get a couple inches this creates a layer of soft snow above a very hard layer.   Hence the name “dusts on crust.”   It creates inconsistent snow which can get very nerve racking to skiers and riders.  But I was presently surprised by the snow that had fallen last night and this morning.  About 15 inches fell according to my “ski pole” measurements.   No crust allowed.  What a treat.  Even after hitting the slopes late we had some surprise “freshies.”  There was no one on the mountain so we just tore the runs up.  Many times we all turned to each other and said “wow, what a surprise powder day.” One of the best days yet.  See a Steamboat Ski Map.

Get to Steamboat to get your "best day yet."  Don't worry when you book with ResortQuest Steamboat you not only get great lodging deals but you also get the best accommodations in Steamboat!

Will is also part of the expert reservations team at ResortQuest and is happy to help you find the best accommodations for your needs.  He is also an avid powder hound and loves the Steamboat Powder.  Read part one of the surprise Steamboat powder to get the other view on the conditions!

Surprise Powder Day in Steamboat Springs- Part One

Not all surprises are good ones but if a surprise involves powder then its going to be a good day! 

The 5 am snow report for the Steamboat Ski Resort said that we had received 3” of new snow overnight.  I became slightly skeptical of this figure when I went out side to start my car this around 7am and it was covered in at least 4”…in town. Usually if we get that much in town then the Ski Resort is sure to be covered in fluff.  I decided today, it looked like it would be a good day to take a ski break.  Around 11am, I met a few co-workers at the gondola and headed up.  The further up the gondola climbed the more the snow started dumping outside.  When we finally reached the top of storm peak we discovered that we had actually received about 7” of fresh powder!  See the current weather and snow forecast.  Read Surprise Powder Part 2

We started by cutting across Buddy’s run to Chute 1 and down to Flying Z.  From there we shot down Drop Out and headed over to the Pony Express chair lift to see if we could find some fresh lines.  This ended up being the best decision we could have made.  As we charged through the trees and open fields we plowed through pillows of powder up to our waists!  We reached the bottom of the hill around 12:30 and headed back to work, totally refreshed from our surprise powder day.  See a Ski Trails Map.

Get to Steamboat and you'll always be able to find good snow conditions! Book with ResortQuest Steamboat for great lodging accommodations, free shuttles, concierge services and resort amenities at all our properties. Book your winter stay today!

J.D.wrote part one of our surprise powder day! He is one of our lodging experts at ResortQuest Steamboat.  Contact him today to book your perfect unit and get up to date ski conditions!  Read Part 2!

Steamboat Ski Resort Hits 300 Inches of Snow Mark for the 2010/2011 Season

Did everyone get the snow report, the powder alert, the snow memo and the call to all Powder Hounds? 
The latest storm that came barrelling through Steamboat not only made the weekend have good powder conditions but Steamboat received over 3 FEET of snow over 4 days that just made everyone giggly for powder!  This storm also pushed us over the 300" of snow mark for the 2010-2011 season!  That is what a Steamboat Powder Morning is all about!

These are the kind of storms that justifies Steamboat's Champagne Powder® Trademark- its feet and feet of the fluffiest, lightest and softest snow you can imagine.  Champagne Powder directly translates to floating.  And if you have ever felt this sensation it instantly brings a smile to your face.  

According to a press release the Steamboat Ski Resort sent out on  2/8/2011, The resort is reporting a whopping 88-inch base at mid-mountain and 113-inch base at the summit on powder conditions. "The largest summit base ever recorded was during the 1995/96 season when 125 topped the stake. For the month of February, the largest summit base tallied was 124 also in 1995/96. During the last six 400+ snow years, the year-to-date tally as of Feb. 8th was 250.25” in 2008/09; 363” in 2007/08; 327” in 2005/06; 344.25” in 1996/97; 298” in 1995/96 and 226.25” in 1992/93."  So needless to say the powder is piling up!

So while the Steamboat Ski Resort is counting the inches and we are taking powder shots,  all you need to do is get to Steamboat because the skiing is EPIC.

Book your vacation to Steamboat now and receive great lodging deals for your powder vacation with ResortQuest Steamboat.  All of our properties are located within 3 blocks of the ski resort- this means you'll be first in line for powder shots every time! 

 

What To Do In Steamboat Springs When It's TOO Cold

Experiencing the freezing weather blues? Don't worry Steamboat has tons of activities to do all winter that don't include freezing outside. And being a ResortQuest Steamboat guest you are able to speak to our excellent concierge to set up reservations or to get more information on these activities or ideas.

Snow Bowl is Steamboat's only bowling alley that serves up lane fulls of fun! It's a fabulous way to spend the day. Every kid loves bowling and the bowling at Snow Bowl isn’t going to break the bank. They have a snack bar to keep tummies happy for a couple games of bowling.   Grab a free ResortQuest shuttle out to the lanes.
 

Bud Werner Library: Another great option is the library. Our brand new library caters to kids and adults of all ages. The whole library's brand new kids area and reading nooks make any afternoon of reading fun and exciting. They provide computers packed with games for the kids to play. Visit the Website.

The Pottery Wheel- Are your kids bored with just crayons and paper and ready to write on the condo walls? Take them to the Pottery Wheel and enjoy some quality creative time painting pottery to take home as a souvenir from your ResortQuest Steamboat vacation. Contact our concierge for hours!

Spa Day! And if you are feeling yesterday's day of skiing, you'll need some good massaging from the professionals at the Trappeur's Crossing Day spa!  Right in the Trappeur's amenities enjoy this amazing spa without having to leave the resort!  Contact the concierge today to get all set for your spa day!

Ice skating is chilly but not freezing in the indoor ice rink at Howelsen.  Its a great winter activity and great for days that are too chilly to play outside! When you come back to your condo stop by the front desk and grab some hot cocoa and cookies.

Take A Dip: For most of our ResortQuest Steamboat properties we do have indoor hot tubs and saunas to stay warm. Or get your blood moving at the fitness center.  Torian Plum, Bronze Tree, Meadows, and Trappeur’s Crossing all have fitness centers and indoor hot tubs.

Keep warm in Steamboat. Take advantage of our free shuttles, concierge, and front desk staff to keep your cabin fever low and still experience a great time in Steamboat.   Book your vacation to Steamboat and save money on your spring ski vacations! See our current deals!

The Paramount Restaurant Brings Ski-In Breakfast to Torian Plum Plaza Steamboat Springs

Finally, a 'real' breakfast option on the mountain in Torian Plum Plaza located at the base of Steamboat Ski Resort. View the Torian Plum.

Sure, Gondola Joe's has a pre-made breakfast sandwich or a danish to-go with your coffee, but I am talking homemade biscuits with an elk Gravy from Maribou Ranch elk. The Paramount has only been open for a few days and is already making a statement with delicious food made from scratch.  Some highlights and recommendations from friends include the breakfast burrito (serves 3-4), banana bread french toast, and the biscuits and gravy.

Along with breakfast, The Paramount serves lunch. Make your own grilled cheese sandwich from a selection of toppings and delicious fresh bread. I had the best Reuben in Steamboat there this weekend. Hours still vary depending on how the Apres Ski works out.
Definitely give them a try!

Stay in the Torian Plum and have the best ski-in ski-out location in Steamboat with all the shops and restaurants in the Torian Plaza right at your front door! See our best ski vacation deals and get to Steamboat!

Steamboat Ski Area Friendly Kids Terrain and Ski School

Steamboat Springs is known for being the family friendly ski resort but they are also known for their great ski school and the kid friendly terrain that can be found around the ski resort.  For all the Steamboat visitors, Steamboat also offers great savings with the Kids Fly Free, Kids Rent Free and Kids Ski Free value programs!
 
This is my first season teaching my daughter to try harder terrain and ski all over the mountain. She has skied bunny slopes before, but I have always been nervous about her riding the chair lifts. So i enrolled her in the Steamboat Ski School!  After just a few lessons she was skiing blue runs.

The ski school really impressed me with how patient and effective they are with the kids. I really have been enjoying teaching her to ski on all sorts of groomers. The first groomer that we did go down is an easy blue called Tomahawk.  See a Steamboat Ski Resort Map. It was a great level of blue for her to start on. The trail is wide and open for any new skier. It isn’t too steep, but allows for the beginner to stay in control. My daughter didn’t want to stay on the trail. Instead she kept skiing the sides of the runs where the little jumps are. 

I was amazed at how a such a new skier was flying up into the air after hitting a jump and enjoying it- what confidence! It showed me, to my surprise, that even on an easy blue there is an enjoyment for all levels of skiers. We have since ventured all over the mountain to other levels of blues. I enjoy Steamboat skiing because I am able to share the whole mountain with my new skier.

Get your whole family to Steamboat for your winter ski vacation! Steamboat provides ski terrain that all will enjoy!  Book your lodging now and receive great lodging deals and when you book you can save on ski rentals,  lift tickets! 

This blog was written by Favia, one of ResortQuest Steamboat's knowledgeable reservation specialists and ski lover! Contact us today!

Safety First in Steamboat- National Safety Awareness Week

The commitment to safety is number one again this year for the Steamboat Ski Resort.  As National Safety Awareness Week begins tomorrow Jan. 15-23, 2011 the Ski Resort has all kinds of demos, seminars and contests for all ages of skiers and snowboarders to better inform them how to stay safe on the mountain.

“Steamboat’s commitment to safety is one of the key priorities of the resort and allows us to remain in the top tier of ski resorts in North America,” said Chris Diamond, president & chief operating officer of the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “National Safety Awareness Week is an opportunity for Steamboat to showcase unique initiatives and programs, while educating every winter enthusiast how to safely enjoy the mountain.” 

Steamboat Ski Area will host a variety of safety programs during National Safety Awareness Week, including the following events which will take place primarily over the weekend of Jan. 15-17:

Gondola Square Safety Booths: Patrol, ParkWise staff and the Steamboat Springs Fire Department will be in Gondola Square sharing safety tips, AED demonstrations and more.

Bear the Safety Dog: Get your picture with Bear, Steamboat’s St. Bernard Safety Dog, at the top of the Gondola.

Snow Awareness Seminars: On Saturday and Sunday, January 15 & 16, Steamboat Ski Patrol will host special seminars on snow awareness at Pioneer Ridge Beacon Basin. The seminars are free to the public and meet at the Beacon Basin at the top of Pony Express Chairlift at 1pm both days.

Terrain Park: Staff promoting Smart Style, Steamboat’s ParkWise program as well as handing out safety tips and stickers.

Know the Code Contest: Skiers and Riders will randomly be stopped on the slopes by members of Steamboat’s Patrol. If they know at least three of the seven parts to the Responsibility Code they’ll receive a prize.

Billy Kidd One O’Clock Run: Free clinic by Steamboat’s director of skiing, who will be joined by Patrol during Safety Week. (Jan. 15, 17, 18, 19 & 22)

Free Mountain Tours with Ambassador with SlopeWise & Safety Information from Patrol. (entire week)

FREE Pay to Race: Any guests who can tell the attendant one of the seven topics of the Responsibility Code races free. (entire week)

Grooming Reports, daily snow reports and individual chairlift message boards will feature safety messages throughout the week.

Signage across the mountain promoting safe riding, jibing, slow zones and deep snow/tree wells.

So get to Steamboat to practice your safe on-mountain skills on the Steamboat Ski Resort!  Stay with us ResortQuest Steamboat and now only save money but stay in luxury! See our current lodging deals!

The National Ski Areas Association’s National Safety Awareness Week is an annual event highlighting resort safety education efforts across the country while increasing slope safety.

Powder in Steamboat Backcountry Powdercat Adventures- Video of the Week

For all you ski lovers, powder bums and mountain kids- Here is a light and fluffy video to make you say " I Want To GO!" on this Thursday afternoon- 

Check out the Steamboat Powdercats for all your Steamboat Backcountry adventures.  While you play in snow know you are coming home to a comfy luxurious vacation rental with ResortQuest Steamboat.  View our current deals and book your Steamboat ski vacation now!

Ski Safety Tips from the Steamboat Ski Patrol

photo: John F. Russell Steamboat Pilot

No one wants their ski vacation to end with an injury while skiing at the Steamboat Ski Resort.  So the Steamboat Ski Patrol has put out some 2011 safety tips and reminders for how to ride and ski your best while being in control and not harming yourself or others.

Safety Tips by the Steamboat Ski Patrol

1. Always ski or ride with a buddy- the Steamboat Ski Resort is a large mountain and people can easily get lost or separated from a group.  Make sure you set up meeting arrangements in-case anyone gets separated.  This is especially important when skiing in the glades or tree areas- be aware of tree wells.

2. Always follow the Responsibility Code – this is the piece of paper you sign before you get your ski pass that says you as a skier or boarder will follow these safety precautions:

• Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects. If for some reason you do have a collision stay at the scene. Do not ski away.
• People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
• Do not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.
• Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
• Always use devices to prevent runaway equipment. Always use devices to prevent runaway equipment.
• Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
• Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely. 

3. Call for Help! Do you know the Ski Patrol help number?  Always have this programmed into your cell phone 970-871-5911

4. Wear your Helmet! The National Ski Areas Association encourages the use of helmets, but it cautions skiers and riders against assuming that a helmet can prevent all head injuries on the slopes. You can rent a helmet at any of Steamboat’s local ski rentals shops

5. Ski Patrol is equipped with the best medical technology including 14 automated external defibrillators to aid cardiac patients.  Watch the latest 9news story about how Steamboat Ski Patrol saved a woman’s life last week.   We love love love our Steamboat Ski Patrol! They are an amazing crew of men and women dedicated to many hours of training and preparation for each ski season along with being the first responders to accidents on the ski area! While we are having fun they are making sure everyone stays safe! Thanks you Steamboat Ski Patrol!

So play it safe and come to Steamboat! You not only will have an amazing fun ski trip but you can also book lodging for up to 40% off! The longer you stay the more you save and you’ll be having a fun and safe ski trip in no time! Book now!