Riding the Steamboat Gondola

One. Hike up the mountain and take the gondola down. Rides down are free. Eat lunch at the top and know you earned the vista spread out before you. Tourists hike down the mountain, while locals like the workout and hike up. Pack a lunch, or grab a snack while you’re up there.

Two. Head up to Hazies for appetizers and a drink. You don’t need a dinner reservation for a free ride up to watch the sunset. Sit outside and feel the sun fade behind Emerald Mountain, lighting up Hahn’s peak and making you part of the Alpen Glow before the last rays of light fade.

So enjoy the rest of the summer season and take a quick ride on the Steamboat Gondola.

 
For more info call Jon at 970-819-6930 or send me an email. I respect your time and will answer your questions without a sales pitch. You can also click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or go to my Steamboat, CO Real Estate page if you want to search for property in Steamboat.

Hiking Fourteeners in Colorado

Steamboat locals like to push themselves to extremes. One way to beat the heat and experience some of the most beautiful scenery in Colorado is by hiking a fourteener. The expression fourteener is used to describe mountain peaks over fourteen thousand feet. Colorado is home to more fourteeners than any other state. Mt. Elbert is the tallest peak in the Rockies at 14,443. However, expect a lot of foot traffic on Elbert as many visitors tend to flock there. For a more solitary experience, try the second highest peak in Colorado, Mt. Massive.  Mt. Massive sits right next door to Mt. Elbert and is only nineteen feet shorter. There are several different access points, but without the massive crowds of Mt. Elbert. Head up the back way or via the Southwest Slopes and expect to have the wilderness to yourself.

Because the drive takes several hours and the hike can take upwards of 6-8 hours, be sure to bringing camping gear to spend the night. Nighttime temperatures will most likely reach freezing depending on your elevation so bring warm clothes. While the Mt. Massive route is not a technical climb, meaning you don’t need ropes, crampons or ice axes, there is some scrambling involved on loose scree, so be sure to have solid hiking boots.

When heading out for a long hike it is important to keep altitude sickness and hypothermia in mind. Even though you may not feel thirsty, drink plenty of water throughout the hike and bring plenty of extra layers – Colorado weather is known for its ability to change on a dime. If a storm rolls in, turn back. Best bet for starting a climb like this is to leave the trailhead between 3:00am – 6:00 am. Most weather rolls in in the early afternoons. Dogs are welcome.

As for training, try out some of Steamboat’s mountains first to see how you do. Mt. Werner is a great one to hike up and take the gondola down, Mt. Zirkel is the closest Steamboat has to a fourteener at over thirteen thousand feet and is about a 10 hour round trip hike. Once you’ve done it, you’ll have earned your bragging rights.

For more info call Jon at 970-819-6930 or send me an email. I respect your time and will answer your questions without a sales pitch. You can also click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or go to my Steamboat, CO Real Estate page if you want to search for property in Steamboat.

Rock Climbing in Steamboat Springs

   Steamboat isn’t world renowned for its rock climbing scene. But just like any city, people find a way to climb when they love it. Locals head to Butcherknife to practice moves and bouldering. Butcherknife is nestled into a local park just between the middle school and downtown. Follow the path for about five minutes and you’ll see a few logs crossing the river. Take a couple of steps and start climbing.  You can click back to the Steamboat Springs, CO blog main page at the link.

Sunpie's Bistro, Downtown Steamboat Springs

   If you want some down home southern comfort food and the feeling that everyone knows your name, or soon will, head down to Sunpie’s Bistro. Sunpie’s has a New Orleans flair and is a popular drinking place for the local rugby team.   Expect something interesting to happen every time you’re there. For a heart stopper, try the Coucon de Lait – pulled pork with gravy and French fries on the sandwich. It’s always a friendly crowd at ‘the Pie’ as the locals call it.
 
   Sunpie's is located in Downtown Steamboat along the Yampa River at about 7th and Yampa Ave.  Don't worry about the Rugby Team, this is a very family friendly place until it gets late and the location along the river makes for a great place to relax in the sun on the huge backyard seating area.

  For more info call Jon at 970-819-6930 or send me an email. I respect your time and will answer your questions without a sales pitch. You can also click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or go to my Steamboat Real Estate page if you want to search for property in Steamboat.

Take a Hike and a fly rod to Harrison Creek

   The Yampa River is a beautiful river for Fly Fishing, tubers, dogs and more. For those who prefer a little more privacy while they fish, Harrison Creek is a beautiful secluded spot that’s only about a 15-minute hike. Drive 8 miles past 131 heading up Rabbit Ears Pass. On the right, just before Highway 40 veers to the left, there’s a small road. Park at the end and walk past a couple of campsites – about five minutes. The trail is a little hard to locate, but can be found just past a campfire ring. The trail wanders down pretty steeply. There are two stream crossings before reaching Harrison Creek. The landscape is currently speckled with wildflowers of every color. An open field and aspen grove are a great place for relaxation in the sun. Down at the river, there is shade and you’ll be guaranteed to avoid the crowds and plenty of brook and cutthroats. For those who are interested in a little more hiking, cross the creek and head up the other side. This is a steep climb and gets hot during the mid-day hours, so bring plenty of water. The trail is a little overgrown, so be sure to take your bearings as you go.

For more info call Jon at 970-819-6930 or send me an email. I respect your time and will answer your questions without a sales pitch. You can also click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or go to my Steamboat, CO Real Estate page if you want to search for property in Steamboat.

The Truffle Pig in One Steamboat Place

A new restaurant opened up on the mountain this summer, The Truffle Pig. As part of One Steamboat Place, the Truffle Pig has been highly anticipated for locals and visitors alike for new dining option on the mountain. The Truffle Pig has a modern interior and an incredible patio that overlooks Mt. Werner. The alpenglow in the evening alone is worth the price of the food. An outdoor fireplace with bar-style seating around it is also a great draw for singles or families. The portions a just right, and there are great options for meals in several price ranges. The menu works for kids and adults alike. The ambiance is great and after the menu gets settled, this may end up being one of the winter hot spots for the mountain. I was particularly impressed with the staff who made me feel like I had been coming to the restaurant for a long time and was among friends.

You can call the Truffle Pig at 970-879-7470 if you would like to try it yourself. They serve lunch and dinner. The Truffle Pig is located One Steamboat Place Pricing right next to the gondola.

    For more info call Jon at 970-819-6930 or send me an email. I respect your time and will answer your questions without a sales pitch. You can also click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or go to my Steamboat CO Real Estate page if you want to search for property in Steamboat.

Frontier Flights are returning to Steamboat this winter

It's great to see Frontier come back to Steamboat this winter with 2 daily flights to Denver connecting to their national network. It should help keep pricing more reasonable and provide both new connections for people to get here and locals to travel out. They plan to fly Dec 16 until April 10th for now but hopefully they can build that into a year round connection over time.

From the Steamboat Pilot:"Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. announced Thursday that the airline, through owner Republic Airways Holdings, will offer a daily flight to and from Denver International Airport starting Dec. 16 and ending April 10. The flights go on sale Sun­­day.

Andy Wirth, Ski Corp.’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, said Frontier would fly a 99-passenger Embraer 190 aircraft in and out of YVRA.

For more info call Jon at 970-819-6930 or send me an email. I respect your time and will answer your questions without a sales pitch. You can also click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or go to my Steamboat, CO Real Estate page if you want to search for property in Steamboat.

Warren Buffet says "We’re coming back, no question in my mind"

 Its good to hear that Warren feels so confident about the recovery, avoiding a double dip recession and is seeing concrete improvements.  Let's hope that he is right.  As I talk to my friends around the country in various businesses most are seeing large improvements in their result and good profitability.  Locally we have seen sales tax receipts start to level out even with our downtown and Mtn construction slowing activity this spring and real estate volumes that are 217% of 2009 YTD.  Here is the interview where Warren shares his thoughts on the economy.

 To contact me call 970-819-6930 or send me an email. I respect your time and will answer your question without a sales pitch. For more of this Steamboat blog click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or go to my Steamboat Real Estate page if you want to get a feel for property in Steamboat.

Pine Beetle Impact in Steamboat

Like many towns in Colorado, the pine beetle has come to Steamboat Springs. The pine beetle bores into trees, creating a fungus that kills the trees. Many parts of Steamboat have been affected, including Mt. Werner. Fortunately for Steamboat we have a much more diverse stock of pine species and also have extensive Aspen groves so the damage is more limited than in places like Breckenridge or Winter Park. Logging has begun on the mountain to clear out the beetle kill and remove potential fire hazards.

What this means for the mountain is a few more runs to ski. As pine is removed, expect to see an influx of aspen groves. During the summer, areas that had long lived in the shade of the pines will boast a plethora of native wildflowers.

Beetle-kill wood is characterized by a blue stain that infiltrates the wood. Generally the core of the tree has the brightest blue stain, while the outer layers fade. Many homes in Steamboat now feature blue-stain wood as accent pieces on stairways, cabinetry, tables, chairs and more. Some houses are constructed almost entirely with this wood which saves money and adds character to the areas where it is visible.

For more info call Jon at 970-819-6930 or send me an email. I respect your time and will answer your questions without a sales pitch. You can also click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or go to my Steamboat, CO Real Estate page if you want to search for property in Steamboat.