Moving Mountains Chalets in Steamboat

Latest Posts to our new Blog

2009-05-30T07:25:00.000-07:00

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Catered Ski Chalets - new Economy Options in Steamboat
Check out our latest offerings to meet the challenges of the current economy

Rental Home vs. Condo

Why you would always chose to stay in a home...

Your 2009 Summer Vacation could look like this

How you could fill a week in Steamboat Springs

Luxury Vacation Home Rentals make more sense than a Destination Club

Why you don't need a $500,000 pay-to-play membership

The Blog is Moving!

2009-05-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

In addition to Moving the Mountains we are moving our blog!

The new address is: http://movingmountains.com/ski-chalet-blog/. If you are currently subscribed to this blog you will need to re-subscribe to the new blog by following the link below.

We will continue to update you with news and information regarding our vacation rental homes and catered chalets and events going on in Steamboat Springs.

New Website is live!

2009-04-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Our new website is finally live and delivering a new state of the art representation of our beautiful vacation homes and catered chalets.

We are working on the final component for our new website which is a brief flash movie that highlights our Steamboat vacation homes and catered chalet packages.

Since 1998 when we started operations we have aimed to offer the very best lodging and hospitality services. We now represent over 20 of the finest homes in Steamboat Springs and an unparalleled range of services including private chefs and concierge service for activities, lift tickets and ski school.

Moving Mountains is recognized as a leading provider of ski lodging for families, groups and corporate retreats in Steamboat Springs. We have been written up in Forbes Magazine, SKI Magazine, USA Today, Travel and Leisure Online, The Denver Post, Washington Post and the New York Times.

Old Man Winter Checks Into Steamboat For The Week

2009-03-31T15:01:00.000-07:00

Powder hounds are in disarray. Over four feet of snow in one week and it is not January!! Some might have even left town thinking that the fun was over. We have guests staying in our catered chalets and vacation rental homes that are grinning from ear to ear. Yes folks - tomorrow is April 1st - but this is no joke!

With more than 30 feet of snow this winter, Steamboat has reached another snow milestone, recording a four-wire winter, when the snow stacks up past the fourth row of fence wires. Yampa Valley ranchers have traditionally measured the severity of a Routt County winter by how high the snow stacks up against their four fence wires.

The resort is currently in a storm cycle that has yielded 15 inches at mid-mountain and 16 inches at the summit overnight; and, over 48 inches in the past week. And it is STILL SNOWING!

Since Opening Day, November 26th, the resort has recorded snowfall 76 days out of 126 with 46 of those days seeing 4-or-more inches. Steamboat is reporting a 76-inch base at mid-mountain and 101-inch base at the summit on powder conditions.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO
12:29 pm MDT, Tue., Mar. 31, 2009

... WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT WEDNESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW... WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT WEDNESDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

WIDESPREAD SNOW CONTINUES TODAY WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY BRINGING TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS RANGING FROM 8 TO 16 INCHES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Our Favorite Recipes...

2009-03-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

From Chef Anthony Kresge

Back in November when I was writing our “Go Gourmet” menus with the weather turning Aspens from green to yellow, the seasons change inspired me to add a cut of beef called Hanger Steak.

Ten years ago, I remember working for a chef in Monterey that served this remarkable cut of beef, and the customers loved it. I had even mentioned it to one of our chalet guests who owned and operated a grocery full of meats in Missouri, and he’d never heard of it.

Hanger Steak resembles flank steak and is a vaguely V-shaped pair of muscles with a long, inedible membrane down the middle(this will need to be cut out or have a butcher do it for you). There is only one hanger steak per animal, and the entire cut typically weighs about 1 to 1.5 lbs. Due to its location near the kidneys, the hanger steak can carry a bit of gameness, however when prepared and cooked properly this is just a hint.

The Hanger Steak is not particularly tender, but has a lot of flavor. It is best marinated for at least 24 hours to ensure rich deep flavors and tenderness.. I find the best cooking technique is to grill or skillet roast on high heat. The goal is to keep the moisture in the muscle by charring the outside and leaving the middle a ruby like color you will find if properly marinated. Another suggestion is to char it quickly and oven roast in the marinating juices for 7-10 minutes in a preheated 325 F oven.

Your friends and family will love this in any season, and sooner than later; you’ll be explaining just how special this cut of beef is. Hardly anyone will know the history of the Hanger Steak; once known as the Bistro Steak in European restaurants. For our guests in the Rocky Mountains who are very particular about their beef, the Hanger Steak is in a class all of its own.

Grilled Hanger Steak over Parmesiano Rissoto
with Pan-seared Butter-nut squash, crispy Onion Rings
and fresh Watercress

Prep Time- 25 minutes/24 hrs, Cook Time- 45 minutes.
Servings 4

Ingredients
Hanger Steak- 1.5 pounds trimmed (you can ask your butcher to do this for you)
Butternut Squash-2 cups
Short Grained Risotto Rice (Arborio Rice is a good example) - 2 cups
Chicken Stock/Broth- 4 cups
Onions/both thinly sliced and diced- 2 whole
All Purpose Flour- ¼ cup
Corn Meal- ¼ cup
Dry White Wine- ½ cup
Red Wine-4 cups for marinating
Garlic-3 whole cloves for marinating
Fresh Rosemary- 2 whole sprigs for marinating
Thyme-2 tbsp
Basil-1/4 cup fresh chopped
Parmigiano Reggiano Parmesan Cheese-1/2 cup grated
Butter- ½ cup cubed at room temp
Watercress- 1 bunch
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) - ½ cup
Kosher Salt and fresh ground Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1 day before - quarter the Hanger Steak so that each portion is equal between 4 people.

Marinate in large Zip-lock bag with Red Wine, Garlic Cloves, Rosemary sprigs, a pinch of Salt and Pepper in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

The day of serving- Preheat the grill to 425 degrees.

Slice Onions thin and toss into Flour and Cornmeal, Salt and Pepper.

Prepare 2 cups of Oil in skillet to reach 325 F and place Onions into skillet with lid until light golden brown. Place on paper towel and cover.

Cut Squash into little cubes and saute with EVOO, Salt and Pepper on med-low heat on the stove top.

Meanwhile, start the Risotto process. The Risotto is almost the most important part, so be sure not to leave it for anything else.

Risotto:
In a heavy bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil and 2 tablespoons of Butter over medium heat. Add the Onion and cook until softened and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the Rice and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice is well-coated and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the Wine to the Rice and then add a 4oz - 6 oz ladle of simmering Broth and cook. Continue adding Broth after it becomes absorbed into the Rice. After 20 minutes, check the Rice to make sure its done, but still a little firm to the bite.

Turn off the heat and add room temp butter and Parmesan Cheese. Stir until mixed thoroughly and cover with lid.

At this time, your squash should almost be done, so turn to the lowest setting on your stove, add fresh thyme and basil, season to taste and cover.

Hanger Steak:
The Hanger Steak will only take about 5-7 minutes, which is perfect for the Risotto to become soft and creamy while resting with the lid over the stove.

Place Hanger Steak on the hottest part of the grill, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Its okay if the outside looks a bit dark and charred, the inside will be med-rare and delicious. You want to cook this meat on high heat.

When your Hanger Steak looks done or near to; cover and let rest while you prepare the plates with the Rice and Squash, slice each piece against the grain, and place over Rice and Butternut Squash.

Serving:
Put a small amount of Watercress on each plate, add golden brown onion rings and drizzle with EVOO with any left over juices from the steak. Offer your guests fresh Black Pepper however; the Watercress does carry this flavor naturally.

"Bon Appetito"

Winter kicks back in...

2009-03-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

...Powder Hounds are happy :-)

Issued by The National Weather Service

Grand Junction, CO
9:35 pm MDT, Mon., Mar. 9, 2009

... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT TUESDAY...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT TUESDAY.

SNOW WILL DEVELOP OVERNIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY BEFORE GRADUALLY TAPERING OFF EARLY TUESDAY EVENING. SNOWFALL WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES BRINGING ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES BY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY SNOW... SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES... AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Sunny Carnival Departs / Next Storm Arrives

2009-02-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

The sunny 9th annual Winter Carnival weekend in Steamboat is already a fading memory as a "1 - 3 inch forecast" ushers in another Winter Storm.

Nature's break in the weather was perfect timing for a four day plethora of eccentric winter sporting events and festivities. Nordic and Alpine skiing events interspersed with a definite Western theme included ski racers heading down a snow-packed Lincoln Avenue behind horses at full gallop. Howelson Hill hosted the Gelandesprung jumping contest, nordic races and a parent-child downhill race. Mt Werner hosted the soda-pop slalom where many of the towns young skiers get their first taste of timed competition.

There's no doubt that if you are in town for this unique weekend of fun that you will see more than a little of the town's famous character and community spirit. The grand event of the weekend is the night-time fireworks extravaganza. Firey hoop jumpers, Dads with rocket laden sleds, and skiing displays from every section of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club are capped off by two appearances from Steamboat's famous Lighted Man firing roman candles from his backpack as he skis down the face of Howelson Hill. A fireworks display fit for the 4th of July capped off the evening and sent us home with a smile.

Another Steamboat tradition - the "1 - 3 inch forecast" delivered another winter storm this morning. Over 14" has fallen in the last 24 hours and tomorrow looks like another big powder day in Steamboat. Woohoo!!

Issued by The National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO
10:35 am MST, Mon., Feb. 9, 2009

... WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW... WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MST TUESDAY.

STEADY BUT ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. THERE WILL BE BREAK IN THE SNOWFALL MID AFTERNOON... BUT ADDITIONAL SNOW SHOWERS CAN BE EXPECTED THIS EVENING. EXPECTED SNOWFALL THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WILL RANGE FROM 3 TO 6 INCHES... BRINGING THE EXPECTED SNOW ACCUMULATION TO 10 TO 14 INCHES.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Double Whammy!

2009-01-28T15:56:00.001-08:00

Once again we have to re-arrange our lives around the weather. This time we should have known it was going to hammer us - the weatherman was only calling for snow showers and 3 - 5 inches of possible accumulation. The drive to work was a white-out and it did not stop all day.

Tonight we had to dig our cars out just to get home. All over town tonight employers are giving notice that a powder clause will be in effect tomorrow.

Powder hounds at the ready...(did we say "EPIC!" - I think so)

Issued by The National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO
2:38 pm MST, Wed., Jan. 28, 2009

... WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW... WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THURSDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

SNOW WILL CONTINUE... WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW INTO THURSDAY. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS BY THURSDAY EVENING WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 20 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Sitting in the Storm Track

2009-01-26T16:50:00.000-08:00

With yet another Winter Storm Warning in effect Natures Wonder continues to aim steadily for Steamboat this Winter. Now that we have passed the 200" mark (currently 228") the question is "How quickly can we make it to 300"?".

11" of powder fell in the last 48 hours and 10" - 20" are forecast tonight. We are just salivating at the prospect of another big powdery week in Steamboat. The mountain is not busy at this time of year which is just an added bonus for those that pick January as the time to be here.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO
.. WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MST TUESDAY...

PERIODS OF SNOW... HEAVY AT TIMES... WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 20 INCHES ARE EXPECTED BY TUESDAY MORNING.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET... AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

CAIC FORECAST:
There is a large low-pressure trough stretching northeast from Nevada. The trough keeps Colorado under moist southwesterly flow until it pulls east on Tuesday morning. There is a fast jet over southern and central Colorado, meaning strong, gusty winds through tonight. A cold front is edging southwards. Temperatures are inching downwards and will be on the cool side of seasonal tomorrow. Snowfall will increase this afternoon and evening as a moist air mass, the cold front, and jet collide. Snowfall intensity will decrease after midnight and taper off by mid-day Tuesday. Not to worry, because the next system of shortwaves on northwesterly flow will stack up on Wednesday. Snow will start in the Steamboat zone before dawn on Wednesday and spread south to the rest of the Northern and Central mountains by mid-day. It looks like the storms will stay north of the San Juans.

Cowboys take on the Mountain

2009-01-21T07:15:00.000-08:00

2009 is off to a flying start. With over 5 feet of snow and three weeks of country music acts playing at the Steamboat Music Fest Tent, capped off with the legendary Charlie Daniels on Monday night, it was only fitting that we should continue the Western party theme with the wildest event of all - the Cowboy Downhill.

70 Cowboys participating in the National Western Stock Show traveled to Steamboat to take part in a crazy day of events on the mountain. The first race required a range of skills as they negotiated a slalom course, lassoed a Steamboat Ambassador and showed off their horsemanship skills by saddling a horse before crossing the line. The main event is the infamous mass-start Cowboy Downhill which takes a straight-line course down Headwall over two huge drops. Needless to say, with many of the participants taking their first turns on skis, few reach the finish without a tumble and several crossed the line without one or both skis.

With much laughter and a few beers the event is a true celebration of Western Spirit. There is less emphasis on who crossed the line first and more on getting cheer and a laugh from the crowd of bemused spectators. This 35 year old tradition lives on and celebrates Steamboat's ranching heritage and status as a World Class ski destination all in one day.

Yee- haa!

Forbes Magazine gives Moving Mountains the nod

2009-01-15T05:53:00.000-08:00

The December Edition of Forbes magazine included a story highlighting the Billion dollar transformation of Steamboat Springs from down-home ski town to International ski destination since the resort was taken over by Intrawest in 2007.

The concluding paragraph highlighted Moving Mountains Chalets as the best lodging option available in Steamboat:

"A better idea is Moving Mountains Chalets, which offers the classic European-style catered chalet experience at a handful of private luxury ski homes."

CLICK HERE to read the whole story.

Our Favorite Recipes..

2009-01-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

Mango Spiced Prawn Cakes with Tomato-Basil Salsa
Serves 16

A delicious and easy appetizer to add pizazz to your next dinner party. This was created by our Executive Chef, Anthony Kresge, and was the winning entry in a an Hors d'oeuvres competition during his Master Certification at the Advanced Culinary Institute of Italy.

Ingredients
1 lb of de-stemmed, tail off prawns
3 tablespoon of mango spiced chutney
¼ cup of finely diced red bell peppers
¼ cup of finely diced corn kernels
2 tablespoons of finely diced shallots
1 tablespoon of grated ginger
¼ cup or a pinch more if needed of panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon of orange zest
1 egg
Pinch of Salt, chili powder and black pepper

Procedure
Rinse and De-stem(if needed) raw shrimp, set aside.

In separate bowl mix mango chutney, corn, diced bell peppers, fresh ginger, shallots, chili powder, orange zest, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper.

Take one third of the mixture and combine with shrimp in Cuisinart. Pulse Chop until blended...DO NOT BLEND TOO MUCH OR YOU WILL HAVE PASTE. IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE A FINE MINCE.

Return blended shrimp back into the bowl with other ingredients.

Mix well and form into 1 oz balls to be flattened.

Let stand in refridgerator for about an hour to set. Overnight would be ideal. Meanwhile. Mix into Cuisinart Tomatoes, Basil, Salt and Pepper.

Pulse lightly until it looks like a fine mince. Place into mesh strainer and let juices sit over bowl to strain for about 30 minutes.

When Finished, drizzle in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and finely chopped Chives.

For the Aioli:
Take Lemon juice and stir into 1.5 cups of mayo. Crack fresh ground pepper and season to taste.

When Shrimp are set:
Heat up skillet to 320 or flattop with 1tbl spoon of Olive Oil. Place molds into pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook evenly on both sides until golden brown.

To Serve:
Place Crispy Mango Cake on plate or platter.
Top off with Tomato-Basil Salsa and lighty drizzle a ribbon of Aioli over the salsa. You can take extra basil leaves and slice length wise to make a ribbon for garnish.

An Epic WInter in the making?

2009-01-08T02:43:00.000-08:00

ep⋅ic [ep-ik] –adjective
1. heroic; majestic; impressively great: an epic winter
2. of unusually great size or extent

Latest reports indicate over 4 feet of ultra-light Champagne Powder snow in the past five days at the summit of the Steamboat Ski Area. With 100 inches in December and all the new snow this past week, Steamboat hit the 175-inch (14.58 feet) snow milestone for the season today.

Once again Steamboat dominates the snow stats with the largest mid-mountain base of the major Colorado destination resorts, and a summit base that’s topping out at 70 inches. So far 2008-09 is on track for legendary status. We use another word for this kind of winter - EPIC!

Since the resort opened on November 26th, snow has fallen 30 out of 43 days (69.7%) with 20 of those days recording four or more inches. So far this season the resort is just inches behind its record setting 2007/2008 snow season pace, when 489 inches blanketed the resort. Current forecasts call for additional snow throughout the upcoming weekend.

A "product testing" session yesterday revealed that the snow reports are indeed true. Our observations are as follows:

- There is a lot of fresh snow up there.
- "Bottomless" is not a hypothetical concept.
- 30 year old evergreens weighed down with powder really do look like they have been dipped in white chocolate.
- Lift operators looking for their equipment are advised to start digging.
- Those snow-tires were a good investment.
- There is a reason that Steamboat visitors and locals look tired but seem happy.

So, in light of this ask yourself seriously...

"Do I want to experience an Epic Winter or just read about it afterwards?"

Winter Storm Hits Steamboat

2009-01-06T13:22:00.000-08:00

Powder hounds are drooling as the mountains are being slathered in another layer of whispy light Champagne Powder. We will test the product for you tomorrow and report back on natures latest wonder (well someone has to...).

Travel is difficult today but no-one is complaining based on what they will see when they get here!

From The National Weather Service Grand Junction, CO 12:15 pm MST, Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST WEDNESDAY. PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 14 INCHES ARE EXPECTED BY LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES... AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. More Information ... WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS THROUGH WEDNESDAY... .ANOTHER PACIFIC STORM WILL MOVE ACROSS WESTERN COLORADO TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. DEEP PACIFIC MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL ALLOW WIDESPREAD SNOW TO INTENSIFY OVER THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL ALSO DEVELOP OVER THE REGION... RESULTING IN AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES. EXPECT HAZARDOUS WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS WINTER STORM...

Moving Mountains on TV-18

2008-12-30T10:08:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve entertainment in Steamboat included a live interview with Robin & Heather Craigen, founders of Moving Mountains, and a live cooking demo by Executive Chef, Anthony Kresge.

Santa's Powder Clause - Ho Ho Ho!

2008-12-24T04:53:00.000-08:00

Santa delivered some of his presents early this year when a 24 inch supply of Champagne Powder layered the Steamboat ski mountain in the last 24 hrs.

The early morning snow report which touted 16 inches at mid mountain triggered a "powder clause" for many lucky Steamboat residents and they swarmed to the mountain for early morning freshies. The powder clause is the ultimate employee bonus - unofficially it reads ".....if there are 6 inches of fresh snow on the mountain you can start work three hours late...".

A powder day in the 'boat is an experience to be savored. As the lifts rolled into action at 8:30 am whoops echoed all around and the first chair riders took a hail of snowballs from the onlooking crowds. The anticipation of the first run is fueled by the sight of the first skiers and riders tunneling through a sea of powder below you with only shoulders and heads visible. The trail of cold smoke as they passed gave the impression that they were under turbo-charged power as they barreled down the mountain.

The conversation begins. Where to go for the best first tracks? Head for 4-Points and catch a fresh line down Twister or go straight to Storm Peak or Sundown Express early and wait till they open up at 9:00 am for an early top to bottom powder-fest? Everyone has their own strategy and on a day like yesterday all strategies are the best ones if you are there early.

A three hour reprieve from work doesn't sound like long enough on an epic day. Truly it could never be long enough - ever. You just can't get enough of it. Except that after 2 hours of floating and ripping through tree glades and open runs, barely touching the bottom as you float on a cushion of snow and air, your legs start to tell you that it's time to go home.

With a smile on your face you rip the last fresh line of the morning and head for work ready for anything. The powder clause made everything worthwhile - early starts, long days, digging out your car and shoveling your decks.

The only thing you have to remember as you come off the mountain is to temper your enthusiasm for the not so fortunate (non-powder claused ) friends. They will not want to hear how you cried out for a snorkel as face shots choked you in Shadows. Don't tell them that the powder was so light that it rippled out in front of you as you cruised down Buddy's Run. Try to hold yourself back from recounting the experience of floating and bouncing through the trees in total silence punctuated only by the occasional whoop from a fellow rider.

If you can't hold yourself back - that's OK. As you will find out if you turn up late for a powder day rendezvous and find that your ski buddies left already, there are no friends on a powder day.

MORE COMING:
A winter storm watch is expected to be in effect beginning at 6 a.m. Christmas Day through the end of the day Friday, A storm system will begin moving into the area from the southwest tonight, but the Flat Tops probably will protect Steamboat Springs and the surrounding areas from anything but flurries until Christmas night. Once the snow picks up, the slopes at the Steamboat Ski Area and higher elevations expect 1 to 2 feet of snow

The Steamboat Ski Area is reporting a 52-inch base at mid-mountain and season-to-date snowfall of 125 inches.

Steamboat Winter Weather Alert!

2008-12-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

Issued by The National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO
12:55 pm MST, Fri., Dec. 19, 2008

... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM MST SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM MST SATURDAY.

SNOW WILL DEVELOP BY EARLY THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW... SOUTHWEST WINDS AT 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH WILL PRODUCE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. WINDS WILL SWITCH AROUND TO WESTERLY LATE THIS EVENING AND DIMINISH. HOWEVER GUSTS TO 30 MPH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY. BY LATE SATURDAY EVENING... 5 TO 9 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IS EXPECTED WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW... SLEET... OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES... AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

More Information

... NEXT ROUND OF WINTRY WEATHER ALONG WITH VERY COLD TEMPERATURES TO IMPACT NORTHWEST COLORADO...

.THE NEXT WINTER STORM WILL BRING SNOW... WIND... AND MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES BEGINNING THIS EVENING. SNOW WILL INCREASE OVER THE NORTHWESTERN COLORADO MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING AND PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY. ONE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE THAT THIS STORM BRINGS THAT THE PREVIOUS STORMS DID NOT... VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES WILL PLUMMET THIS EVENING AND DAYTIME TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON WILL RANGE FROM 5 BELOW ZERO TO 5 ABOVE ZERO ON MOUNTAIN RIDGES AND EXPOSED AREAS ABOVE 10000 FEET. COMBINED WITH FREQUENT WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH... THE WIND CHILL WILL RANGE FROM 20 BELOW TO 35 BELOW ZERO.

SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL OCCUR WITH AMOUNTS RANGING FROM 8 TO 14 INCHES ON WEST FACING MOUNTAIN SLOPES ABOVE 9000 FEET... WITH 10 TO 19 INCHES IN THE FLATTOPS RANGE. AT TIMES... BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. PEOPLE TRAVELING OR WINTER RECREATIONISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR FRIGID AND HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER FROM FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.

5 Feet of Powder in Steamboat Extends Open Terrain to Almost 100%

2008-12-17T10:51:00.000-08:00

From Steamboat Ski Corp:

Steamboat Records Snow 12 Out Of First 17 Days In December
2,863 Acres, 154 Trails & 12 Lifts Offering Terrain For All Ability Levels By Weekend

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO-December 17, 2008-With more than 5 feet of Champagne Powder snow since Opening Day, November 26th, Steamboat will provide the ideal holiday gift for powderhounds as it inches closer to opening 100 percent of its available terrain.

“December has come in like a lion and Steamboat continues to enjoy the bounty of being in a very snowy weather pattern, which shows no signs of stopping anytime soon,” said Chris Diamond, president and chief operating officer for the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “Champagne Powder snow is always the number one item on the Steamboat powderhound’s holiday wish list and both Mother Nature and Kris Kringle are delivering it in abundance this month.”

Since November 26th, Steamboat has received more than 5 feet of Champagne Powder snow at mid-mountain and is currently reporting a 36-inch mid-mountain base and 40-inch summit base. During December alone, snow has fallen 12 out of the 17 days with 8 of those days recording 4 inches or more of new snow.

By Saturday, December 20th, Steamboat expects to offer 2,863 acres of deliciously deep terrain (nearly 96% of available terrain), 12 lifts, 154 trails and 3,668 vertical feet of skiing and riding on powder/pack powder conditions. In addition, several trails will open before Saturday including lower Vagabond, Moonlight and the NASTAR Race area.

Morningside Park, the popular children’s area, Rough Rider Basin, and the gladed terrain of Pioneer Ridge will highlight some of the new terrain expected to open this weekend. Morningside chairlift will also usher in the 2008/09 season on Saturday; with Pony Express swinging into action a week later. The upper reaches of Pioneer Ridge will be accessible on a hike-to basis until the lift’s scheduled opening date. The resort will open the Rabbit Ears Terrain Park on Saturday and expects to have the Maverick’s Superpipe and Terrain Park available between Christmas Day and December 27th if current snowmaking conditions persist.

The National Weather Service is forecasting snow to continue through the week with several Pacific storms rolling through the region Wednesday through Monday, bringing continued snowfall across the mountain. The highest chance of snow will be Thursday, then again Saturday through Sunday.

Over the past three years, nearly $30 million has been invested in on-mountain enhancements that will greet Steamboat guests. Getting to Steamboat has never been easier. The resort’s nonstop flight program offers unprecedented access to Ski Town, U.S.A.® via nonstop air service on American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Northwest and United from nine major U.S. cities, in addition to one-stop connecting service from more than 200 other domestic and international cities.

"We're Gonna Get Buried!"...

2008-12-13T19:37:00.000-08:00

At this time of year we pay more attention than ever to the weather forecast. The perfect alignment of several reliable sources suggest something ominous is about to occur...

CAIC (Colorado Avalanche Information Center)

"Storm systems are going to race across the state until maybe next weekend. Here's the shorter term look.
Currently a 90 to 100 knot jet has nosed over the San Juans where it has been fairly windy today. A bit of a dry slot moved over during the Saturday morning hours, but satellite images show things filling in nicely. Near sunset Saturday we are looking at blizzard conditions favoring the San Juan, West Elks & Elks, Vail Pass to Beaver Creek area (not quite as much for Summit County), plus the Steamboat and Grand Mesa zones.
Onset of snowfall looks to be very rapid and powerful from around 4-7 tonight in favored areas. The jet stream will shift from a westerly flow to a stronger southwest flow, in the 150 knot range for Saturday night. Very strong winds are anticipated Saturday night across the state. With the progressive nature of the pattern look for some drying to begin in the San Juan mid-day Sunday, and this spreading north by mid-to-late-afternoon across the central and northern zones.
It's going to get cold too. Look for high temperatures Sunday to come early in the morning. The jet sags a little ways into NM Sunday and this will help us see an easing in windspeeds, at least temporarily. Next system is progged to move in Monday evening & exit Tuesday mid-day. Another on Wednesday, & another for next weekend."

Forecast: Sat Night 19" - 21", Sun 5" - 7"

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Issued by The National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO
3:27 pm MST, Sat., Dec. 13, 2008

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST SUNDAY.

PERIODS OF SNOW... HEAVY AT TIMES... WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL VARY FROM 6 TO 12 INCHES NEAR CRAIG... TO OVER A FOOT NEAR STEAMBOAT SPRINGS AND OAK CREEK. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY SNOW... SOUTHWEST WINDS FROM 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THE WINDS WILL SWITCH AROUND TO THE NORTHWEST THIS EVENING... AND DECREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

More Information

... MAJOR WINTER STORM IMPACTS THE REGION THROUGH SUNDAY... ... ANOTHER STORM MOVES IN MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.A STRONG AND COLD PACIFIC STORM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN TONIGHT AND INTO WESTERN COLORADO. VERY MOIST AND COLD CONDITIONS WILL SPREAD ACROSS WESTERN COLORADO... WITH WIDESPREAD SNOW EXPECTED OVER THE REGION. IN ADDITION... STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW... ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES.

ANOTHER STRONG PACIFIC STORM MOVES INTO THE REGION MONDAY AFTERNOON... BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY SNOW... WITH THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN COLORADO AND EASTERN UTAH FAVORED.

MOUNTAIN TRAVEL WILL BECOME DANGEROUS OR IMPOSSIBLE STARTING THIS AFTERNOON.

WINTER STORM WATCH

2008-12-12T04:54:00.000-08:00

Issued by The National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO
3:46 am MST, Fri., Dec. 12, 2008

...IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL APPROACH WESTERN COLORADO ON SATURDAY AND MOVE OVER THE AREA THROUGH SUNDAY. AS THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT APPROACHES SATURDAY AFTERNOON... SNOWFALL WILL SPREAD INTO THE VALLEYS OF NORTHWEST COLORADO. THE FRONT WILL BRING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW LATE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT REDUCING VISIBILITIES. SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY WITH 6 TO 12 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE CRAIG AREA... AND OVER A FOOT POSSIBLE IN CLARK... STEAMBOAT SPRINGS... AND OAK CREEK BY EARLY SUNDAY EVENING.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW... SLEET... OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Latest Conditions in Steamboat....

2008-12-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Tuesday only netted 3.5" but more snow is forecast in the days ahead so in the meantime we are enjoying a little winter sunshine before the next round of winter arrives.

Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) Reports the following:
"Colorado is under northwest flow today. There is limited moisture in the flow, just enough for some clouds and light, scattered snow the high mountain ranges. Cloud cover will thicken overnight ahead of a little shortwave. By mid-day Friday skies will be mostly cloudy, with light snow spreading to most mountain locations by Friday evening. The shortwave is a gentle lead-in to the weekend’s fury. Saturday is the start of an interesting and intense change in the weather pattern. As of now, the models have a closed low developing over northern British Columbia. The low spends the next week working south along the Pacific coast. That puts Colorado under west and southwest flow with a wave after wave of strong storms."

Expanded openings on tap for today

2008-12-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

From the Steamboat Today Newspaper

New terrain, deep snow greet skiers and riders Friday

Steamboat Springs — Almost one-third of the Steamboat Ski Area will be open to skiers and riders by the time the gondola begins ferrying passengers to Thunderhead this morning.

Ski area officials announced Friday additional terrain openings that will bring the skiable acreage to 972. Storm Peak Express will be among the five chairlifts servicing 67 trails, including many of the runs off Sunshine Peak.

The list of trails:

# Green: Arc, Big Foot, Boulevard, Duster, Feather, Flat Out, Giggle Gulch, Main Drag, Park Lane, Preview, Short Cut, So What, Stampede, Right-O-Way, Yoo Hoo and Why Not

# Blue: Blizzard, Buddy's Run, Calf Roper, Chisolm Trail, Dusk, Eagles Nest, Ego, Heavenly Daze, High Noon, Highline, Jess' Cut Off, Lightning, Meadow Lane, One O?Clock, Rainbow, Rudi's Run, Sitz, Skyline, Tower, Tornado Lane, Traverse, Vagabond and Vogue

# Blue/Black: Norther, Sunset, Surprise, Two O?Clock

# Black: Burgess Creek Lift Line, Closet, Cyclone, Dawn, Hurricane, Kuus' Cruise, Nelson?s Run, Oops, See Ya, Shadows, Storm Peak Catwalk, Storm Peak North, Storm Peak South, Sundown Lift Line, Three O'Clock, Tornado, Triangle 3, Twilight, Twister, Typhoon, Vertigo and White Out

# Terrain Parks: Lil' Rodeo

# Chairlifts: Burgess Creek, Christie Express, Gondola, Preview, Storm Peak Express

The ski area opened last week, but there was no doubt Friday represented the first real day of the 2008-09 season for many local skiers and riders.

The ski area opened the gondola, as well as 27 additional trails Friday. The resort reported 11 inches of new snow Friday morning, but on some of the previously unopened terrain, the powder was significantly deeper.

"It was great. We had a blast up there today. I actually got stuck up there a couple of times," said Toscha Velasquez, who joined coworkers on the slopes before heading into work at about 11 a.m. "I didn't expect it to be that good. I think everybody's pretty thrilled that it's better than they expected."

Long lines greeted skiers and snowboarders at the Burgess Creek chairlift, which also opened for the first time Friday and was the only lift open outside the base area. Between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., the wait at the three-pack lift was about 20 minutes.

Shortly after 10 a.m., the top of Heavenly Daze looked like the starting line at the annual Cowboy Downhill, as anxious skiers and riders lined up for a mass stampede as resort employees dropped the ropes on the popular trail. Snowmaking and grooming requirements delayed the trail's opening until later in the morning.

Skiers and riders may want to wake up early this morning to take advantage of the conditions. The National Weather Service forecasts partly sunny skies through the weekend, with a chance of snow returning to the area Monday. High temperatures during the weekend will be in the mid-30s.

Surf to Snow....the 20 year cycle

2008-11-28T10:29:00.000-08:00

It was 1990; I was an avid surfer chomping at the bit every time the swell came up, However, depending on the conditions, uprising swell meant also snow fall in the mountains where I could ride in Tahoe on white walls of frozen water on my snowboard. It was always a tough choice!

As I was graduating from my culinary program in California I was offered an opportunity to move to Hawaii. This decision was easy – why the heck not! I packed my bags, surfboards, shorts and sun lotion and headed west to Maui with few regrets about the dust soon to be gathering on my winter gear. It was a great decision, being on the water riding a fast moving wall of water or sticking my feet in the sand watching perfect waves curl over a reef will be forever part of my soul. But life is a journey and the story did not end there.

I made the break from Hawaii to continue my culinary journey in Italy this past year to finish my graduate certification in Advanced Culinary and Pastry. The spell of the waves was not broken (I can still go back to play!) but along the way life presented a new opportunity to come to the mountains of Steamboat. Confronted with a fork in the road that 20 years ago would have otherwise just as easily taken me to the life of a ski bum I decided to cross over to the other side captivated by the lure of the legendary powder in this corner of the Rockies.

Today as I sit here at the beginning of a winter season that will span the next 5 months I am contemplating a new kind of surf session. This time I'll be riding a frozen wave of powder that is as mouthwatering as the perfect barrels of Maui. My passion for the perfect ride lives on in a new dimension.

My passion for food lives on with me in this new dimension. I am just taking it to another level and I hope to share the moment with you.

"Pura Vida"

Anthony Kresge
Executive Chef
Moving Mountains Catering Company

Sneak Peak : New Website

2008-10-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

Long overdue and much anticipated is the launch of our new website which will happen sometime in late November. Familiar visitors to our website will probably liken this experience to time when your local supermarket decides to rearrange the store layout, but we hope that the new features will overcome any early frustrations.

Features will include:

New improved navigational architecture
Larger format photo galleries
Properties will be searchable by type, availability and amenities
improved layout of quote request form
weather and ski conditions report
live blog feed
Read and post reviews

We look forward to your feedback!

Moving to Steamboat

2008-10-31T13:05:00.000-07:00

We asked our two new reservations staff, Jeff and Melissa, who both moved here in the last year, to reflect on their first few months here and share a little of their experiences of life in Steamboat...

Both Jeff and Melissa agreed on a common theme - Steamboat is a great place to live because it has such a great climate.

"Moving to a ski town like Steamboat makes you appreciate the simple pleasures of wonderful weather and great outdoor opportunities to do just about anything you would like to experience. With an average of 250 sunny days per year it makes Steamboat that much more enjoyable than the climate we left behind in the Mid-West."

Jeff moved from Flagstaff, AZ where it only snows around 150 inches a year, to Steamboat where this past year was a record snowfall of 489 inches. It was quite an adjustment. Of course in a ski town there can never be "too much snow", but having to scrape off 2 - 6 inches of snow daily from the car took some getting used to.

"I quickly learned to appreciate having a remote car starter and the finer points of what defines a good snow scraper!"

Jeff is no stranger to change and acted on instinct to pursue a dream of living in the mountains.

"I was raised just outside Tahoe until I turned 12 when we moved to St. Louis for my High School years. Moving to Steamboat from Flagstaff, where I had just graduated college, was blind luck. With less than $2,000 to my name, a van full of belongings and a quest for powder I hoped for the best winter of my life. Looking back over the last nine months, Steamboat has given me the great experience that I was looking for. If you ever have a chance to do the same, take advantage of it and experience life in the mountains."

Melissa grew up in Madison, Wisconsin where "activities" included eating out, going downtown, shopping at the many malls Madison had to offer; it was fun, but she needed a change.

"Steamboat has offered me many things in the few months I've been here. It has already exceeded all expectations. Yes, Steamboat is a small town, but what separates it from other small towns is that it's such an active town. There's so much to do here that I was never really interested in or able to do back home: hiking, snowshoeing, biking, etc. Something about this town has made me explore my options, test out new horizons."

"I've visited Steamboat many times on vacations and loved it, but I wasn't sure if I could handle living here. Now I wonder what I was worried about. It already feels like home and the new norms of my life in the mountains are healthier and helping me to appreciate everything about living in Ski Town USA."

Overall, they are both very excited for the upcoming winter.

"Moving Mountains incorporates hard work with fun in the work place and we are looking forwards to meeting the many guests whose vacations we have been planning. Steamboat is a very special place and we hope when you do visit that you try and experience as much as you can while you are here."