Winter Sports

Steamboat -- When devoted skiers talk about Steamboat, they practically invent adjectives to describe its incredibly light powder.

Six peaks compose the ski area: Mount Werner, Christie, Storm, Sunshine, Pioneer Ridge, and Thunderhead. Christie Peak, the lower mountain area, is ideal for beginners. Thunderhead Peak, served by a high-speed detachable quad chairlift called the Thunderhead Express and the gondola, is great for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders. Arrowhead Glade provides an advanced playground for everybody. The Morningside Park lift accesses the extreme double black diamond terrain -- chutes, advanced mogul runs, powder bowls, and one-of-a-kind tree skiing, all from the top of Mount Werner. Buddy's Run, one of the Rockies' great intermediate cruisers, is located on Storm Peak. The most famous tree runs -- Shadows, Closet, and Twilight -- are on Sunshine Peak, along with more bump runs and cruising slopes. Morningside Park includes 179 acres on the back of Storm Peak, with intermediate to advanced terrain served by a triple chair.

The vertical drop here is one of the highest in Colorado: 3,668 feet from the 10,568-foot summit. Skiable terrain of 2,939 acres (61% groomable) includes 143 named runs, served by 20 lifts -- an eight-passenger high-speed gondola, four high-speed quad chairs, one conventional quad, six triple chairs, six double chairs, and two surface lifts. Trails are rated 13% beginner, 56% intermediate, and 31% advanced; the longest run is Why Not, at over 3 miles.

Daily lift tickets cost $64 to $81 for adults, $47 to $63 for teenagers, $36 to $50 for children 6 to 12, $54 to $65 for seniors 65 to 69, $31 for seniors 70 and over, and free for children 5 and younger. The rates are lowest at the beginning of the season, highest during the Christmas-New Year's holidays, and a bit lower the rest of the season. Lessons and rentals are available.

Steamboat is a great mountain for snowboarders, who especially love Mavericks Superpipe, which is 50 feet wide and 650 feet long, with 15-foot walls and a 17-foot transition!

Steamboat is usually open from the third week in November through mid-April, daily from 8:30am to 4pm. For further information, contact Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, 2305 Mt. Werner Circle, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 (tel. 877/237-2628 or 970/879-0740; www.steamboat.com). For daily ski reports, check the resort's website (listed above) or dial tel. 970/879-7300.

Howelson Hill -- In addition to Steamboat, there's Howelsen Hill (tel. 970/879-8499 or 970/879-4300; www.steamboatsprings.net), which has remained open every winter since its first day in 1915, making it the oldest ski area in continuous use in Colorado. The first accredited public-school ski classes in North America were taught on this slope, which is operated by the city of Steamboat Springs. It offers both day and night skiing and snowboarding on its 30 acres of terrain served by a double chair, a Poma lift, and a pony tow. There are 15 trails (the longest is 1 mile) and one half-pipe, and Howelsen Hill rises 440 feet to a 7,136-foot summit elevation.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children 18 and under and seniors 60 and older, and $5 for everyone for night skiing (5-8pm Tues-Thurs). It's usually open from late November through late March: Monday and Friday noon to 6pm, Tuesday and Thursday noon to 8pm, Wednesday 9am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 4pm.

Howelsen Hill has bred more North American skiers for international competition than any other ski resort -- primarily because of its ski-jumping complex. The U.S. ski-jumping team trains each year on the 20m, 30m, 50m, 70m, and 90m jumps. Training and a variety of special events, including a Thursday night race series for adults and a Wednesday youth jumping series, are organized by the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (tel. 970/879-0695; www.sswsc.org), which was founded in 1914 and claims to be the oldest U.S. ski club west of the Mississippi River.

Cross-Country Skiing, Telemark Skiing, Snowshoeing & Ice Climbing -- Seasoned cross-country skiers swear by the Steamboat Ski Touring Center at the Sheraton Steamboat Resort (tel. 970/879-8180; www.nordicski.net). Some 19 miles of groomed cross-country trails are set beside Fish Creek, near the foot of the mountain; there are also 6 miles of snowshoe trails. A full-day adult trail pass costs $15 a day; children 12 and under are $10 and seniors 65 and older are $9. Equipment rentals and lessons are available. Trails are open daily during the ski season from 9am to 4pm. To get to the center follow the signs off Mount Werner Road.

There are also cross-country trails at Howelsen Hill . Popular cross-country ski trails in nearby national forest land include Rabbit Ears Pass, 25 miles east of Steamboat on U.S. 40, and Dunkley Pass, 25 miles south on Colo. 131. For trail maps and information, contact Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger Station, 925 Weiss Dr., Steamboat Springs, CO 80487-9315 (tel. 970/879-1870; www.fs.fed.us/r2).

Snowshoeing is gaining in popularity. There are numerous spots ideal for snowshoeing in the surrounding national forests, as well as at Steamboat Ski Touring Center . Snowshoe and cross country ski rentals are available at several outlets, including Straightline Outdoor Sports.

Ice Driving -- Okay all you NASCAR fans, you think you're great drivers? (Almost) any wimp can drive on dry pavement, but how good are you when your car's sliding down a sheet of ice? This is the place to find out. America's first (and only) school of ice driving is based at the foot of Mount Werner. Bridgestone Winter Driving School teaches safe winter driving the smartest way possible -- hands-on, on a 1-mile circuit packed with frozen water and snow, and guarded by high snow banks. Classes combine instruction with on-track practice, and are available for average drivers as well as professionals. Classes include a half-day introductory course ($245) and the most popular -- a full-day course for $445. There's also a 2-day performance course for $1,550. The school is open daily from mid-December to mid-March, and reservations are recommended. Contact Bridgestone Winter Driving School, 1850 Ski Time Sq. Dr. (P.O. Box 774167), Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 (tel. 800/949-7543 or 970/879-6105; www.winterdrive.com).

Ice Skating -- The Howelsen Ice Arena, 243 Howelsen Pkwy. (tel. 970/879-0341 or 970/879-4300; www.steamboatsprings.net), is an enclosed Olympic-size ice arena open year-round that has open skating hours; rents skates; offers lessons in hockey and figure skating; organizes figure-skating, ice-hockey and broom-ball competitions; and hosts birthday parties. Admission is $6 adults, $5 youths 6 to 18, $3 for seniors 50 and older, and free for children 5 and younger. Skate rentals are $3 ($2 for seniors 50 and older), and skate sharpening costs $5. Call for the rink schedule.

Snowmobiling -- Snowmobilers consider the Continental Divide Trail, running over 50 miles from Buffalo Pass north of Steamboat to Gore Pass, west of Kremmling, to be one of the finest maintained trails in the Rockies, with some of the most spectacular scenery you'll see anywhere. For information, check with Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

Among those offering guided snowmobile tours is High Mountain Tours, P.O. Box 749, Clark, CO 80428 (tel. 877/879-6500 or 970/879-6500; www.stmbtsnowmobiletours.com). The cost is $85 for one person plus $50 for a passenger for a 2-hour ride, $145 for one person and $65 for a passenger for a half-day ride with lunch, $215 for one person plus $165 passenger for a full-day tour with lunch. Dinner rides and overnight trips are also offered.