Steamboat Straight Talker's Blog (559)

Writing the final Straight Talk Report of the season is a little bittersweet.  On the one hand, we couldn't have ended on a better note... ever.  Last night's powder dump is nothing short of spectacular.  On the other hand, posting this article means another season is officially in the bag.   If the next 50 years turn out to be as unforgettable as the last, the Steamboat Ski Resort is poised to hold a place in history unlike any other resort in the nation.…

 What a wonderful season we've had here in the Yampa Valley. It was definitely one I will remember for a long time. From the mid-winter powder dumps to the fun few weeks of springs corn, I personally enjoyed every run. As always, our season ends too quickly and usually with a healthy base of snow. This past week's storm has left the mountain in wonderful condition. It looks and feels like the middle of winter. The slopes are in great shape and there is still plenty of snow. Hat's off to the…

Old Man Winter is not finished with Steamboat yet and has toasted us with another powder day in Steamboat! Three inches of freshies were reported this morning and the snow keeps piling up.  If  you're thinking about heading up to the mountain today, stop reading this and go now.  It's good out there!…

The thermometer and my calendar just aren't matching up today.  While the calendar says April 10, the weather on the mountain says middle of January.  It's a cold one out there, but it's worth getting out for some fresh tracks this morning.

We have had some interesting weather over the…

If you are reading this from Steamboat then like me, you probably didn't get an abundance of sleep last night due to these blizzard conditions i.e., ridiculous WIND!

So it's not too surprising that after sleeping all of 5 minutes last night I was mildly grumpy (my husband would use other words to…

It is safe to say that winter is not going to give up without a fight.  Spring is putting up its dukes but today will be proof that all seasons are still present and accounted for on this mountain.  I skied top to bottom today and saw a lot of different conditions.  The sky is no indicator either.  I saw shadows from the sun but then the wind would pick up and shoo her away showing signs of a storm headed our way and they are saying it is going to be a big one.  Shell?  Insulation?  Short…

As the saying goes... "April showers bring May flowers."  Well if that's true then I think Steamboat's flowers are going to be in full bloom this year.  We received a really nice coat of fresh powder on the mountain overnight and the trails are in great shape.

The snow on the top of Sunshine Peak was…

 It was a classic spring day in the Yampa Valley. The early morning fog broke and the sun was shinning bright. The cloud layer was low in the valley, giving rise to some scenic early morning turns.

Last night's 1" of new snow was a welcomed treat as I headed over to the Sunshine area this morning.…

An inch of fresh snow, blazing sunshine, and warm breezes combined this morning for the perfect backdrop for a spring park session. 

My pre-park warm up on Heavenly Daze was just that. Heavenly.  Making turns on a fresh inch of snow down the Daze on a sunny spring day is on my list of favorite ski…

Its been an interesting morning of mixed conditions here in Steamboat.

The snow is as variable as the weather today on the mountain and it's definitely spring in the Boat.  Last night brought quite a mix of precipitation; although it rained in town, it snowed on the mountain especially at…

Today's weather may have even the most hard core local taking a raincheck for sunnier skies.  When you're basking your pasty winter skin in all of Sunday's sunny glory, then wake up on Tuesday to snizzle (snow + drizzle), it's easy to roll over and wait out the spring storm.  And by waiting I mean give it 5 minutes, we are in Colorado in the spring time and I can guarantee that what you see in the sky this morning will be something different by this afternoon.  Plus, these damp…

This time of year you can count on a few things.  Spring is coming, winter is still hanging on and it is all good.  In the Rockies you can always expect to see a good variety of conditions during the beautiful transition into spring.  I personally enjoy it all.  There are plenty of sunny days and also those days that winter returns.  The groomers are your best bet this morning as the sun rises and begins to soften up the terrain out there.  My prediciton is that anything ungroomed will start…

I suppose I should dispense with the formalities from the start and wish you a very HAPPY EASTER!  I hope the bunny was especially nice to you this year and packed your basket with some springtime wax for those skis.

The overall weather and snow conditions are nothing short of spectacular today.  This…

 With temperatures expected in the mid 50's by this afternoon, Steamboat has definitely gotten a taste of spring fever. We started out the week with a healthy dose of winter and had fresh powder for three days straight. All powder days aside, it's time for some fun in the sun. Lather up the sunblock and get ready for a rocking concert this afternoon. It's another fantastic morning in the Yampa Valley and it's shaping up to be a wonderful day.…

While the highest concentration of beginner and intermediate terrain can be found on Sunshine Peak, some of the best family ski runs (along with the best views) are hidden amongst the advanced and expert terrain off Storm Peak. …

The fresh snow just keep coming for Steamboat, and today we are enjoying fresh tracks under blue bird sky.

While the powder today might not be very impressive on the measuring stick, it was just enough to turn this morning into simply great skiing.  With a heavy fog in the valley this morning and…

If you brought your Hawaiian shirt and cut-off shorts for spring skiing in Steamboat this week, you better hold off a couple days partner.  It felt like a Tuesday in February this morning as I put my boots on in the parking lot and decided to add an extra couple layers of insulation.  Brrrr.  The sun was intermittent all morning, never fully committing to warming us up and never completely burning off the early clouds either.  Knowing the Steamboat weather pattern this season we're…

 Today was certainly one of those days of easy choices.  These days are the ones that draw people to the slopes of Steamboat.  Great snow and blue skies.  There is no wrong turn, no "should have gone the other way," only:  "Well that was awesome."   Every trail I skied today was fantastic.  I saw nothing but fluffy powder, crystal peaked bumps, white frosted trees, deep grooves in the corduroy all equalling a lovely ski day.  It is definitely chilly outside but that is a good thing.  These…

Now on our third straight powder day, the official verdict of today is: "can't go wrong." There's fresh light powder this way, thataway, and everywhere in between. Word was out with a packed 8:00 AM gondola line for the First Track program. I headed to Flintlock where most of last night's five inches…

 Mother Nature had decided to put spring into her back pocket and give us a little more winter. With 7 inches falling yesterday and another 6 inches falling since last night, we're back into winter mode. Don't hang the skis up yet, with three weeks still left in the season and Steamboat surpassing the 300 inch mark, we have some of the best conditions in the state. So, grab your boards and head on up to the mountain, it's another powder day in the 'boat!…