david pomerantz
New member
We just got back from our first ski trip out west, to Steamboat Springs. We are a "blue square family" and Steamboat had tons to offer for us. I have a few helpful hints for anyone who is interested.
First, we booked our trip through Steamboat's central reservations. This proved to be a mixed bag. I was promised that our connecting flight out of Denver to Hayden would be a United Airlines jet. It was in fact a 30 seat prop plane. Our weather was beautifaul each way, and so it was fine, but I think I would have had white knucles in a storm. Better to connect through Chicago or other city with direct, jet flights to Hayden
We stayed at the Ski Times Square Condominiums. Ski Times Square is definitely the area to stay, close (but NOT ski in/ski out) to the slopes, with alot of shops and dining. However, that particular condo is quite old and run down. Burnt out lights were never replaced despite our calls. Suite was roomy and clean, just beat up. Between the two luxory hotels at the base (the Grand and the Sheraton), I'd recommend the Sheraton, which looked nicer and is literally at the base of the slopes. Hint for everyone else: They will stow your skis for free each night at the Sheraton if you tell them you are staying there (they don't check). A little white lie. They have a little changing area with lockers right there. Sure beats shlepping your skis, while wearing your ski boots, to get from your condo to the slopes, and back again at the end of the day.
As for the skiing, it was AWESOME, even though we only had a dusting of new snow, the first night we were there. Mostly endless blue skies and mild temperatures each day. Everything basically runs through the gondola, and so we were the first in line each morning along with the "regulars." Met alot of terrific people. You can't get to the other mountains from the top of Thunderhead until after 9:00 a.m., so we began each day with some warm-ups on Vagabond, which has some steep areas, but some flats in between to gather yourself for the next plunge. Then back up the Thunderhead Express.
Once it opens, I recommend "Blue" skiers taking Huffman's over to "Wally's World" via the Sundown Express in the morning, because the tops of those runs really get skied-out by lunch time. Tomahawk is the easiest, and gets crowded. Actually it is too gentle after the first part of the run. Better are High Noon, One O'Clock, and the Sunrise lift run. My teenaged boys found alot of easier tree skiing in this area. Try to avoid the Sunrise lift itself. It takes 11 minutes, and my legs were asleep each time I got off it. Better: There is a short lift below Sunrise (I forget the name) which takes you to the Rendezvous Lodge (good place to get a great burger or warm up). From there, a couple of nice blues (one is "Lower High Noon") or a green- Broadway, back to the Sundown lift, which is an express.
There is a nice blue, with some easy trees and moguls, down the back side, called Cowboy Coffee. But let me warn you, when you take the lift back up, your only way directly back down the back side is on bumpy blacks. Better to take Buddy's Run, a tough but wide open blue, down the front. In that area is another memorable blue run: Rainbow.
Don't forget the lower mountain, which in addition to Vagabond has some great blues, the best of which is Heavenly Daze, along the gondola lift. That takes you to Vogue and to the bottom. For an easier black, my kids all did Concentration, steep but open, and no bumps. That turns into Lower Concentration, another good blue.
There is plenty to do at the base area apres ski, but the city has a FREE and efficient bus service into town, which offers quite a bit of good shopping (so my non-skiing wife tells me) and restaurants.
Everyone told us how nice the people were in Steamboat, and it is definitely true. And that snow! I don't know how I'll be able to ski in the east again!
First, we booked our trip through Steamboat's central reservations. This proved to be a mixed bag. I was promised that our connecting flight out of Denver to Hayden would be a United Airlines jet. It was in fact a 30 seat prop plane. Our weather was beautifaul each way, and so it was fine, but I think I would have had white knucles in a storm. Better to connect through Chicago or other city with direct, jet flights to Hayden
We stayed at the Ski Times Square Condominiums. Ski Times Square is definitely the area to stay, close (but NOT ski in/ski out) to the slopes, with alot of shops and dining. However, that particular condo is quite old and run down. Burnt out lights were never replaced despite our calls. Suite was roomy and clean, just beat up. Between the two luxory hotels at the base (the Grand and the Sheraton), I'd recommend the Sheraton, which looked nicer and is literally at the base of the slopes. Hint for everyone else: They will stow your skis for free each night at the Sheraton if you tell them you are staying there (they don't check). A little white lie. They have a little changing area with lockers right there. Sure beats shlepping your skis, while wearing your ski boots, to get from your condo to the slopes, and back again at the end of the day.
As for the skiing, it was AWESOME, even though we only had a dusting of new snow, the first night we were there. Mostly endless blue skies and mild temperatures each day. Everything basically runs through the gondola, and so we were the first in line each morning along with the "regulars." Met alot of terrific people. You can't get to the other mountains from the top of Thunderhead until after 9:00 a.m., so we began each day with some warm-ups on Vagabond, which has some steep areas, but some flats in between to gather yourself for the next plunge. Then back up the Thunderhead Express.
Once it opens, I recommend "Blue" skiers taking Huffman's over to "Wally's World" via the Sundown Express in the morning, because the tops of those runs really get skied-out by lunch time. Tomahawk is the easiest, and gets crowded. Actually it is too gentle after the first part of the run. Better are High Noon, One O'Clock, and the Sunrise lift run. My teenaged boys found alot of easier tree skiing in this area. Try to avoid the Sunrise lift itself. It takes 11 minutes, and my legs were asleep each time I got off it. Better: There is a short lift below Sunrise (I forget the name) which takes you to the Rendezvous Lodge (good place to get a great burger or warm up). From there, a couple of nice blues (one is "Lower High Noon") or a green- Broadway, back to the Sundown lift, which is an express.
There is a nice blue, with some easy trees and moguls, down the back side, called Cowboy Coffee. But let me warn you, when you take the lift back up, your only way directly back down the back side is on bumpy blacks. Better to take Buddy's Run, a tough but wide open blue, down the front. In that area is another memorable blue run: Rainbow.
Don't forget the lower mountain, which in addition to Vagabond has some great blues, the best of which is Heavenly Daze, along the gondola lift. That takes you to Vogue and to the bottom. For an easier black, my kids all did Concentration, steep but open, and no bumps. That turns into Lower Concentration, another good blue.
There is plenty to do at the base area apres ski, but the city has a FREE and efficient bus service into town, which offers quite a bit of good shopping (so my non-skiing wife tells me) and restaurants.
Everyone told us how nice the people were in Steamboat, and it is definitely true. And that snow! I don't know how I'll be able to ski in the east again!
