Colorado Steamboat 2021, A little of everything

[dbostedo]

It’s a cow ; What could go wrong ??

"Hold my beer..."

 

[Joby Graham]

Please don't try to feed the moose. I'm sure you're joking, but they can be pretty ill tempered. Mostly where they're spotted at Steamboat are on the cat tracks, where you can't get up enough speed to out run them.
Much safer feeding raisins to the gray jays.

 

[Eric@ict]

Please don't try to feed the moose. I'm sure you're joking, but they can be pretty ill tempered. Mostly where they're spotted at Steamboat are on the cat tracks, where you can't get up enough speed to out run them.
Much safer feeding raisins to the gray jays.

We were fly fishing the Colorado river this past summer and had 3 too close. One wasn’t happy about it. Charged us and thank goodness there was a large tree we could all run around. My wife was not happy with me. It was very scary.

 

[pchewn]

I need to go back to Steamboat and ski "Shadows" again. I haven't been there since about 1977 . I always loved that area.

 

[pete]

such a bummer for me not to ski there this year but very happy for those who can .. they've been in a good cycle of snow since @dbostedo started it ... nice job coaxing the snow gods outs.

 

[dbostedo]

...nice job coaxing the snow gods outs...

Just trying to do my part.

 

[Ron]

@dbostedo brought the snow in! It hasn't stopped snow since then,

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Only time I have ever seen a moose was in Steamboat. We were staying in a cabin off a rural road and they wound walk right by the front door. I loved it!

 

[David Chaus]

@dbostedo brought the snow in! It hasn't stopped snow since then,

I'm thinking about a quick trip to Steamboat in March. Will it make much of a difference in snow quality or crowds if I go March 17-21 vs March 24-28?

 

[Ron]

I'm thinking about a quick trip to Steamboat in March. Will it make much of a difference in snow quality or crowds if I go March 17-21 vs March 24-28?

tricky question! I’m only guessing of course but our weather has been very irregular this season. In the valley, it’s been quite warm all winter but it’s really hard to tell about late March. Crowd-wise, we def see a drop after st pattys day time frame. I’m only guessing but you might want to look into a resort with a higher altitude. I’d hate to steer you wrong but I’m not feeling overly confident right now. We are getting killed lately with snow but we haven’t had one true Champagne powder storm this entire season.

 

[David Chaus]

tricky question! I’m only guessing of course but our weather has been very irregular this season. In the valley, it’s been quite warm all winter but it’s really hard to tell about late March. Crowd-wise, we def see a drop after st pattys day time frame. I’m only guessing but you might want to look into a resort with a higher altitude. I’d hate to steer you wrong but I’m not feeling overly confident right now. We are getting killed lately with snow but we haven’t had one true Champagne powder storm this entire season.

Oh, I'd take the cheap Champange. Just looking to use some more days on my Ikon pass, and I've got credits to use with Worldmark, and the airfare is pretty reasonable (RT around 200 for non-stop from Seattle).

Maybe Winter Park is a better bet, then?

 

[pete]

We are getting killed lately with snow but we haven’t had one true Champagne powder storm this entire season.

We've has super Champagne powder this last week, stuff I only expected in Steamboat here in Iowa!

I took a sample this last weekend and my rough calculation did put it down around or below 5% water content ... but given we've been at or below 0 for over a week ... not too great a reason to enjoy it.

@David Chaus ... WP typically is a safe bet. One can try and do a last minute thing with plans for WP but tickets might be a factor. Looking at WP site left me a wee confused on pass holders, seems they're good but I didn't see a statement as such.

@Ron , you know off hand the limits on people on the mountain? I was/am a bit surprised SB is only limiting regular tickets at this time and not IKON or Season holder ticket use.

 

[Ron]

Limits? LOL. in my unofficial, uninformed opinion, the bad press from 2 weeks back was the only reason why they seemingly just now started to say they were sold out. Odd season, a few times now its been jammed at the base, like this AM and then I dont see people once Im up in the trees and on the ridge area. im assuming mass's were over in Sunshine this AM.

I would be very careful with WP this season, its been a bit of a mess there between a massive Employee outbreak and issues with ticket sales.

 

[pete]

Limits? LOL. ....

I would be very careful with WP this season, its been a bit of a mess there between a massive Employee outbreak and issues with ticket sales.

That's pretty scary. not promoting but if the whole place burns through a bad outbreak the odds may drop off. Of course, it may just keep going around till everyone gets it.

Sadly I'm just hunkering down for the season. I may hit a slow local hill.

Makes me wonder about Spring Break and colleges this year ...

 

[Jersey Skier]

That's pretty scary. not promoting but if the whole place burns through a bad outbreak the odds may drop off. Of course, it may just keep going around till everyone gets it.

Sadly I'm just hunkering down for the season. I may hit a slow local hill.

Makes me wonder about Spring Break and colleges this year ...

A lot of colleges have cancelled Spring Break to shorten the semester this year.

 

[dbostedo]

That's pretty scary. not promoting but if the whole place burns through a bad outbreak the odds may drop off. Of course, it may just keep going around till everyone gets it.

There have been many small outbreaks that are tracked among staff at Colorado resorts. From the first article below:

"In total, there are 13 active outbreaks at ski resorts, which is defined as two or more cases. The second-highest total after Winter Park is Monarch Ski Resort with 17 cases. Steamboat, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Keystone and Copper Mountain all have active outbreaks."

The difference is that Winter Park's is 109 positive cases, more than 6 times higher than the next highest. According to the articles below, the cases are mainly linked to employee housing, and social gatherings.

Winter Park Reports Largest Colorado Ski Area Coronavirus Outbreak With 109 Cases

Employee outbreaks at ski areas are climbing as the season progresses and crowds on the mountain grow.

www.cpr.org

At least 109 employees at a Colorado ski resort have tested positive for Covid-19 | CNN

A ski resort in Colorado has had a Covid-19 outbreak, with over 100 active infections among its employees.

www.cnn.com

 

[Jwrags]

Oh, I'd take the cheap Champange. Just looking to use some more days on my Ikon pass, and I've got credits to use with Worldmark, and the airfare is pretty reasonable (RT around 200 for non-stop from Seattle).

Maybe Winter Park is a better bet, then?

Book your flight to Hayden. Wait as long as possible to commit to your Worldmark points. If Steamboat isn’t looking great then go to WP. It’s closer to drive to WP from HDN than from DEN.
I think because of the cancellation of spring break vacation at most universities there is not going to be as big of a surge in March as usual.

 

[SpikeDog]

Nice trip report, @dbostedo ! Glad you got to hit one of my favorite hills. I'm about 4 hours away in Wyoming, just far enough not to make it a day trip. I got stymied last year, hadn't been to the 'boat since I started getting the Mountain Collective, but I'd spurged on an IKON pass last year. I had a late March trip planned in 2020 with #2 son at the Grand Steamboat that got slammed by COVID at the last minute. The hotel was very good about refunds, and looking at your TR just makes me wish I could head out there now. My second covid shot is March 4th, so maybe it'll happen this year.

Way to rock the Atomic Vantages, too.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Odd season, a few times now its been jammed at the base, like this AM and then I dont see people once Im up in the trees and on the ridge area.

Actually, I have noticed an ongoing pattern that way. Longer lift lines but less people on the actual runs. I chalk it up to lifts running without filling to capacity. The trade off of a few more minutes in the maze for more room to ski is fine by me!

 

[Ron]

Actually, I have noticed an ongoing pattern that way. Longer lift lines but less people on the actual runs. I chalk it up to lifts running without filling to capacity. The trade off of a few more minutes in the maze for more room to ski is fine by me!

not exactly, we have all noticed more skiers/riders here since Ikon. When the weather gets cold (single digits on the summit) and the cloud line drops, people go up initially but then can't see and go to the lodges. Thats happens here often during a storm. There is some truth that covid spacing has an effect but not really much here. there's more spacing at the gondola (kinda) but otherwise, theres not much different going on. However, for the vast majority of people 80-90% people are complaint here. it wasn't as good earlier in the season.