Three Perfect Days · Steamboat Springs

Steep, deep, and in the trees.

Steamboat's reputation is family cruising, and the experts who know better keep quiet about it. The trees here are aspen and old-growth pine, spaced wide enough to ski fast, and the snow in them stays soft for days after a storm. Add the Chutes, Mahogany Ridge and a day on a snowcat, and three days isn't enough.

Advanced and expertSki with a partnerAll in bounds
Day One

The Chutes, and the bowl.

Morning

Storm Peak first

Straight to the top for the first run while the crowds are still at breakfast.

ActivitySkiing & Snowboarding at Steamboat ResortSki & RideSee it in the guide →
Midday

The Chutes

From the top of the Morningside lift, through the Chute 3 gate. Rocky and exposed: wait for fresh snow, and skip them when coverage is thin.

Double blackGatedNeeds fresh snow
Afternoon

Christmas Tree Bowl

Big, open and steep, with a long runout back to the lifts. Save legs for it.

Evening

Après, then a proper dinner

Boots-on apres in Ski Time Square, then dinner at Café Diva next door.

Eat & DrinkT BarAprès-ski · winter only · Ski Time Square · 5 min driveSee it in the guide →
Day Two

A day on the cat.

All day

Cat skiing with Steamboat Powdercats

Guides, a heated cat and a day of untracked snow on Buffalo Pass, the snowiest place in the county. Book weeks ahead.

GuidedFull dayBook early
ActivityUntracked Powder SkiingGuided · AdvancedSee it in the guide →
Evening

Steak and a long sit

Ranch-to-table beef downtown, then the hot tub at home: ten people, 102F.

Eat & DrinkE3 ChophouseSteakhouse · ranch-to-table · Yampa St · 9 min driveSee it in the guide →
Day Three

The trees, and the ridge.

Morning

Closets and Shadows

The famous glades, right under the top of the Wild Blue gondola. On a powder morning, go here first.

GladesPowder day
Midday

Mahogany Ridge

Lift-served by Mahogany Ridge Express since 2023: bumps, aspens and tight trees.

Afternoon

Fish Creek Canyon

Steep and committing. To skip the long hike out, hang left and pick up the cat track below the Mahogany Ridge lift, which carries you back down to Thunderhead. Go with a partner and plenty of daylight.

Expert onlyHang left for the cat track
Evening

Dinner on the mountain

Scandinavian, on-mountain, and only open in winter.

Eat & DrinkRagnar'sScandinavian · on-mountain · winter onlySee it in the guide →

What the locals know

  • Arriving in the afternoon? Night skiing at Steamboat gets your legs under you before Day One.
  • The Chutes are rocky. Save them for after a storm.
  • The trees hold snow longest; ski them the second and third day after a storm too.
  • Tree wells are real here. Never ski the glades alone.
  • Cat skiing sells out on holiday weeks and weekends. Book when you book the house.

Your base for all of it.

Escape Chalet sits in the mountain district at the base of Mount Werner, a flat ten-minute walk from the gondola, with the free Green Line bus stopping 50 feet from the door.

  • Four ensuite bedrooms, sleeps 10, so nobody shares a bathroom after a long day out
  • A 10-person hot tub, open year round and held at 102F
  • Chef's kitchen with a 36-inch Wolf range, and a dining table that seats 8 with 3 more at the bar
  • Heated garage for two cars, with an EV charger and boot dryers
  • Up to two dogs, free when you book direct, with the Pup Package included
Book direct

Boot dryers, and a heated garage.

Four ensuite bedrooms, sleeps 10, ten minutes' walk from the gondola. Two dogs stay free when you book direct, and the Pup Package is included.

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