Steamboat Discount Lift Tickets

Discounts on Steamboat Lift tickets are not quite as easy to come by as they used to be outside of package lodging deals but the meticket program is pretty darn good. Quite a few people ask me about lift ticket deals so I thought I would post a few details and a link to the website so you can find out more. I've been lucky to have a season pass for years so I don't have first hand knowledge of this program but people I know have used it. Basically you can get $13 to almost $30 off the daily ticket rates of $64-$81 by buying six lift tickets in advance @ $53 or 10 at $49. It makes a lot of sense for frequent visitors or vacation home owners who are not quite ready to get a super value pass, I hope that you will be ready for a pass soon :) More details below or go to: www.meticket.com

* mEticket is easy to use. Your card is valid every single day of the 2006-2007 ski and snowboard season, including weekends and holidays. Simply present your mEticket card and a valid photo ID at the ticket window. Your card may be used only once per day. You may use your mEticket to obtain single- or multi-day lift tickets
* Beginning March 15, 2007, you can use any or all remaining days on your card at once… and treat your friends or family! For example, if you have five days beginning March 15, 2007, you can bring one friend one day and two the next. You must present your mEticket at the ticket window in order to give days of skiing to others.
* All mEticket cards and all days purchased expire at the end of the 2006-2007 ski season. If you're having so much fun that you run out of days, you can purchase another mEticket.

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NASTAR National Championships in Steamboat

Our friends John, Kim and their son Andrew came up from Boulder for the NASTAR National Championships last spring. Andrew is a 4 year old NASTAR racer who is seeing early success and qualified for nationals so they made the trip for him to compete. He raced hard and placed 3rd in his age group. Someone liked what they saw and he was featured 3 times in the slide show before this year's Warren Miller movie and on the Nastar website front and center with Gold Medalist Phil Mahre and on the NASTAR National Championships page. The banner on both is titled "The Next Generation of Ski and Snowboard Racing". Descente also choose to feature Andrew in their Warren Miller and NASTAR Advertising. His parents are understandably very proud but will need to work a bit to keep him (or is that themselves) humble this season so his fame doesn't interfere with his skiing.

It is great that Andrew is off to such an auspicious start and we are looking forward to seeing him back here for the 2006 / 2007 National Championships in Steamboat Springs March 25-27th 2007 for the second year in a row. My 3 yr old son Alden is looking forward to his 4th season of skiing this year even more than I am. He got out with a training pole when he was 9 months old and has loved every minute of it (except brief incidents when he was tired and I had to pull out the chocolate to get him back on track) since then. I'm curious to see if he chooses to ski the trees with his daddy or follow his friend Andrew into the gates. Most importantly I hope that he continues to experience the sheer bliss of skiing that has captivated us all. Back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page for more.

Winter in Steamboat is here

Several people are have asked me how it looks in Steamboat after our most recent storm so I took a quick picture to share with you today. This is from downtown outside my office. I find myself walking out front a couple of times a day just to look up at the mountain and see how the light or the weather is hitting it. I am a pretty lucky guy to live here. We can still use some more snow for a great opening but it has been plenty cold to make snow. They are even making snow during the day downtown at Howelsen Hill. From town you can see where the snowcats have been working on the main trails to pack the new snow into a solid base. My favorite source for the Steamboat Snow Forecast shows the next possibility for significant snow coming through on Saturday. Hopefully it will develop into a good storm and be followed by another one for opening day on Wednesday. Head back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page for more Steamboat Springs Info.

Steamboat Snow Forecast

Here is a great snow focused forecast source from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. It is a true gem compared to other sources so I hope that you like it as much as I do. I say snow focused because the normal weather sites have a different focus so they don't give serious skiers what we need to understand what is coming and its potential. Even when they are looking at snow the forecast is more valley than peak oriented since that is where people live. These guys only care about place that we ski.

I have used this site for many years since it came out and have found CAIC to be by far the most accurate and insightful. Mountain weather is pretty unpredictable but these guys do much better since snow is their whole focus and they are much more into being useful vs. pretty. They generally call out the Steamboat snow forecast separately since it is often more than the rest of the northern mountains and do the best job catching surprise storms. It is updated daily between about 2-4pm. The CAIC Northern Mountains Forecast is worth bookmarking and watching so you know when you next case of powder fever is coming on. Here is a sample from earlier week without their commentary, it was very close to the actual snowfall we recieved:

Northern Mountains
Tonight: Lows 15-25, Winds W/40-50 G60+, Skies Obscured with 2-4", 3-6" Steamboat Tomorrow: Highs 18-28, winds W>NW/40-50 G60, skies Obscured with 6-8",6-10" Steamboat
Tomorrow Night: Lows 2-12, winds NW/20-30, skies Obscured with 1-3"

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Quick Steamboat Ski area sale update

It looks like Geogre Gillette is pulling out if the bidding for the Steamboat Ski Area at least for now but I'm not sure if that means that Andy Daly and the rest of the crew is out yet. Final bids are now due Friday Dec 1st. The process is taking a bit longer than the optimistic initial goals but I don't have a reason to see that as a bad sign yet. Some of the bidders for the ski area not shy about mentioning they are going for the Sheraton, Ski Square & Thunderhead too so this should work to their advantage.

If it hasn't hit you yet this is a really big deal to have a ski area along with 1/3 of the base availible for purchase. The right buyer can really do something nice and make some positive changes in our ski & apres ski experiences. Go Back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page for more.

Winter Storm Warning in Steamboat for the next 2 days

It looks like it could be a good one :) They are now predicting 10-20 inches up from 7-15 inches this morning. All of that wind should perfectly place large amounts of powder in the trees for an epic opening day so let's hope it goes according to plan. Hopefully we will have plenty of snow to give thanks for at Thanksgiving in addition to family, friends and living or visiting Steamboat Springs.

UPDATE: We got about 6 inches from the first wave that came through Monday. This next section is from the avalanche forecast with what we can expect tonight and Tuesday followed by the original forecast. Looks like a nice storm (I love how Steamboat shows more snow than the other areas and how often this is true)
Tuesday update: we got nine inches on the mountain as of this morning and the next wave is working on adding to that. It was heavy snow last night that packed everything down so this is effectively more than it sounds like and will lay down a dense base to build on from here.

Northern Mountains
Tonight: Lows 15-25, Winds W/40-50 G60+, Skies Obscured with 2-4", 3-6" Steamboat
Tomorrow: Highs 18-28, winds W>NW/40-50 G60, skies Obscured with 6-8",6-10" Steamboat
Tomorrow Night: Lows 2-12, winds NW/20-30, skies Obscured with 1-3"

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 PM MST TUESDAY.

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Steamboat featured in the Wall Street Journal for reasonably priced vacation homes

No surprise here, while Steamboat is no means cheap it does represent an excellent value in comparison to other top ski resorts and upcoming improvements are likely to make today's prices even more of a value.

From the Wall Street Journal:
Vacation Home Locales with Reasonable Prices
The Wall Street Journal's real estate Web site, RealEstateJournal.com, points to a dozen "tempting" locations in the United States where the price of vacation homes haven’t risen into the stratosphere. If you or a client is in the market for a second home, these are some spots to consider:

* Driggs, Idaho. A home just outside of town with a view of the Teton Mountain range and very close to Jackson Hole for $699,000.
* Blairsville, Ga. A mountainview residence, surrounded by forest, for $298,700.

* Steamboat Springs, Colo. A home near the ski-base area for $799,000. Once primarily a ranching town, Steamboat Springs goes by the nickname "Ski Town U.S.A."

* Clarksville, Va. A log home just off Buggs Island/Kerr Lake for $529,000.
* Dadeville, Ala. A home on Lake Martin less than two hours from Atlanta for $790,000.
* Cloudcroft, N.M. A Cloudcroft mountain retreat, surrounded by Lincoln National Forest, for $350,000.
* Eureka Springs, Ark. A Beaver Lake waterfront home in the Ozark Mountains for $599,900.

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Are we closer to a sale?

They raised prices on the Alpine Land high-end LPS lots in the $1.5 - $2.2m range today after a few recent price reductions. Alpine Land is being developed by Andy Daly and Bill Butler, indications are that Andy is involved in a bid for the Steamboat Ski area so does he know their bid was or wasn't successful and wanted to change prices before an announcement??? It seems to me that they are either stumbling around blindly in their pricing strategy or there is a different reason. They are pretty smart guys but I guess we will see soon enough.

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Neve's First Birthday

My daughter Neve turned one today and I feel like I'm the one that got the best present. Wendy and I are very lucky th have two wonderful kids that are both totally different and we can't imagine loving any more, until the next time they do something cute or want a hug that is. Neve means powder snow in Italian. It's hard to imagine if you know me but I think I love her even more than the fluffy Champagne Powder we live for here in Steamboat. The only thing better will be trying to keep up with her and Alden on a big powder day in the trees. I'm sure that days will be here before I know it. Last year it started snowing hard for the season a couple of days after she was born. Trillions of her friends came to meet her last season bringing near record snowfall here to Steamboat, hopefully they will be back again this year.

Ski area development in works

50 years ago James Temple was laying the groundwork for the Storm Mountain Ski area which is now what we know as Steamboat. I recently heard the story from Jim himself as he described how he purchased some out of the way ranch land and started my favorite ski area. Jim spoke at a dinner later that night to honor his contributions in advance of his induction into the Colorado Ski Hall of fame earlier this fall. His son Jeff put together a great video documenting how the area was built. One segment showed Jim and several other influential Steamboat skiers getting towed in from Rabbit Ears pass and then skiing down Storm Peak in a wonderful powder day. It sent chills down my spine to see these guys tearing up what would become the Steamboat Ski area on vintage equipment. I hope to get a copy soon so let me know if you would ever like to see it.

Selected quotes from the Nov. 1, 1956, issue of the Steamboat Pilot & Today - Ski plans move forward
Contour maps of Storm Mountain now are being made to push through development of a $1 million ski area on the 10,600-foot peak just east of Steamboat Springs. Necessary financial backing is available, Jim Temple said, and he plans to have an exact scale model of the mountain made this winter. Temple informed reporters making the initial trip on the Burlington railroads new vista dome train to Denver last weekend that “if all details concerning this vast area are worked out this winter as planned, construction should begin next summer with the first guests skiing here by 1957.

It is planned to construct a $600,000 tram lift that would be the first of its type in the United States, carrying passengers in steel and plexi-glass enclosed cars. It was said the lifts would vary in length, from 2,000 to 7,000 feet, with a total of about 25,000 feet. These lifts servicing he area will provide skiing for 3,000 people without overcrowding, Temple said. Storm Mountain long has been considered an ideal site for intensive ski development and the mountain itself would provide more skiing than any present area in the state, its proponents say. Snow remains on the mountain into May and June while there are more than 20 miles of potential trails. Although much trail clearing would be needed, about a square mile at the top of the twin-domed peak would no require any clearing, it was said. “Runs will be from three to six miles long for everyone, from beginner to international downhill competitor, Temple said.

Read the full article in the Steamboat Pilot or go back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page for more.

Steamboat Ski Area Sale announcement soon ???

UPDATED: Things have gotten very quiet in regards to the sale of the Steamboat Ski Area recently except for the helicopters flying slowly over the mountain slowly inspecting the current terrain and the possible expansion in the Pioneer Ridge area. There have also been frequent tours of Ski Co and properties that are part of the Sheraton Resort Sale with Thunderhead Lodge and Ski Time Square getting a lot of attention. Most people that normally know something say they haven't heard anything in the last week or so. I have been asked for price and market opinions on various properties by people tied into various bids for Sheraton properties.

The Sheraton schedule is just getting started while we are well into, if not past, the second round of bids for the Steamboat Ski Area. It will be interesting to see if they both go to the same buyer. A second buyer may be able to pay more for the Sheraton and still benefit from that change without having to swallow the ski area too so that adds a bit of extra fun for the ski area buyers that would like to get both. A few very well connected people say that it is under contract for a close by the end of 2006 and an announcement will come soon.

Here's a stab at the big players still in the game:
- a partnership of 4 significant players, if you know the secret handshake, some say it is Vail (I think that translates to George Gillette, Andy Daly, Bill Butler, and their money guy in Denver who sold Founders Funds). They have been in town a lot lately so they are still in the game.
- Vail, still a possibility even with what I said above but insiders say that their next purchase will be outside of Colorado.
- it could be the Mueller's with either Disney or some of their local partners who made their money at Dell (Jim Larsen et all) from their bid for Steamboat in 2001. Disney could either be the company or family members since at least one has a home in the valley.
- Starwood Capital may be out more due to internal issues than anything but they are still actively poking around and gathering data.
- Fortress Group still seems to be in the hunt based on reports from properties they have visited. They are in the process of buying Intrawest for $1.8B which includes Copper Mtn and the management contract for Winter Park
- Maybe a group of 4 from the southeast and Steamboat, I'll refrain from giving more details right now as this is more of an idea.
- it could still be the unknown bidder that has been careful to keep their name out of view, I know there is at least one and it may be the group behind the Bretton Woods ski area in New Hampshire where Bode Miller hangs his hat. One interesting twist is that the Celebration Group which owns Bretton Woods is comprised of former Disney real estate executives. They may be looking at The Mueller's who own Okemo and now Crested Butte as a model for westward expansion or even be working with them.
- I think I am forgetting one but can't think of it at the moment and I need to run.

Whatever happens I'm sure there are a few surprises and possibly a different combination of the above players. It will undoubtedly be interesting to see how it unfolds. You can scan through the rest of my blog below for more history. Let's hope it is someone with a heart that understands the soul of Steamboat, what makes it special here and will preserve that as they make needed improvements.

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CBS Ski Blog picks up Alden's early season skiing

CBS News 4 in Denver has a nice ski blog that covers skiing related stories in Colorado. They were nice enough to pick up on Alden's enthusiasm for early season skiing here in Steamboat and put up a quick post covering it on their main page. You can scroll down to see the video or go directly to the post here - early season skiing. Thanks CBS News 4!

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Halloween in Steamboat

We had a great Halloween in Steamboat. They just shut down the main street through town for 6 blocks and literally everyone in town shows up whether they have kids or not you see almost as many retirees as parents. The merchants give away candy and toys but the best part is seeing so many friends in one short night. Alden and Neve had a great time. If you are wondering I had to get a little creative costume wise (a real strech for me) so I was a powder pirate, don’t stop above a nice powder field if you are skiing with me. I will be sure to hop in before you.

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Skiing in downtown Steamboat Springs

We went over to Howelsen to get Alden on the snow again. He can’'t wait until the big mountain opens and may be looking forward to skiing even more than I am (which is not easy). He has plenty to learn, at age 3, but he picks is up fast and makes up for anything he is lacking in enthusiasm. The SSWSC Nordic director Tom Wilson walked over to talk to him and asked if he would commit to being a Nordic skier now and join his team. I said we were flattered but a boy has to keep his options open and do it all for a while. He thought that was a good idea but said he would watch for Alden in a year or two.

If you haven't been over to Howelsen Hill in downtown Steamboat Springs it is worth checking out. Right next to where Alden was skiing the Nordic Ski jumping team was getting in their last "summer" practice in on the year round nordic jump the community put in last year. Clint Jones, a Steamboat Olympian was there and we got to see him jump. The sense of history is palatable there since Howelsen hill is where Steamboat's ski traiditon was started nearly 100 years ago. Many dreams have been realized there and local kids can be found working hard to continue that legacy nearly every day all year long.

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Christmas in Steamboat

Here is what I call a white Christmas and my favorite present from Santa besides time with my family and friends. I took this picture of a friend just before Christmas 2005. Now that Santa has my list for this year I thought I would prod any of you that haven't made your Christmas plans yet to get your sleigh moving. I read today that One of the larger management companies is 80-85% booked for Christmas 2006 already. Steamboat is a great place to spend the holidays so this is no surprise but it is about 20% ahead of normal driven by earlier bookings and increased interest in Steamboat.

Once you have booked your tickets make sure to book key dinner reservations to places like Cafe Diva, Harwigs, Cottonwood Grill and Antares ASAP as they do fill up ahead of time over the holidays. Next plan some great dinners at home because those are always special.

If you are looking for gift ideas for the whole family Ski gear comes to mind first here in Steamboat. The local's choice and of course my own is Steamboat Ski and Bike Kare at 5th & Lincoln.It is a great shop with genuine people that give great advice. Steamboat Fly Fishing and Straightline Sports have great fly-fishing and general sport outerwear. If Nordic is your game I recommend the Steamboat Touring center at the Sheraton Golf course.

If you need to spoil your wife I recommend sending her to a local spa. These can book up early too so make an appointment now. The Homesteader is a great kitchen store if you want something unique for your favorite chef. I recommend going big for your wife and Santa may just bring you an extra trip to Steamboat this year which is also another great idea as a gift the "rest of your family.

If you need proof to show your kids that Santa really exists a friend of mine has put together a pretty entertaining Santa tracker page that even has a time lapse video of Santa in action at his house last year. He also does an extensive display of lights and Christmas decorations with a webcam that you can control over the internet, they have made national TV and print news for a few years in a row now. Alek is both really smart and has some time on his hands so both pages are a pretty fun diversion for kids.

Call me at 970-875-2962 or send an email to jon@mybrokers.com if you need more ideas, I have more than I can write about here. HO HO HO

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Video of Alden Skiing in Steamboat

We got another good snow storm up here in Steamboat so my son Alden was waiting with his skis "almost" on last night when I got home. He is 3 1/2 and it was getting dark so we walked across the street and got at least 50 quick runs in. Needless to say I am a very proud daddy. Alden talks about skiing even more than I do and can't wait to get out on the big mountain. Press the play button below the box to see the video and make sure your speakers are on to here the glee he derives from skiing. I have a feeling we will be out again tonight and will head up to the pass this weekend for some longer runs. Check out more of Alden's skiing in better light over at Howelsen hill in downtown Steamboat Springs. Thanks you stopping by to all of the visitors from ski-blog.com

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Steamboat Powder skiing in this year's Warren Miller Film

I just got back from this year's Warren Miller movie called Off The Grid. Steamboat has a 5 minute segment and the powder shots were awesome. Probably second only to the shots of a paralyzed guy in a sit ski heli-skiing in Alaska. As you know the 2005/2006 season was Epic here in Steamboat so it wasn't hard for them to get some nice shots. Most importantly we all got to relive a whole lot of days that were as good or better than when the Warren Miller Crew was filming. I still have a big smile on my face as I write this. It is snowing hard here tonight and has been since about 6pm. I ran into to a friend that hiked up to the top of Storm Peak on Sunday and said he had great powder turns for a long way down. It looks like tomorrow will be even better, I wish I had time to take a hike to the top. Go back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page for more.

Intrawest and Fortress in Steamboat today looking at the Ski Area

As you know the Steamboat Ski area is for sale. I understand that Intrawest, the owner of Whistler and Blackcomb along with several other areas, is meeting with American Skiing Executives here in Steamboat today for late stage discussions on their bid. Intrawest in the process of being bought by the Fortress Group a large fund out of New York for $1.8B so Fortress is effectively the bidder. There may be one other bidder in town this week and a straggler in early November so hopefully we will know more soon. Here's to finding a buyer that understands what is special about Steamboat and the Ski Area they are buying so they can preserve that while bringing positive changes to the mountain and our ski experience.

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Snowmaking at Howelsen Hill

Snowmaking at Howelsen hill in downtown Steamboat Springs started over the weekend. It's not really that cold in town (got up to about 60 yesterday) but Howelsen is like an ice box since it doesn't get much sun. They plan to open Dec 2nd.

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Property Taxes

I was reading through the tax liens in Sunday's paper and found four clients and friends that had a past due balance. With second homes it is easy to miss. I know they would be happy to pay thier taxes since they are pretty minimal here but they either moved or didn't get a bill from some reason, one had paid off their loan and it didn't occur to them they needed to pay it now that the mortgage company is out of the picture. I let each of them know and thought I would do the same for you in case you didn't get your bill or your mortgage company didn't get it paid for you. The Routt County Assessor's office can be reached at 970-870-5544.

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Steamboat had 15 inches new on top last night

This morning's snow report showed 15 inches new on top this morning. Steamboat Springs has had an unusually snowy fall that followed a very wet August and 1st half of September. I saw quite a few nice tracks down Storm Peak Face, Heavely Daze and even Valley View this afternoon.

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Marabou Ranch in Sunday New York Times

Marabou Ranch located here in Steamboat Springs will be featured in Sunday's New York Times. The articles is titled "Where the front yard stretches 1,300 acres"

From the article: "Mr. Temple and his partners at Due West Land Ltd., which owns the property, have preserved in perpetuity 1,300 of the ranch'’s 1,700 acres. On the remaining land, they have created 62 lots what he calls homesteads— of 7 to 10 acres, priced at $2 million to $4 million apiece. If we’'re doing this right, each of our buyers can say they bought a 1,700-acre ranch, he said. Marabou, which sits along the Elk River, is among a widening group of expensive developments in Western states that are preserving land. At Marabou, Mr. Temple said, the developers decided not to place homesites along the Elk River or on the ridgelines, locations that would have reaped handsome profits. From a business perspective, this was risky,” he said."

You can find the Marabou Ranch article <-- here

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Disney confirmed as a bidder for the Steamboat Ski area

A good friend told me tonight that Disney's corporate jet has been a frequent visitor at the Hayden airport 20 miles west of Steamboat. I'm guessing that they don't have plans to open a theme park in the area so this lends more credence to a Mueller / Disney bid for the Steamboat ski area. The Mueller's from Okemo along with some local investors had the mountain under contract back in 2001 but ASC backed out and sold Heavenly to Vail instead. The Muellers went on to buy Mt. Crested Butte and have done great things for the ski area and town. They are highly respected back east and down in Crested Butte so many people think they would be a great fit for Steamboat.

This has been a big week for suitors to visit Steamboat. I have confirmation that George Gillette and Andy Daly's groups has been here, Fortress (the fund that is in the process of buying Intrawest including Whistler)delayed to next week because of the snow ( maybe they are not a good fit? ) one other I don't know and the Mueller / Disney group. You may not know but one of the Disney heirs has a large equestrian property in the south valley. That is one more cool thing about Steamboat, people don't come here to show their money. They may buy a big home but you would never know it if you saw them on the street, sat on a chairlift with them or ran into them at a party.

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Winter in Steamboat

Winter just can't wait to come to Steamboat Springs this year, it has snowed 1-3 times a week since late September and 18 inches is forecast tonight for Rabbit Ears pass. We got about 4 inches of heavy wet snow in town so there may be a foot or more up there to start with.

Sat Night UPDATE: The National Weather Service said the storm's heaviest snowfall was near Steamboat Springs, where some areas got up to two feet of snow. a warning remains in effect through the morning for western Colorado, where up to four more inches of snow is expected in spots.

Normally we get a good snow about the third week in September and then Indian Summer until at least the end of October. It is normally 60-70 degrees sunny and calm. Last winter was nearly a record snow year with huge powder days starting the Sunday of Thanksgiving and I was mountain biking up on the ski hill the first week of November. It normally starts snowing regularly in early November.

Thanksgiving requires some faith because the real storms come either Monday or Tuesday beforehand, during Thanksgiving weekend or the week before in order of likelihood. Personally I never leave town for Thanksgiving because 3 out of 4 years we have good to Epic conditions. Opening day or any day they open upper mountain tree runs for the first time there can be 3-4 feet of powder in the trees making for one of the best days of the year. You have to read the snow very carefully because there is not packed base underneath off of the blue runs but the rewards can be bountiful. Sunday Thanksgiving weekend last year was unreal with faceshots all day and powder days almost everyday for a week. Starting that Sunday we had 70 powder days out of the next 100. I never even got in shape last year because it was so soft. With snow that frequently the report could be 3-4 inches and it would be at least a foot in the trees. Definitely a year full of powder days I will never forget.

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Snow in Steamboat Again

Totday We awoke to fog in Steamboat and a little later we got a peak of Storm Peak with a perfect new blanket of snow. This afternoon it started snowing again and it really feels like winter. My ABS got it's first workout of the year on snowy roads as I drove into Eagle Ridge where we live. It seems like we are getting snow every week this fall which is quite different that the indian summer we get here in October most years. It has been far wetter this fall than last and last year was the wettest fall in 5 or 6 years.

I don't know about you but I'm hoping that this is a sign!

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Quick break in the 'boat

The Ski Boat, that is. This week has been way too busy so when my friend called this afternoon looking to get out water-skiing I replied that I was far too busy not to go. It's great having friends that work hard to make sure you get out to take advantage of the nice weather and make some turns on the lake. As you can see Mt. Werner is still pretty well covered up high from the storm earleir this week and this is a southern exposure. I have been admiring a nice set of tracks around the corner on Storm Peak that someone left to either make us jealous of inspire others to make their own.
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Ski Season officially begins at A-Basin Oct 13th

A-Basin announced today that they will open Friday October 13th for the season. Winter hasn't been shy about making it's presence felt in the Colorado mountains since early September in Steamboat and abotu a week later across the state. It looks like A-Basin may win the annual competition to be the first ski area to open for the year. We won't know until morning because Loveland could easily pull a fast one by opening earlier in the morning. We will be driving down to Boulder tomorrow for the weekend to see friends. It would be nice to make some early season turns and overlap my ski seasons but my family will be along so I won't test their patience. On the other hand getting in a second day on the slopes this year for Alden could work if we can leave Steamboat early enough...

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Steamboat Seasons

I have at least 12 favorite seasons here in Steamboat: Early Season, Winter, Sunny Winter, Spring Skiing, Spring time to relax and take trips, Early Summer, Late summer, September Snow, Indian Summer, changing leaves, quiet time when we anticipate winter and take trips then it starts over again. I look forward to each season and at the same time I am sad when each passes. The more time you spend here the more time you will appreciate the subtle and not so subtle differences even within the classic four seasons.

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One Steamboat Place in the Robb Report

The Robb Report just added One Steamboat Place to their collection of the most desireable real estate with the following comments "at the end of the run, right in the heart of Mountain Village, a home pretty much unlike anything Steamboat has ever seen. One Steamboat Place. These are private, luxurious residences with picture perfect perspectives of the mountains and the entire valley... only the magnificent interior appointments rival the views. Along with luxurious finishes including heated bathroom floors and true gourmet kitchens are favorite Timbers touches - great game rooms, member gathering areas and one of the greatest mountain spas anywhere. The location, next to the gondola, is incomparable. With fine dining, room service, boutiques, ski valets... One Steamboat Place, and especially its residences, is an unprecedented opportunity."

If you would like to know more about One Steamboat Place feel free to contact Jon Wade @ 970-819-6930. They recently started to accept reservations in priority order so give me a call if you would like a chance at Steamboat's finest new development at the base of the mountain and right next to the gondola.

See the short article in the Robb Report

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Vail says no comment on Steamboat but...

Consolidation is part of their strategic plan where they can add value. I think that next few weeks and months will be very interesting and I hope that any potential buyer comes forward with a plan to improve the mountain while respecting waht makes Steamboat so special.

From the Ft. Collins Coloradoan "He declined to make specific comments about potential acquisitions, including whether the company is interested in the Steamboat Springs ski resort, which American Skiing Co. has put up for sale for a price that has not been publicly disclosed.

"I think we look at consolidation as part of our strategic plan, and we are certainly always on the lookout for resorts that we can buy that we think fit into our strategy, fit our guest profile and where we can bring a lot of the skill sets that we have to improve them," he said."

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Steamboat could go to a private buyer

No, it's not what you think. As you probably know the Steamboat ski area is for sale but I’m pretty sure it’s not possible to make it a private resortsince it sits on public land. It just may be a private buyer that goes the distance. Potential buyers are in town this week and next along with top executives from the current owner American Skiing at the Steamboat Grand for management presentations. The deadline for the first round of bids is tomorrow. Some executives have mentioned around town that they hope to have a contract sometime in October for a December close. Let's hope we get new owner with the resources to invest in the mountain and a heart that knows why Steamboat is special & what not to change.

Selected quotes from the Rocky Mtn News (some editing for length) :
"Colorado's ski industry faces one of its biggest ownership shuffles in years. The latest wave of deals likely will put many areas back into private hands. What has changed? Private buyers tend to be coming to the table with gobs of capital. Before Wall Street arrived, ski-area ownership tended to be a largely local affair.

• Private equity firm and hedge fund giant Fortress Investments buying Canada's Intrawest Corp., the public company that owns Copper Mountain and operates Winter Park.
• Publicly held American Skiing Co. putting its marquee Steamboat Ski Resort - viewed as the seventh biggest nationwide - on the block.

"There's a lot of activity right now; it seems to come in these cycles and waves," said Dave Belin, at RRC Associates, a Boulder- based research firm. "Some of these resorts have been doing really well over the last couple years. It's a sell- high mentality. You buy low, and you sell high." That's particularly the case with Steamboat, whose financial performance has improved steadily in the past few years even as its parent company's stock languishes. Given the huge amounts of capital private equity investors have on their hands, observers say the odds of Steamboat attracting a private buyer are high. Recent buyouts all have been funded by private investors. Only Crested Butte's new owner had other ski areas in his portfolio.

"It's a pretty common perception that ski areas only make their money on the real estate sales," said RRC's Belin. "But would Eldora and the others still be operating their ski resorts after all these years if they weren't making any money?" The private equity model can match well with the need for big capital outlays because private owners tend to be far more comfortable taking on debt than public companies, said Sheila Broughton, who tracks Intrawest."

See the full article in the Rocky Mtn news here

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Indian Summer is back

Today was our second day of sunny & warm fall weather here in Steamboat Springs after our second significant snow this year. My friend Jeff Lampas called about going water-skiing so I couldn't turn down making some more turns on the remnants of last years epic winter along with the first pickings of this winter. That should be good luck right? As you can see the lake I ski at sits just below the mountain so it is a perfect place to pay my regards to the cycle that brings us such a great combination of seasons here in Steamboat. It just occured to me that since we are west of the continental divide and most of our storms come from the west that more of our snow stays local and comes back year after year. Just like most of our guests (or is that locals in training? :)

What will El Nino bring Steamboat?

Several people have asked me about the impact of El Nino on snow in Steamboat recently so I thought it was worth a post. Serious skiers are optimists by nature just like farmers except we plant the seeds of a bountiful powder harvest in our dreams, we study ski ratings in the heat of August, compare stories of powder days & seasons past, watch the latest ski movie releases in the fall, check our gear the first time we see a snowfalke in the air and plan out our strategy for the next season to get out on the best powder days.

Study the forecasts below carefully and start working on your best snow dance. Locals will tend to say that El Nino benefits Steamboat so make sure your are prepared.

Excerpts quoted from From the Vail Daily:
"El Nino has made a surprise appearance across the world in Indonesia, and some say that could mean a wetter winter here in our corner of the Colorado Rockies. But wait. Long-range forecasts released in August by the Western Regional Climate Center non-committally call for equal chances of above-average precipitation, below-average precipitation, or normal precipitation for Western Colorado through December.

No, it will be snowy — the Farmer’s Almanac’s, using its long-trusted “secret formula,” says it will be snowier than normal this winter.
Or not. National Weather Service’s 90-day outlooks call for higher than average precipitation in New Mexico and much of Arizona, but, alas, not Colorado, said Jim Daniels, a meteorologist with the agency’s Grand Junction office. But if El Nino does continue to strengthen during the winter, Colorado could get more moisture later in the season, Daniels said.

When it comes to long-range predictions, you might get some help from meteorologists. Or you might do better to just rely on prayers to the snow gods. The Farmer’s Almanac says winter in the Intermountain region — which includes western Colorado and parts of Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Idaho — will be colder and snowier than normal.

Last week, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration said El Nino is likely to develop over North America during the upcoming winter. And Daniels said there is some correlation between El Nino and snowfall in western Colorado. “It allows more storms to come across our area,” he said. The snowiest times will be mid-November, mid-January, mid- and late February and early and mid-March, the almanac says. The almanac says it uses a secret formula devised in 1792 to predict the weather. “Our results are almost always very close to our traditional claim of 80 percent,” the almanac says.

Steamboat Ski area sale could fetch $220m plus

A front page article in the Denver Post reports that Steamboat could get $220-275M based on an 8-10X multiple of earnings before interest and taxes. If a ski area is on your Christmas list, Steamboat could be perfect for you. It will be very interesting to see this unfold. The prospect of a capable buyer that will invest in Steamboat is very excited and would likely bode well for the real estate market in Steamboat Springs.

Quote from the Denver Post article:
"The documents, which were distributed to potential buyers, led one industry analyst to value Steamboat at $220 million to $275 million, although the asking price has not been disclosed...Park City, Utah-based American Skiing Co. put the north-central Colorado resort on the block in July...Steamboat drew 1.047 million skiers last winter and generated $74.2 million in revenue in fiscal 2006, up 12.3 percent from 2005...Analyst Will Marks of JMP Securities in San Francisco based his value estimate on a multiplier of 8 to 10 times Steamboat's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, a measure of cash flow. According to the document prepared by Bear Stearns & Co., Steamboat's EBITDA was $27.5 million for fiscal 2006. "Based on today's market conditions and valuations for various real estate and related assets, I think that's a fair multiple," Marks said. "It's impressive that (Steamboat's EBITDA) is that high."...The last major U.S. ski resort to sell was Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California, which was purchased last fall by Starwood Capital Group for $365 million, or approximately 11 times its EBITDA... Included in the sale are 245 acres of property that Steamboat owns, licenses or leases, along with an additional 3,498 acres of mountain terrain that falls under a long-term special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service...Steamboat has identified six parcels of its base area land that are available."
See the full article here in the Denver Post.

One Steamboat Place

The Timbers company is launching their marketing for One Steamboat Place this week for the 38 whole ownership condos ranging in size from 2,500 to 5,000 square feet with an average size of around 3,000 square feet. The have not announced pricing yet but I would anticipate starting prices around $1000 a square foot. One Steamboat Place is the nicest base area development that Steamboat has seen to date. It combines a great location next to the gondola building over 1 acre of new public plaza space, gorgeous views, striking architecture extensive benefits inclduing a private club and the additional perks that comes as part of a Timbers Club development.

They expect to begin construction in the summer of 2007 and be completed about 24 months later. It may be a good opportunity for someone to lock in a very high quality luxury condo now for delivery once Steamboat's transformation is well underway while allowing them to capture the appreciation potential of their existing property until completion. It could also be good for a couple approaching retirement to lock in a luxry condo in Steamboat's highest quality base area development.

Reservations have just begun and as of this morning 4 reservations have been taken. Units will be chosen in the order reservations were taken so contact me, Jon Wade for more details, renderings and info on the changes coming to Steamboat at 970-819-6930. I am an independent Realtor and not affiliated with One Steamboat Place. I follow the market and the new projects very closely to give you the best data and insights from an independent perspective.

Steamboat Ski area sale update

Things have been heating up as the weather cools here in Steamboat. There has been considerable interest in buying the Steamboat ski area since ASC announced it was for sale. Fortress Group who just bought Intrawest is looking, Vail, The Mueller's, likely Starwood and I'm sure others that I don't know about. The current word from top people is that they have several interested parties and are optimistic a sale can be consummated buy mid-December. With ASC it's never done until the deal has closed so don't get too excited until the party in the streets when a sale is final.

A change in ski area owners can bring a significant move in the local real estate market as seen in Crested Butte, it's not something you can count on but it is worth considering as you weigh your options in Steamboat. Steamboat also has several additional changes coming online that have the potential to dramatically enhance the quality of the base area and downtown experience so give Jon a call if you would like to talk about the implications for your current property or a new one you may be considering. You can reach me @ 970-819-6930 or jon@mybrokers.com. See one of my previous posts on the Steamboat Ski area sale.

Aspen vs. Steamboat

I thought I would share an article comparing Aspen to Steamboat from a visitors point of view. Jay visited Aspen and then Steamboat back to back like he often does and responded to an article that appeared in the Aspen Times. Here a are few choice quotes:

"In Steamboat, the people are almost unfailingly friendly ... You'll encounter ranchers in Steamboat ... I'm talking about ranchers with actual cow crap and sheep crap on their actual cowboy boots ... The comment about Steamboat mountain biking ... that was a beauty. Trust me on this, Al, you can get your lungs burned and your legs fried in Steamboat on more killer trails than there are Hummers in Aspen. Next time you ask a Steamboat mountain chick for trail suggestions, don't do it in your $400 Manolos. Leave your Louis Vuitton at Dad's phat condo. Otherwise, said mountain chick might assume you're looking for a ride for, uh, pussies."

"At the end of the day, Aspen and Steamboat are Rocky Mountain jewels gracefully sitting beside their respective rivers like pearls on shimmering necklaces, fashioned from the same hand, but endowed with fascinatingly different personalities and treasures of their own. One is no less beautiful to its denizens for its lack of Hollywood glamor - and outrageous expense - than the other. I can't help but think: As much as I like Aspen, and I do like Aspen very much, I would have LOVED it back in the days when it was more like Steamboat."


The original article he is responding to does have a good section about what is good in Steamboat. For the record I think that Aspen is a gorgeous area and like the skiing there but Steamboat is much more my style. Expect a wave if our paths cross on a bike, skis or just walking.

First Tracks in Steamboat

Alden got out for his first day of the season here in Steamboat and was the second person on the mountain so far this year. It's pretty cool when your 3 year old gets his first powder day of the year in September. He had about 6-8 inches of fresh a day after the storm. There was one set of nice tracks down Heavenly Daze Saturday afternoon, kudos to that person. He had a great time making first tracks and is still talking about it, that's what really counts. Update: picked up his new Dynastars Tuesday night from Steamboat Ski and Bike Kare. They are a great shop that the locals go to with a cool down to earth staff.

More Steamboat first snow shots

Here are 3 more shots I took today to give you a feel for the snow we got here in Steamboat Springs, CO. Back to Indian summer soon.

Buffalo Pass got 1.5 feet of Snow last night and it is still snowing

I just heard from a friend that Buffalo Pass just above Steamboat Springs got 1.5 feet of fresh snow last night. That means that the ski area probably got over a foot on top. As you can see from the picture below the grass on Heavenly Daze is virtually covered which is no small feat because it was pretty tall and standing a couple of days ago. It is still snowing up there and it just started snowing nice sized flakes here at the base of the Steamboat Ski area. The forecast is for more snow tonight so I'll keep you posted. I'm trying to get up the gondola to see it for myself but it is closed due to the weather at the moment.

First Snow on Mount Werner

I woke up this morning to my son Alden yelling “DADDY IT’S a POWDER DAY!!!!” at least 5 times. For me that was one of those moments when you know you have done something right in life. This picture is from our deck I took when I got up. The gondola is running now so I am thinking about going up to see how much it snowed. There is about an inch of slush

Don’t worry if you plan to come up and see the Aspens change, if it's like any other year this will all melt soon and we will have a few more weeks of Indian summer to see the leaves change and get in more summer sports. It’s doesn’t appear that it will take many leaves off of the trees.

Fall Aspen in Steamboat Springs

Here's a shot from lunchtime today at the lake looking up towards the Sundown area (and some of my favorite tree skiing) on Mount Werner. I never get tired of the progression of colors every day as the Aspens prepare their tribute to the Snow Gods. I hope that you can get out to see all of fall colors for yourself. It's been really spectacular to see everything from the grasses, hay, cat tails and various scrub brush to the Aspens show their diverse palette colors as I've driven around the Yampa Valley and Steamboat Springs this week. It's also fun to see everyone re-doubling their efforts to get their fill of warm weather sports before the valley is filled with snow.

Fall in Steamboat Springs

Once we hit Labor Day here in Steamboat Springs it is like a big switch is thrown and it is suddenly fall. I saw a large grove of golden Aspen trees right away as I started a mountain bike ride this morning with 3 friends from Dumont Lake on Rabbit Ears Pass to the Mountain View trail up the back of the Steamboat ski area and down into town. It is a little less than 30 miles with quite a bit of up and down and a big climb up the back of Storm Peak at the end.

As we came back down Cathy's on the mountain on the left side of the Sunshine chair we went through several groves of Aspens that were starting to change. It's hard to let summer go but fall is wonderful here and winter definately has it's charms. See my earlier post on Steamboat Springs seasons.

Seasonal change always brings mixed feelings

UPDATE: We have also been getting an incredible amount of rain over the past 6 weeks(for Steamboat). Last year was a big jump up from any of the last 5 or 6 years and it was followed by a fantastic winter. Here's a Champagne Powder toast to a repeat of last years incredible snow conditions. It snowed 70 out of 100 days last season from the Sunday after Thanksgiving and you could often find knee deep powder in the trees on a 4 inch over-night snow report. While my sentiments haven't changed I am much more excited for skiing than when I first wrote this at the beginning of the month.

The fields in the valley and the ski runs on Mt Werner are starting to show some brown, the raspberries up on some of my favorite mountain biking trails are getting ripe, the breezes are a little cooler, and animals start to prepare of winter.

This is the time of the year that I realize there are only about 3 months of good mountain biking left, 2 months to camp with the kids, less than a month before Alden starts school again and less than 4 months left until ski season. The change of seasons here always brings out a bit of dissonance in my mind. Summer is absolutely fantastic but it always hurts a bit to let spring skiing slip away. Fall beckons with it's perfect weather, beautiful vistas, great fly-fishing and the first snow in September that reminds us we are in a ski town. It always feels like summer has gone by too fast and we need more time to get in all of our favorite things.

In the fall I am still trying to finish all of the summer basics that you need to get in each year as a local here. At the same time winter occupies more and more of my thoughts. Fall is so special that I can't forget to get out for hiking, biking & photo ops in the endless large and small vistas of the changing aspen leaves. Fall is also the time of anticipation in a ski town where locals look to an infinite variety of signs for clues to what the coming winter holds. One of my personal favorites is overhearing the 80 year old ranchers who are closest to the land talking about how they haven't seen X, Y & Z since 1977 and it's going to be a ... winter just like then. Last fall they talked about a big winter and they were right. I can't wait to hear what they have to say this year.

Winter is the reason I first came to Steamboat Springs, a time that my young son bursts in to wake me up saying "Daddy, its a POWDER DAY". I hope that he never stops doing that. He is already talking about skiing this year with me and how he won't need the harness. It is a time that I can fly down the slopes on a magic carpet of powder through my favorite frosted columns of aspens holding up the deep blue sky or providing the contrast I need to see when it is dumping snow. It is a time to decide which skis would be perfect that day, get the kids out on bluebird days with candy in your pockets and the irrepressible hope that they will love skiing as much as you. You meet people on the lifts from here and there and always seem to have something in common or a good friend from there. Talk on the lifts with other locals/friends focuses on comparing notes, speculating which of the many exposures, subtle folds or breaks in the trees on the mountain holds the best snow based on infinite weather variables, time of day, skier traffic and other important factors I'm not prepared to share until I know you better ;) You give enough to establish credibility but always hold back your best secrets. If they have the right look you casually follow to see where they are skiing in case there is something you have missed by habit, hubris or omission. You can never let you ego keep you from finding even more great powder stashes you know.

The days start to get longer and spring skiing is now at hand. The winter has shaped your legs and the soft snow makes you feel like a hero in the bumps but the end of the season is coming fast so you make an extra effort to get out on the slopes into the backcountry before the winter goodness is gone. A good dose of POWDER DAYS thrown in the to warming mix of spring lets you get that indescribable mix of adrenaline and absolute content that only a powder day at the end of the season can provide. Next comes spring which is right after the extra season we have here which is spring skiing in case you thought I was talking about spring above. Skiing on Mt Werner has ended but many people keep hiking or snowmobiling to their favorite runs. Even in a big snow year the valley has mostly melted and the fields glimmer with a layer of snowmelt coming down from above.

This is about the only time I long to get out of town, usually for a mountain bike trip that I have been thinking about since our extra season, spring skiing. Life in Steamboat has come full circle.

The picture above was taken by a good friend Eddie Byrne last fall after most of the leaves had dropped. We were mountain biking up the Valley View trail to the top of Thunderhead.

Champagne Powder

"Champagne Powder best served chilled over a friendly ski town" is one of the Steamboat Ski area's new ad tag lines this year. It's the sort of authentic yet clever description that I love to see in the Steamboat marketing plan. My son Alden is letting letting some of the Champagne Powder tickle his nose in this picture from last February. He asked me to watch the first ski movie of the season about a week ago and has been talking about powder skiing with Daddy ever since. I can't wait to get out with my little powder hound soon.

A little bit of Steamboat Springs history you may not know is that the phrase Champagne Powder came from a one of the exploratory trips down from Rabbit Ears pass to Mount Werner. James Temple, the founder of the Steamboat Ski Area, and several other local ski pioneers were pulled by a snowcat down from the pass to Storm Peak that day when the phase Champagne powder was first used. I was at a dinner honoring Mr. Temple last night and he told the story about how one of the people skiing said the powder on the mountain tickled his nose like Champagne as it billowed up over them. They showed some pictures from that day on a DVD about the founding of the Ski area. James Temple is scheduled to be inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in October. I think it is an honor that is well deserved. Hearing him tell the story of how skiing started on Storm Mountain with a twinkle in his eye sent chills up and down my spine. I am looking forward to getting a copy of the completed DVD with the whole story this fall. Let me know if you want to borrow it next time you are in town.

First Snow!!!

Saturday night marked the first snow of the season here in the Steamboat Springs area. The storm dusted the Mount Zirkel and Flat Tops Wilderness areas and came with a half inch of rain in town during the weekend. The Yampa river was flowing about 50% above average over the weekend which should be great for fall fly-fishing in the Steamboat Springs area if the precipitation keeps up. Last year we had a really wet fall in comparison to the several previous years followed by a great ski season. This year seems quite a bit wetter over the last 6 weeks with even more strong bursts and showers that linger even longer. No one knows what that will bring but it sure seems like a good sign. The weather has also gotten dramatically cooler over the last week or two. People are starting to make that extra effort to get in their fill of summer sports and put up winter essentials like new skis, the tent sale this year has been packed.

Steamboat Fans

I want to take a minute to thank all of you that have been following my blog for a while now. I feel lucky to live in Steamboat with my family so it is fun to share some of my thoughts and news on my favorite town.

It is satisfying to see how many of you read this blog regularly. I can't tell who you are (and wouldn't try) but I can see when people visit more than once and sometimes where they are from. I just looked tonight and there were two people this week from Arizona and Tennessee that have visited 90 plus times. One of you has visited this site 129 times. I've only posted 133 times so that is quite a compliment (it's not my mom, really). I suspect it has much more to do with the natural allure of Steamboat and possibly a really hot summer in Tennessee and Azizona.

If anyone else would like to give me your thoughts on what you like, don't like or how I could improve this blog please drop me an email or leave me a comment below. I always enjoy hearing from you. Thanks!

Update: I got a reply from a nice guy in Tennessee hours after posting this and awarded him 2 lift tickets for being so quick.

Marabou Ranch coming together

Marabou Ranch, the largest and most exclusive new Land Preservation Subdivision in Steamboat Springs, CO. really seems to be getting some momentum. I think that the location close to town but with the feel of a remote ranch, the thought that has been put into making it even more special, the fly-fishing on 2 miles of the Elk River, the surprising level of amenities and the positive changes that are on the near horizon here in Steamboat Springs are coming together to give this development rapid market acceptance. For more thoughts on this click the following link for my blog on Marabou Ranch in Steamboat Springs, CO. Check out some of the Marabou Ranch pictures too, they are a worthwhile diversion.

Steamboat Base Area Update

Here is a rendering that incorporates some of the current plans for improvements at the Steamboat Ski Area base by the Urban Renewal Authority. Plans are still being worked out so I won't provide too many details here but the improvements we are likley to see due to public and private efforts at the base have to potential to make the base area much more of destination for food, entertainment and just to hang out. I think they will also have a big impact on property values. I'm happy to explain the most current plans and what I think will benefit the most if you give me a call.

Wildhorse Meadows update

Wildhorse Meadows has been approved by the Steamboat Springs City Council and includes a free public gondola between it and the new plaza in One Steamboat Place. Current plans for One Steamboat place include a large public plaza that goes from Mount Werner Circle to gondola square that in my opinion will start to make the base area of Steamboat more of a destination for food and entertainment in addition to a nicer place ot just hang out after skiing or in the summer. It includes a new skier drop off and landing zone for the Wildhorse Meadows Cabriolet gondola This makes Wildhorse Meadows a new base area in my book.

I see it as a major step forward for Steamboat's base area upgrades and expect to see some of the same benefits and increases in value that other ski areas have experienced when they upgrade their base. I think it will have a postive impact on other quality properties in the base area and be a good opportunity on it's own. Give me a call or send an email if you want to know more about what is happening here in Steamboat. I follow these developments and the public improvements for the Steamboat base closely so you can learn about them all in one place. My contact info is at the top left of this page.

Yampa River

The health of the Yampa River is key to the past, present and future of Steamboat Springs. Since you are reading this blog we problaby share a strong interest in Steamboat I thought you might like to learn more about the Yampa river. The link at the end of this sentence will take you to an excellent series of articles about the history of the river, water rights and changing demands on the Yampa River in the Steamboat Pilot and Today called Shifting Currents. I took this photo right behind my office last week as I was eating lunch. I try to have a relaxing lunch by the river at least once a week even if i only have 20 minutes.

Marabou Ranch

Marabou Ranch here in Steamboat Springs was covered by the Denver Post today. This is a rendering of one of the common lodge buildings along the Elk River. One of the many amenities at Marabou Ranch is the fly-fishing. They have done some incredible restoration of the trout habitat along an already good 2 mile stretch of the Elk river that flows through Marabou. This includes using limestone boulders since they produce stronger fly hatches to grow bigger and heathlier trout. They are building 15 acres of ponds and several improved streams utilizing their water rights to provide a great fishing experience even during the spring run-off when the Elk river itself gets blown out by the snow melt.

Check out this page on Marabou Steamboat to see more. You can find the article and the latest news on Marabou on this link or directly at the first link above.

Family Ride

Today we took a bike ride into town to get in some good family time, hang in down town Steamboat Springs, have lunch and play in the park. As you can see from the picture we accomplished our primary goal of wearing out Alden and Neve too. I love how Neve is just waking up and checking to see if her big brother is awake. I started pedaling again and she fell right back asleep.

Steamboat Ski area sale

I got the following question from someone who reads this blog and thought I'd share my answer plus a few edits for clarity since the Steamboat ski area sale is such a hot topic right now.

Jon, Do you think that the sale of Steamboat, to someone with deep pockets like Vail Resorts, will have an immediate impact on real estate values in Steamboat? D.
BTW, Enjoy your blog, check in often,

My answer: Thank you for your message and comment. In regards to the ski area sale as you know nothing is certain so we have to look at similar examples for guidance on what could happen if the ski area actually sells. In 2002 when ASC, the owners of Steamboat, walked away from the sale of Steamboat to The Mueller Family from Okemo out east. The Mueller's went on to buy Crested Butte in 2003. I can't quote figures but Crested Butte went from a sleepy market to very strong and property values have gone up dramatically. A friend that bought in Crested Butte just before the sale said prices have doubled since then but I don't have anything on paper to give you hard numbers. (BTW it may be hard for Vail to buy Steamboat because they accepted some anti-trust provisions dealing with having too much Front Range market share. This is not a direct hit but would likely be a limiter. I don't think Vail would be the best buyer but someone with their passion from experience would be good.)

CB has a nice mountain with some great terrain but is 5 hours from Denver, has limited flight access, was a much smaller of a real town vs. just a resort and several other factors. Steamboat is a real town with diverse recreational assets, is in process of starting a base area redevelopment, 2 new developments that will bring a new level of quality (and some 700-$1000 /sq ft comp prices) and sells at a discount to comparable quality resorts. This is before you consider a possible sale.

Most major resorts in Colorado and Utah have a real capacity problem lift wise because they have such a large day skier population driving in from major metro areas, it is normal to wait in 10-30 minutes lines in Vail, Breckenridge, Copper, Winter Park, Snowbird, Alta, Park City etc. out side of peak weeks. Steamboat is dramatically better with nearly no-existent lines except for 1.5 hours in the morning when it is 10-20 minutes during the 2-3 busiest weeks. One high-speed quad at the base would take care of most significant lines. The ski area is planning a high-speed six pack so a new owner could move quickly on this.

Are we seeing an impact now? I sure am. Prices haven't taken a step in most areas yet (outside of a few fishing trips) but are likely to for quality units if a sale of the ski area closes. I have seen a big step in inquiries and seriousness of the people I am working with. Let's talk some time, I can answer your questions better and the conversation can go where you want it to. Thank you, Jon
Click the following link for a more recent update on progress towards the Steamboat Ski area sale or Steamboat Ski area sale is announcement?

Steamboat Springs Telecommuting

I read recently that 40 percent of jobs will be location neutral by 2012. This wasn't a big surprise to me since I was in the first wave of telecommutes by modem long ago. I telecommuted to Steamboat for several years part time before making my move. My full time move to Steamboat involved a career change from the corporate life at HP to Real Estate but everything just seemed to fall in place once I decided to proceed like it was going to happen. That decision was hardest part, we took a hard look at our priorities it became clear that Steamboat offered the perfect mix of a great small town where kids can roam town like we did growing up, great schools and fantastic recreational opportunities out the front door.

I am working with several clients that are planning their moves to Steamboat and staying in their existing career. The people I have worked with and met around town tend to be successful professionals or business owners that are looking for some of the following: a small town to raise their family, an escape from city life crime or long commutes, a move to a nicer climate, flexibilty to work and hop on their bike or skis during windows between meetings, or they have just always dreamed of living in Steamboat Springs. It can take some work to re-structure your business or career but the payoff is huge.

Selected quotes from an article in the Steamboat Pilot:
Survey: Telecommuters contribute to county By Matt Stensland

People who live in Routt County but have jobs that allow them to work over the phones and Internet contribute $35 million annually and have a high degree of civic engagement, according to a survey conducted during the past year. The remote workers are part of "location-neutral businesses," they have household incomes in excess of $100,000, and as a whole, contribute $700,000 each year to local charities. The Routt County EDC sees remote workers as a potential opportunity to expand the local economies with a "green industry" and provide more opportunities for youth workers. Moore said remote workers are living in Routt County because they wanted to live in a place with a strong sense of community.

Sunset Magazine Ranks Steamboat #1 place for a second home

I thought you would like to see this article that is in Sunset Magazine’s August issue. They looked for a good housing market, quality of recreation opportunities, relative affordability and a good small town lifestyle to make their choices. It’s no surprise we did well with those criteria. We are definitely starting to see more national coverage and I think the new projects and base area upgrades will only increase that.

I believe that with the shortage of land we have in Steamboat, our “distance advantage” and the improvements planned on the mountain that we are pretty well protected from overcrowding as people become more aware of Steamboat but I do expect prices to rise as the national market finds out what is going on here.

Where to buy a cabin
The West’s most popular places to find your second home
Sunset Magazine August 2006 by Joyanna Laughlin

If you’re thinking about buying your own little seaside cottage or mountain cabin, you’re not alone. Americans bought a record 1.02 million vacation homes in 2005, up from 872,000 in 2004, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Twenty percent of those were sold here in the West. We scouted around for our top 10 hot vacation-home spots. Our main criteria? A growing second-home market, great recreational opportunities, relative affordability (the median price of a vacation home was $204,100 in 2005, according to NAR), and a small-town lifestyle, from art galleries to coffeehouses and farmers’ markets.

1. Steamboat Springs, Colorado - The locals here have a name for their friendly attitude: “Steamboat genuine.” The town offers excellent skiing in winter, and hiking, biking, and fly-fishing in summer. Steamboat’s population is 10,115, and more than half of the homeowners are second-home buyers. Condos are $250,000 and up, and houses are $450,000 and up.

Marabou Ranch Steamboat Springs

The Marabou Ranch just outside Steamboat Springs includes 62 home sites along with 2 miles of very productive Elk River Fly-fishing, a large variety of streams and 15 acres of ponds with great trout habitat, open space for grazing, haying, dry-land crops, a sharptail-grouse breeding ground, a winter elk range, riding trails, cross country ski trails mountain biking and first class horse facilities. It will include extensive amenities and extensive trout fishing habitat along its two miles of the River, extensive stream system and 15 acres of ponds. Marabou ranch holds extensive water rights they will use to keep the water cool for the trout due to the long history of ranching on this property. It also has master guides on staff for every aspect of ranching and outdoor sports availible in the Steamboat area including Olympians on staff to improve residents'skiing and well known fly-fisherman to help catch the wily trout when they aren't tending to the herd.

I went out to the ranch last week to check on progress and things seem to be firing on all cylinders. It looks like they are doing a first class job with their stream improvememts in the Elk River for fly-fishing and you can tell they are putting in first class roads. That speaks volumes to me for the quality we can expect to see in the other more obvious aspects of Marabou as they get built. Storm Mountain Ranch, Jeff Temple's other Steamboat LPS development has incredible fly-fishing and indications are that the fly-fishing at Marabou Ranch will take things to a new level.

Several national publications have written articles on the quality of
Steamboat Springs fly-fishing. Fly Fisherman Magazine talked about Steamboat as the best area for Rainbow trout fly-fishing in Colorado.

Drop me an email of give me a call and I can send you some information / articles on Steamboat Fly Fishing.

Howelsen Place to start

It looks like the redevelopment of the Harbor Hotel into Howelsen Place will start in August 2006. This project is one of 5 key projects that are expected to revitalize downtown Steamboat Springs over the next few years with high quality public spaces, shopping, restaurants and residences. Right now there are only 2 choices for condos downtown and that will change soon. We have seen a revitilization of many downtowns across the country particually in resort towns so it is exciting ot see it coming ot Steamboat. Main Street Steamboat is also hiring an events planner to bring more food & wine, arts, music and other cultural events to downtown Steamboat Springs.

Howelsen Place will sit at the corner of 7th and Lincoln downtown and go all the way down to Yampa street providing a nice linkage from downtown to the river. It is expected that Yampa street will become a thriving pedestrian corridor. Several new businesses are planned along Yampa including an authentic English Pub.

Give me a call at 970-819-6930 or email me at jon@mybrokers.com if you have questions or would like more info on what is coming to downtown Steamboat Springs

Selected quotes from the press release: Green Courte Partners, LLC, announced today the development start of Howelsen Place, an 84,700 square foot mixed use project in the mainstreet district of Steamboat Springs, CO. The City of Steamboat Springs City Council recently approved the development permit for the $28 million project, which will consist of 24,000 square feet of retail space, 42 for-sale residential units, and a below-grade parking structure. Construction is expected to commence in August, and project completion is expected in late 2007.

"Steamboat Springs is a fast-growing year-round resort community that has a vibrant downtown retail district with increasing '24/7' activity. Howelsen Place is at a 'Main and Main' downtown location and is designed to be a retail/residential project which is sensitive to the historic feel of Old Town and which will enhance the retail vitality of downtown Steamboat. It is gratifying after working closely with the planning staff and elected officials of Steamboat Springs to have designed a superior project that is consistent with Steamboat Spring's Old Town Plan and to have received strong Planning Commission and City Council support. We expect Howelsen Place to be an exciting location for retailers, retail customers, and residents."

Riverwalk Steamboat

Here is a small rendering of the Riverwalk project in Steamboat Springs, CO. The Riverwalk site is the only significant remaining developable parcel in Old Town Steamboat Springs with significant river frontage. The concept for Riverwalk is to create a high-density residential environment with great access to both the natural and commercial aspects of downtown with a more inviting commercial/retail extension of the Central Business District.

Riverwalk Steamboat is designed to make the most of the it's water resources by giving residents and the community several ways to access the Yampa river frontage and will also daylight Spring Creek for the first time in 2 generations to provide a natural link up to Lincoln Avenue. In addition to great water access, easy access to all that downtown Steamboat Springs has to offer while being just far enough away from the busy areas to enjoy nature is a big part of the appeal of Riverwalk.

The potential for public access and a vital connection into Dr. Rich Weiss Park via a Snake Island bridge becomes a reality with River Walk. The pocket parks along the river will be visually accessible from Lincoln at 4th Street. The improvement of 3rd Street from Lincoln into the site will allow pedestrians and bikers to come down the path along Spring Creek, which will intercept the pedestrian corridor / bike path along the Yampa River.

Steamboat Mountain Biking - Hot Springs to Red Dirt loop

A few weeks ago I had my good friend Eddie Byrne up to Steamboat for the weekend to mountain bike with me. One of the trails we did was a great loop that brings together several trails and covers some gorgeous terrain. Eddie is a really smart guy and one of his hobbies is documenting the rides we go on with his camera and GPS. Tonight he sent a link to the Steamboat mountain biking trail guide he put together for the loop. We went from the Hot Springs trail off CR 129 to the Strawberry park hot springs back then back down to the double track road, went rightover to the Mad Creek trail and then connected over to the Red Dirt trail for a fun single track descent. We didn't do it this day but I recommend going right (north) on the Red Dirt trail as far up as your legs will take you. You will be rewarded with great veiws if you get to the top and a fun descent down a much longer stretch of wavy singletrack.

I was blown away by the quality of his descrition of the ride, topo map with waypoints and the photos that he put together. I have never seen it's equal in a mountain biking trial guide. I think he needs to quit his day job and make a career out of this. Its worth a visit to his page just for the beautiful photos even if you don't bike. The photo above is one of Eddie's.

Steamboat Ski area is officially for sale!

I got this just a few minutes after the document was saved on Chris Diamond's computer (checked the properties of the file as part of my verification). He is the President of the Steamboat Ski Area. I have verified it is the real thing and leanred that Bear Sterns will be representing ASC. Reviewing strategic options in this context is a clear statement the ski area is for sale.

FANTASTIC NEWS FOR STEAMBOAT LOCALS AND VISITORS!! This is a long way from a deal but having a capable ski area owner that is interested in investing in the mountain will go a long way. More to follow...

American Skiing Company Reviewing Strategic Options For Steamboat Ski Resort

PARK CITY, UT– Park City, Utah - American Skiing Company (OTCBB, AESK), one of the largest operators of alpine ski, snowboard and golf resorts in the United States, today announced that its Board of Directors has retained investment advisors to initiate a strategic review of business options for the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation in Colorado, including the potential sale of the resort.

Steamboat Balloon Fest in my backyard

On the first day of the Steamboat Springs Balloon festival two balloons caught the wrong air current and drifted closer to mountain than they wanted. They skimmed our roof, got nervous they were heading out too far and landed in our backyard Saturday morning. I was impressed with how closely they followed our roofline. They both made a safe landing.

Howelson Place gets approved

Howelson Place was recently approved by the Steamboat Springs City Council after a long review process. I think that the result is excellent and it will kick start the revitalization of downtown Steamboat with its interesting architecture, appealing retail space that has the opportunity to become a destination on its own and the highest quality living options in downtown.

Give me a call or send an email (see top left of page) if you have any questions.

Quotes from an editor's opinion piece in the Steamboat Pilot Today:
The Harbor Hotel's fate was sealed last week. The old hotel that some see as historical is coming down now that Howelsen Place has made it through the planning process.
We think Howelsen Place -- a mixed-use development with 11 commercial outlets and 42 residential units -- will be an improvement over the Harbor and should enhance downtown.

Howelsen Place is one of several new developments that are transforming downtown into a great place to live as well as a great place to shop and eat. Others recently built, being built or in the planning process include the Residences at Old Town, Waterside Village, Riverwalk and Alpenglow.