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Intrawest announces the best vacation deals of the season
04 years ago
by Press Release
in Resort News
VANCOUVER, Sept. 18 – Intrawest today unveiled details for its early season “Destination: Snow” vacation package deals for the 2007-2008 winter season. Now through November 15, travelers will save up to 44 percent with the season’s best prices and best selection at four of Canada’s most popular winter resorts – Blue Mountain, Mont Tremblant, Panorama Mountain Village and Whistler Blackcomb. (more…)
03-04 Intrawest Steamboat Springs Review
0Steamboat it is. For all the missing information, look on www.steamboat.com. There is even a daily snow report from the perspective of someone who has been out that very morning riding for about an hour. It is a well-run, magnificent place, deep in the heart of Colorado.
Steamboat is a tree loving cliff dropper’s dreamland. With trees that could not have been placed better if they were planted with snowboarding in mind and enough of change of terrain across the mountain, it is pure playground. Not even to mention the gorgeous Colorado backdrop. What stands out about Steamboat is not just that it is a winter wonderland, but all the care and attention the locals give the mountain. The town of Steamboat houses many committed people who not only participate in winter activities, themselves, but also make it enjoyable for visitors. Take, for example, the guided nature tours where you learn from locals to recognize the vegetation and the many kinds of animal tracks that may be seen from the lifts. Or, have you ever been interested in a Freestyle Park and Pipe Clinic? Steamboat offers them too.
Don’t miss the First Tracks program that, for only $35 extra, lets you onto the lifts early to catch the fresh groom or fresh mountains of pow with you can follow up with an included (and very hearty) buffet breakfast at Thunderhead. First Tracks can also be included (at no cost) in a full day private lesson. Lessons at Steamboat are organized based on how many people show up in a level and what the interests of the group are. The instructors are fun loving, knowledgeable and very helpful. Many of the instructors are from New Zealand, but there are also instructors from other countries, so a snowboard lesson may include a bonus cultural lesson. The Steamboat website will be a good reference for any specifics (there are many) that I am missing in this review. Scott Anfang, who is one of Steamboat’s top instructors is written up in the January issue of Snowboarder Magazine. There is a half page about a blind snowboarder, who Scott coaches. From getting to know Scott and some of the other employees, it became obvious to us that Steamboat only hires people truly worth their weight in gold. They are all committed to the sport and to helping people improve their skills and have a good time.
There is always the constant reminder of Steamboat’s fine Western history. How do cowboys and snow sports work hand in hand? Very well, actually, as Steamboat proves through its tasteful Western atmosphere, both on and off the mountain. Each year they celebrate their history with different activities and events pertaining to the Western theme. Everyone there makes it clear that they aren’t just any old generic resort.
After raving about the awesome people and opportunities at Steamboat, maybe I should cover the resort itself. Though, it is hard to separate all the pieces. Really, Steamboat is made up of all the different features that make it the whole experience. The mountain provides a lot of option, from its backcountry, to its outstanding trees and rocks. The runs are very smooth and easy to navigate. The base area, near the gondola, is fenced off for learning and instruction and the rest of the mountain is mostly blues and blacks. Steamboat has oodles of blue runs to choose from and for the average to advanced rider there is a lot to explore. With the snow dumps, even blacks become manageable for the intermediate rider.
03-04 Intrawest Steamboat Springs Review
0Overall, if you’ve been to Steamboat you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, then you need to. The terrain is epic, the people are nice, and the quality of the snow is unbeatable.
Steamboat has had a great start on the ’02/’03 season. They have been getting good snow and their “Maverick” super pipe was the first to open in Colorado. Being the second largest ski resort in Colorado, the mountain offers a vast variety and quantity of terrain to ride. The numerous Aspen glades provide the best tree riding I’ve ever experienced; there are plenty of steep and deep slopes and numerous cliffs just a short hike from the “Storm Peak Express” lift, and there are lots of cruiser runs for all the speed demons out there. Steamboat has a great first-tracks program as well. For $35 you can beat the crowds to the powder. The experience of being the first ones on the mountain with fields of untracked snow or sheets of untouched corduroy is truly unique, plus, included in the price, you get a buffet style breakfast at the mid-mountain lodge.
From my experience, Steamboat is not as crowded as many of the other ski resorts in Colorado. Many resorts are located off of Interstate 70, which makes for lots of traffic and big lift lines. Steamboat is off the beaten path but is still easily accessible, being only 3 hours from both Denver and Fort Collins. They also offer a “Steamboat Card” that costs only $10 and is good for all future seasons. The card is aimed at attracting Colorado residents and allows you to get both ticket and lodging discounts throughout the season.
During our visit it snowed steadily for 3 of the 4 days we were there, giving us well over 40 inches of the fluffy stuff; this is a common occurrence in Steamboat. We also had the pleasure of riding with Scott Anfang, one of the snowboard instructors, for two days. He was a great guide and showed us some of the favorite local spots. Scott and the other instructors I met were very energetic and enthusiastic about sharing the superb experience of riding Steamboat. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is interested. Even if you don’t need instruction it’s a great way to find the best spots on the mountain and skip any of the lift lines. Scott also told us about the freestyle instruction program that is another unique characteristic of Steamboat. There are beginning to intermediate instruction programs for riding rails, half pipe, and jumps for those who have the desire and need some pointers. Another thing that I really like about the mountain is the ease of mobility. In most cases you can get to where you want from just about anywhere on the mountain in one run (2 tops). This way you don’t waste time and can ride the entire mountain instead of staying on one peak or one side for the whole day.
There are many other things that make the town of Steamboat great aside from the mountain itself. Not far away there is Steamboat Powder Cats, a cat service that operates on Buffalo Pass, which usually receives more snow than the rest of Colorado. Also, there is another local mountain called Howelson, which is the longest running ski resort in Colorado. Howelsen offers night skiing and is used by a lot of ski clubs that cater to the youth of Steamboat. The local scene, my favorite, is great. There are a number of great restaurants and bars both at the mountain (Slopeside, Bear River, Gondola Pub) and in town where everyone seemed to know one another. Everybody was upbeat and friendly and portrayed a sense of being in one big family.
03-04 Intrawest Winter Park Review
0I really liked Winter Park, and I recommend it to all riders, especially those from the beginner and intermediate range. It is a friendly mountain with a good view, a lot of option and we had a lot of fun there.
As very accurately quoted in one of the Winter Park brochures, Winter Park is "genuine . . . honest [and it is a resort in which you will find] life stripped clean of all the extraneous fluff so you can focus on the essentials that matter." Spread over five mountains, Winter Park has a small, local feel while containing the terrain and opportunity of a large resort. Everyone from all levels will find a place to ride. And, the view is gorgeous as you look over the mountains and the Continental Divide.
Parsenn Bowl and the famous Mary Jane provide awesome terrain for most all riders, except beginners. There are good opportunities to pick your path with the bowl runs and the tree runs, as well as some challenging blue-black runs. Winter Park, in relation to the Forest Service, has a policy in which they let nature take its course. Where tree branches fall and where rocks lie, they are not removed or moved. Therefore, the terrain, especially in the trees, is always different and that much more challenging. As a second year rider I found a lot of terrain on Mary Jane and in Parsenn's to "master." Access to Mary Jane and Parsenn's Bowl may be attained through the Winter Park Village or the Mary Jane Base Area.
I highly recommend Winter Park for the beginning to intermediate rider. There is a nice set of green runs that are spacious and long. Discovery Park is a set of green runs that is fenced off from the other runs and the result is a very comfortable beginner/slow zone that is bigger than most I have seen. As scary as it is to learn, it is even more scary to be terrified for your life as people rush by. Discovery Park eliminates some of the cause of this fear and is a secure place to take kids, the whole family or to go learn yourself. Once you become good enough to leave Discovery Park there are many other good runs like March Hare, Allan Phipps, Switchyard and Whistlestop that you can take as the next step in becoming a good rider. I would like to mention, however, that many of the lifts (outside of Discovery Park) are high speed and do not slow down. Getting off is a challenge until you are really comfortable with lifts.
The lodges on the mountain are there for rider convenience, be it a good lunch (the soup is fantastic), a warm up or a bathroom break. The friendly local atmosphere is really relaxed and comfortable. Lots of local businessmen do their business on the mountain.
03-04 Intrawest Winter Park Review
0Winter Park is a fun mountain with a lot of terrain to explore. It still has that undeveloped feel, which is so rare in Colorado these days, and it's definitely on the road to mainstream riding.
We had an excellent couple of days at Winter Park. The resort is large and spread out, giving riders lots of room to play with as they explore. While much of Mary Jane is moguls, it is also steep, and with the right snow conditions can be just as fun to board. Up higher, above Mary Jane there is some excellent freeride terrain. Although the trees are well spaced, they can be dangerous until the snowpack is sufficiently high. Parsenn's bowl gives a great view of all of Winter Park's terrain, as well as excellent runs.
Their park wasn't into full swing yet when we visited, but from what I saw, it should be some pretty good terrain. A dedicated park team works hard to make sure everything is in order and that the jumps won't kill anyone. The terrain park is set on a nice long run with easy lift access. There will be lots of variation, from rollers to rails, and both small and large tabletops.
Winter Park is definitely a local's mountain, with the "C lift" servicing the "C lot", just below Mary Jane. Around lunchtime C lot turns into a huge tailgate and barbeque party zone as all the locals take breaks and chill with their friends. This is an excellent mountain for family vacations because there is terrain for all abilities and interests. You won't find a lot of bad attitudes; it seems that friendliness is a requirement for locals.
02-03 Intrawest Steamboat Springs Review
0This resort is so hard to describe. How do you describe something that is so nearly perfect that you don't really have words for it? The bottom line is that Steamboat is a [throw in any super-positive adjective here] mountain: huge, snowy, and steep. If you call yourself a freerider, but you aren't reading this from Steamboat Springs, then you need to either quit calling yourself a freerider or move to Steamboat!
Steamboat. What to say about Steamboat Springs? This is the question I've been asking myself the last few weeks since we visited. Do I focus on the incredible atmosphere of the town, the wonderful people, the mind-blowing terrain, the snow, the even more snow, the fact that even after riding at most of the resorts in the western US, I've found a resort, and a resort town, that I could potentially never leave? Or do I play it all down because I don't want anyone else to discover it?
This is, and I'm actually going to say it, my favorite resort out of all of the 40-50 that I have been to, and I don't expect that to change. To me, the things that make up a perfect resort are – Terrain: including trees, steep open runs, good natural cliffs and launches, a decent terrain park, and even some good intermediate to beginner terrain; Snow: good dry pow-pow is worth more than gold in my book, and Steamboat gets it like no other resort outside of Alaska; and Atmosphere: cool locals make resorts so much nicer by making people feel welcome, bling-bling is a turn-off. Steamboat maxes all of these for me, and from talking to our other reviewers, my feelings aren't alone.
While Steamboat is a resort town, and definitely works to pull in tourism, the real strength is from its local scene. People don't dislike the fact that you are a tourist. If you chill with some locals they may even show you some sweet spots (not the cool secret local stashes though). This is probably because they know that if you are a real rider you'll be one of their neighbors within a couple of years. There is a great mix of local feel with the thrown in plus of international-resort-town amenities.
The mountain is any freerider's dream, one visit to Steamboat and you won't remember any other mountains. The wide-open trees, waste deep snow, an abundance of 20 foot drops, massive rollers, endless cat-track airs, natural jibs, and, if you ever get tired of mother nature's terrain, a great terrain park.
We visited Steamboat last on our Colorado tour, 8 days of riding behind us, and so my body was already pretty worn out by the time we got there. The incredible thing about Steamboat powder is it instantly rejuvenates you. Our biggest pow day was the last day we were there, and as absolutely beat as I was by the end of the day, if we had been there another day and it had snowed, I would have been out there at 8 AM again. And that is the reason people live in Steamboat. While the thrill of snowboarding that got us all into the sport has died in many places, but is still very much alive in Steamboat.