Steamboat

3D Terrain

Our Take

Steamboat actually went and trademarked 'Champagne Powder®.' Bold move. But ski there once and you'll get it. The Yampa Valley sits in this weird microclimate sweet spot where arctic air rolls over the Park Range and turns into the driest, lightest snow you can imagine. It's like skiing through cold smoke. The resort is big -- 3,668 acres across six peaks -- with tree skiing that'll ruin you for everywhere else. But honestly the town is what makes Steamboat special. It's a real place. Ranchers and cowboys and natural hot springs and over 100 Winter Olympians who grew up here. Not a purpose-built resort village. An actual community that happens to have world-class skiing in its backyard.

Nerd Stats

Fun Facts

• 'Champagne Powder®' -- yes, with the registered trademark symbol. They went there.
• 100+ Winter Olympians from this one town. More than anywhere else in North America.
• Natural hot springs downtown. Free for locals. Solid move after a long day.
• When it drops below -20°F the snow turns into 'cold smoke.' It's as wild as it sounds.

Why Steamboat?

Steamboat invented the term "Champagne Powder" and trademarked it -- that's how serious they are about their snow. The tree skiing here is some of the best on the planet, and the town of Steamboat Springs feels like an actual Colorado community, not a resort bubble.

The Lowdown

Local's Tips

• 1.Morningside Park trees on a powder day. That's it. That's the tip.
• 2.The free bus from town to the mountain runs every 15 minutes. Don't bother renting a car unless you're exploring the area.
• 3.Old Town Hot Springs downtown is the local move. Strawberry Park is prettier but Old Town is easier and cheaper.
• 4.Ski the Pony Express lift area for laps -- short lines, great fall-line skiing, somehow always overlooked.

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