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.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
New Website is live!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Cowboys take on the Mountain
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!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Forbes Magazine gives Moving Mountains the nod
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Our Favorite Recipes..
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?
ep⋅ic [ep-ik] –adjective 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.
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.
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?"
Friday, November 28, 2008
Surf to Snow....the 20 year cycle
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.
Anthony Kresge
Executive Chef
Moving Mountains Catering Company
Monday, September 15, 2008
Frontier Lands in Steamboat this Winter
Frontier will operate three flights a day to and from Denver International Airport, the news release stated. The turboprop Q400s contain 74 seats, four of which will be removed to add space for luggage and ski gear.
First indications are that this is exactly what is happening and some fares into Hayden on Orbitz.com have already dropped by over $100. We are watching airfares everyday and expect more discounted opportunities while availability still exists. if you are contemplating a trip to Steamboat this winter this is a great incentive to check your best travel dates and shop for airfare.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Package Airfare Deals
Airfare to Steamboat has become more expensive this year, but there are still some great deals to be had. Working with our wholesale partners we have been able to land some spectacular deals for package airfare when large groups, unable to meet their commitments, release available seats back onto the market at below retail rates. Restrictions on these restricted airfares allow us to offer these great rates when combined with two other package elements. In our case this means lodging & a full-service catered package. So not only can you now have your cake - you can eat it too! Here are some sample airfares* (including taxes & fees) that we have seen recently:
Sample Dates
7 - 14
(ORD)
(DFW)
(IAH)
(EWR)
(MSP)
(ATL)
Please call (877-624-2538) or email us now for a full vacation quote with airfare.
*Fares are subject to availability and rates are likely to vary until reservations are confirmed due to the current fluid nature of the flights marketplace.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
A Moose on the loose...
One of the fun parts of living in the mountains is who we get to share our backyard with. The Routt National Forest is just 50 yards from the end of our driveway and the local wildlife has no concept of boundaries. Our backyard is just where their forest used to be. It's not surprising then that they stop by on a regular basis on their daily patrol for food. Among our latest visitors over the Memorial Day weekend was a young black bear checking out why our guests at the Bear Chalets (you still wondering why we call it the Bear Chalets...?) had left the garage open, and attempting to make off with a bag of trash before we scared him off. That's not a good habit to encourage / reward. Black Bears are pretty timid and at the first sign of interest (or a camera) they are usually heading back to the hills. These fuzzy images do not tell much of a story because of the late hour of his visit. Trust me - that fuzzy blur is a bear..
This morning a couple of Moose stopped by. Our dog Lola was not impressed by these "funny looking deer" and attempted to show them that they were not welcome. Unfazed the moose grazed at the back of our house before strolling through the neighborhood and returning to the forest.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Your Summer Vacation could look like this...
(Each day is like reading a good book or watching a favorite movie) Stop for lunch in the heart of downtown at Back Country Provisions - a mountainous selection of freshly made sandwiches is offered daily. Check in at your chalet. Groceries and beverages can be stocked in advance, saving you a trip to the store, or you could consider our full-service package with meals prepared and served fresh daily by a private chef. Head downtown and rent bikes for all the family from Orange Peel Bicycle Service to ride the Yampa Core River Trail - an easy paved route that follows the river that flows through Steamboat. End the day under the stars in your private hot tub back at the chalet. Tube the Yampa River - take a 45 minute ride down the river from the 5th street bridge in Downtown out to the James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge. Check out the Strings Music Festival - tonight "Peter and The Wolf with the Pushcart Players" - a great family show. Two-time Academy of Country Music's Guitarist of the Year, Brent Rowan is Nashville's most sought-after studio guitarist. His "Friends" are the industry's top singer/songwriter/performers with past guests including Guy Clark, Hal Ketchum, and Suzy Bogguss. After a last breakfast in your home-away-from-home head for some last minute souvenirs at the Farmers Market downtown or the Art-in-the Park Festival on your way out to the airport. Did you think you could pack so much into just one week?
...and yes, it is like this all summer in Steamboat!
Saturday, July 5: "The Wild Wild West"
Tuesday July 8: "A River Runs Through it"
Spend the evening with the family at the world renowned Strawberry Park natural hot springs.
Wednesday July 9: "The River Wild: Part II"
Thursday July 10: "City Slickers"
Friday July 11: "Still more to do than you can shake a stick at.."
-Guided climbing with Rocky Mountain Ventures
-Ride the Gondola and descend the mountain by bike on the world-class single-track trails that criss-cross the ski mountain
-Tennis at the year-round tennis center
-Kayak the Yampa with Mountain Sports Kayak School
Saturday July 12, 2008:"Homeward Bound..."
Monday, March 17, 2008
New Mountain Movers join the Team
Shortly after graduating from LSU Jessica was blown by Hurricane Katrina from the banks of the Mississippi directly to Steamboat. She landed on her feet taking on the challenging role and persona of the Moving Mountains Office Manager and is likely to be the first person you will speak to if you call our office direct.
She is a dynamic and lively character who lends a hand wherever she can handling guest inquiries and reservations as well as occasionally joining our chalet teams and assisting with catering events.
With a lifelong background in travel from airlines and hotels to one of the leading destination clubs in the USA Tammy has found new challenges joining the Moving Mountains Team this past winter. Her work and her passion for travel has taken her round the globe and her experience with luxury travel was a natural fit for the Moving Mountains lodging services.
She handles guest reservations and inquiries for lodging as well as the numerous requests for travel services that we receive. Tammy's excellent rapport with guests and her personal attention to detail has enabled us to maintain a high level of service for all of our guests.
So, the next time you call our office don't be surprised if you find yourself talking to one of these two talented mountain movers!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Our secret is out! The concept of the catered chalet, developed in Europe and enjoyed by thousands annually, is now freely available in the US and SKI Magazine highlighted this concept in the December 2007 issue, on the newsstands today. We are delighted that the readers of SKI magazine will finally get to find out that there is an alternative to staying in a condo and working for your entire vacation. Our catered chalet package is a great solution if you are looking for a week-long vacation with time to actually enjoy who you are with.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Chalet Make-Over
With the winter season just around the corner our major fall re-model projects are heading towards completion. These will significantly enhance and update two of our most popular vacation rental properties:
MOVING MOUNTAINS CHALET
To those of you who have stayed here before you will notice big changes:
Exterior:
Repaired and replaced stucco. New stone and timber finishes. New main entry door with timber roof accents.
Revised entry layout. Moved boot dryers and ski racks to garage. Created coat closet. Changed layout of rec. room. Set up movie room with 50" big screen TV and surround sound. Added fus-ball table (replaces table tennis table). Added PS-2 games system.
Main & Upper Level:
New alder wood trim throughout. New alder interior doors. New carpet, wood flooring and floor tile througout. New lighting fixtures.
Bathrooms: New tile in all bathrooms. New bathroom vanities and fixtures. Replacement of bath-tubs with walk-in showers in two bathrooms. Master bathroom rebuild with addition of a steam shower.
THUNDERHEAD CHALET
The first of a multi-phase improvement program is
Phase 1 includes: new hardwood flooring in the kitchen, dining and great room areas, new living room furniture, new dining table and chairs, new kitchen range, work surfaces replaced with solid granite countertops, new high thread-count linens and bedding upgrades.
On the horizon for next year: bathroom upgrades, new carpet, additional fixture and fittings upgrades.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Whats New in Steamboat?
The sale of Steamboat Ski Resort to Intrawest, a market leader in resort development, has sparked a wave of development and improvements.
As we write, earth is being moved and concrete foundations poured for on-mountain additions that will include the Christie Peak Express, a high speed 6 passenger chairlift that will significantly improve uphill capacity and speed from the base of the mountain.
The new lift's lower terminal will be approximately where the lower Headwall terminal sits, with an angle station (unload capabilities only) just
In addition, five magic carpets (Tenderfoot, Colt, Filly, Tumbleweed and Sidewinder) located throughout the base area will be upgraded, realigned and lengthened. The new Preview lift, using the repositioned Southface lift, will be realigned to conform to the re-grading of the beginner terrain, extend further up Headwall and increase capacity from a double to a triple chairlift.
In association with the re-grade, the beginning trails of Main Drag and Boulevard, located off of Christie Peak, will be merged into one trail significantly improving the width (to 40 feet wide) while maintaining a constant 10% grade, considered ideal for beginner/novice skier/riders. A forty foot platform is wide enough to comfortably handle larger volumes anticipated from the new six-passenger lift, while giving novice skiers/riders the feeling of a mountain trail as opposed to a catwalk.
Snowmaking: Steamboat's snowmaking system will undergo more than $1 million in improvements as pipe throughout the base area is replaced extensively on Headwall, Main Drag/Boulevard as well as the resort's 
New low energy, high-efficiency snowmaking guns, which use 30 percent less energy than conventional guns while producing the same amount of snow, will be added to the resort's arsenal. The system covers 375 acres of top-to-bottom terrain (3,600 vertical feet) or a total of thirty-five trails.
Monday, October 15, 2007
10 Years of "Moving the Mountains.."
We're pretty excited to be heading into our 10th winter season! From life on a busy charter yacht in the British Virgin Islands we ran aground in the Rocky Mountains in 1998. Some thought that we had crossed to the "other side" and were now working on a "Steam Boat". Others knew better... We are proud to have built up a collection of the finest vacation homes in Steamboat and with this we continue to expand the option of also enjoying our unique full-service catered chalet package as the perfect solution to your next family or group vacation. The Moving Mountains dynamic duo (Robin & Heather) grew into a team and they added a couple of kids & dogs for good measure. It's For a quick trip down memory lane here are the highlights: April 1997: Sept 1997: Dec 1997: Winter 1997/08: Winter 1998/9: Summer 2000: Winter 00/01: Winter 01/02: Summer 2002: Winter 2002/03: W The day after they break ground Heather has a second child and they welcome their son, Sebastian, "Chili", into the world. Moving Mountains is offered the management of a spectacular new home called the See Me Lodge also under construction. Robin & Heather move the office of Moving Mountains out of their home and into commercial space at the base of the mountain. Winter 2006/07: Winter 2007/08: Record $$ are committed to on mountain improvements including a new 6 passenger high-speed chairlift from the base area. Redevelopment of the entire base area will take place over the next five years bringing Steamboat to the forefront of US ski destinations. Moving Mountains appears well positioned to cater to the needs of the many new visitors that are expected in Steamboat in the coming years. We look forward to seeing you here!
been a busy 10 years!
Robin & Heather decide late on a Thursday night to spend their next week off in Steamboat Springs on Saturday. They fly out on Saturday arriving in Steamboat during the first week of mud-season. The mountain is closed, the town is deserted, and they like what they see.
Another trip to Colorado and after a week they had still found nothing. On the last afternoon they stumble upon a home with six bedrooms and 8 bathrooms that seems perfect! They fly home to put a business plan together. Many late nights on the phone and at the computer follow.
Modest rental income trickles in as the Craigens begin marketing operations for the opening of their full-service catered chalet the following winter. The website is constructed and marketing materials sent out to past guests.
Robin & Heather sell everything including their beloved J24 sailboat "Jambo!" and move to Colorado amidst clouds of uncertainty. Neighbors of the Moving Mountains Chalet protest the application for a B&B permit and they are denied by Planning Commission.
Robin & Heather are getting nervous after a summer with very low occupancy and a trickle of winter inquiries. The September issue of Ski Magazine hits the newsstands in August and suddenly they are swamped with inquiries. The review could not be better and the coming winter is suddenly selling like hot-cakes! Chocolate lab puppy "Lola" joins the MM Team.
The second winter season is a sell-out! Robin & Heather are joined in Colorado by first-mate, Kevin, and so begins the growth of the fledgling business. They survive the Millennium New Year and are kept very busy.
First season with two homes is a modest success but the rave reviews keep telling us that we're doing the right thing regarding the catered lodging packages.
Winter bookings look strong until 9/11 Terrorist attack when suddenly the whole world seems like a different place. The winter is a disaster for all in Steamboat and the business clings to life. Robin & Heather discover that their staff will grow by one in July 2002 with the arrival of a li
Summer of babies and puppies. Five weeks before the arrival of their daughter, Lola gives birth to a healthy litter of 8 chocolate lab puppies. On July 18th a beautiful daughter, Maddie, arrives changing their lives forever. One puppy stays with the family and is named Ellie.
Two crews of staff care for our guests as we begin to hand over responsibility for day-to-day chalet operations to new staff members. Business is still shaky in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks but once again guest feedback and repeat bookings inspire us to keep going.
More chalets are added including Edelweiss Chalet, one of Steamboat's premier rental homes. Our focus on luxury home rentals appears to be paying off as more guests than ever try full-service packages.
Encouraged by repeated requests and strong market research the decision is made to also offer the full-service package in Big Sky, MT. A great collection of luxury rental homes is assembled and a new program is offered. Bookings do not materialize and the program is cancelled after one season. Robin & Heather decide to keep the focus closer to home in Steamboat.
Robin & Heather begin their most ambitious project yet - the construction of a custom designed duplex that will be added to their rental properties inventory in December 2006.
Will be remembered as the third biggest winter of the last 30 years, and one of the toughest construction winters in recent memory. After a long dry fall, and good early progress, activity on the construction project grings to a halt as the contractor battles the relentless snowfall. In February the foundation slab is poured and framing of the structure finally begins.
"The longest summer of our lives". Having terminated our contractor in March after a series of delays and errors Robin & Heather took on the role of General Contractor to finish construction of the Bear Chalets - two four bedroom chalets with combined square footage of over 9000 sq.ft.
Another busy winter is ahead of us. The prospects for Steamboat look great with the sale of the ski area to Intrawest, an industry leader in resort development.
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