January 2003
Steamboat's Best Kept Secrets: Hahn's Peak and the Wooden Ski Festival!
The Steamboat Springs Chapter of the BSA has been in existence now for over three years. We are called Friends of the Routt Backcountry and our logo shows a skier skiing down the slopes of Hahn's Peak. Hahn's Peak is located about 28 miles north of Steamboat Springs in North Routt County. It is an old volcanic peak and the historical Hahn's Peak Village sits at its base, along with Steamboat Lake. The area is rich in historical background and offers some great skiing easily accessed right from the village.
The
Friends of the Routt Backountry will be hosting our third Wooden Ski Festival
this winter in historic Hahn's Peak Village at Mountain Recreation Company
February 8, 2003 9am to 1pm. We invite you pull out your old woodies, knickers
and leather boots and join us for a day that includes races, hot chocolate,
and of course, a pine tarring clinic!
Not only are there countless places to explore in the backcountry in North Routt, but there is also a ski touring center with 20 kilometers of groomed trails located around the Steamboat Lake area and it's free with a State Parks Pass. Passes can be obtained at the State Parks Visitor Center located just across the street from Hahn's Peak Village. Leash laws on trails are enforced.
There are a number of places to stay depending on your needs and requirements. The Steamboat Lake Marina offers 5 heated camper cabins, complete with refrigerators, coffee pots and bunk beds. Dogs are allowed here, but are charged for as a person. You will need to bring your own bedding. The State Parks offers a mini hut trip experience with their yurt system at Pearl Lake. It's about a 1/2 mile ski into the yurts, they sleep up to six and cost approximately $40 to $60 a night depending on the amount of people. Sorry, no dogs allowed here.
Another of our favorites is the Columbine Cabins located just past Hahn's Peak Village and truly at the trailhead to climb up Hahn's Peak. These range from some funky old miner's cabins, with wood stoves and no running water to a couple of newer cabins with plumbing. There is a great new bathhouse and common room upstairs and a great wood stoked sauna. I would compare this to a drive in hut trip with a lot of amenities. A new policy this winter will not allow snowmobiler's to unload and drive their snowmachines from the cabins, making it much more conducive to the human-powered experience.
In Hahn's Peak Village there is Steamboat Lakeview, a three bedroom, 3 bath log cabin available to cross-country ski clubs by the month at a price that works out to be about $25 per person a night. Also available for nightly rental is the Wendler Cabin and the Mended Wing Homestay Cabin.
There are a number of guest ranches in this area also, The Dutch Creek Guest Ranch, is located just across the road from the Steamboat Lake Marina and accesses not only the groomed trails close by, but some great backcountry skiing.
The Vista Verde Guest Ranch, up Seedhouse Rd. would appeal to those interested in a higher end, all-inclusive, all amenity sort of vacation. They offer 30 kilometers of maintained groomed trails and have a 3 night minimum stay requirement. Included in the price are your cabin, 3 meals a day, ski equipment, guides to take you in the backcountry, lessons, airport pickup and return, and I'm sure more! The cost is approximately $240 per person a night, with prices and minimum stay a bit higher during the holidays.
The Home Ranch in Clark is not only a guest ranch, but also one of the few places in the United States which is a Relais and Chateaux property. This year for the first time they are opening up the ranch facilities to day use. There are 30 kilometers of groomed trails and they are offering a ski and lunch combo for only $25. For those who appreciate fine dining along with the outdoor experience, this is for you! There are also 6 lodge rooms and 3 cabins which can be reserved for $250-$375 for two people with a heavy continental breakfast, ski rental, and trail use included.
The Midnight Ranch is our latest freshly discovered getaway, just 4 miles past Columbine on CR#129 nestled at the base of Hahn's Peak, Nipple Peak and with a few of its own groomed trails. There are two large cabins for rent. One sleeps up to 12 and the other 9. A high end hut trip!
I think that I have provided a little of something for every one's taste. I encourage you to come up and explore one of Steamboat's best kept secrets, (until now). More information on these and other places near Steamboat Springs can be found on the Steamboat Springs Chamber of Commerce Web site (www.steamboat-chamber.com).