Steamboat on the cheap

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeSchmoe 

Asked this in another thread...

 

For a group that doesn't need to be slopeside, and doesn't mind driving to the slopes, are there options for Steamboat in the SLC/Sandy hotel price range? My VRBO search didn't show anything too cheap.

 

As well, I recall there were lift ticket deals on liftopia... is that right? What about 2 for 1 coupons?

What exactly are you looking to spend? And how big is your group?

VRBO will mostly have condos, but there are lots of hotels/motels, too. The Holiday Inn is pretty nice, and Rabbit Ears is a classic. That said, my sense is that you might not get into the SLC range, because the two places aren't really comparable. SLC is a city with lots of variety (and competition), while Steamboat is pretty isolated and lodging can probably charge whatever they want. 

Similar with lift tickets ... the best deals I found were with lodging (management company). Or, since you are planning early, you can get the Pure Pass, which is up to 6 days for $439 (goes up to $529 on 1 June). Plus, extra days are only $49. This is by far the best deal I know of. Steamboat and discount tickets just don't go together.

http://www.steamboat.com/seasonpass.aspx?etc=SkiColorado_SingleMtn_4-2-12#pure

What dates are you looking?  If you're looking early/late season (pre-Dec 15ish, post-April 1) you should be able to find something comparable to SLC rates.  In value season (most of Jan) you may be able to find something in the $80-90 range, but that's probably the cheapest you'll find. Anytime aside from that, you'll have a hard time finding anything less than $100/nt.  Check the Steamboat Hotel, it's probably the cheapest I've seen for hotels/motels.

Check a condo development called "The West."  I've always found them pretty reasonable or this one.
 

If you are interested in Winter Park, Fraser (quite close) is about 8500 ft, and Granby (about 30 min away) is about 8000 ft. But it's tough to ski CO if altitude is a big issue....

if you are willing to go the hotel route I can most likely get you a good deal at the Alpiner down town. It aint' fancy but its clean. Its right on 5th and main (Lincoln) a very short hop to the mountain from the free town shuttle.   Seg is correct on the tickets.  

"the Lodge" is another condo option but I would call Steamboat resorts lodging and speak with them. they are very helpful and will give you all your options. 

I think the Rabbit Ears Motel is the default cheap motel in Steamboat?

I wouldn't stay in Georgetown.  It's not very nice and it's on the wrong side of the tunnel/pass.

What about Glenwood Springs?  It's under 6000ft, has a nice little ski area and it's about an hour to the better areas.

I sometimes have sleep issues at 9k too.  I stayed in a Comfort Inn in Avon, CO (elev 7400') last Jan for $59 via priceline, it was convenient for free bus to Beaver Creek and Vail.  BTW Georgetown is elev 8500.

Party of four is good for splitting condo costs.  There are a lot of older condos at Steamboat, IIRC Tam has in the past provided contact info for their central reservations to help search for cheap sleeps.  For Steamboat one lift ticket deal is the triple play pass, ~$300 for two days each at the Boat, WP, Aspen.  Pretty neat roster of resorts if you don't mind the driving involved to complete this in one week.  See thread here for details/add'l links:  http://www.epicski.com/t/106455/colorado-triple-play-pass-move-over-pow-pow-platter

Brainstorming here:  Stay at Comfort Suites Evergreen, CO at about elev 7300' and commute 45 mins to Loveland using their fourpacks @ ~$130 each, add days at A-basin, Copper, etc using liftopia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHREDHEAD 

I think the Rabbit Ears Motel is the default cheap motel in Steamboat?

 

I wouldn't stay in Georgetown.  It's not very nice and it's on the wrong side of the tunnel/pass.

 

What about Glenwood Springs?  It's under 6000ft, has a nice little ski area and it's about an hour to the better areas.

its the most known but not the cheapest and there are plenty of options for the same cost.  The Alpiner which is across the street and up a couple of blocks is less than $100 per night. there are some hotels at the North end of town by 12/13th street that are less.

Steamboat really isn't a go-to option for a cheap ski trip. It's just too isolated. Sure, you can find 'cheaper' lodging, but I think you'll be hard-pressed to find anything that compares to the $50/night that you can find in Sandy/SLC. The areas are essentially the opposite: The Wasatch Front is a crowded area with tons of lodging of all types (including dirt-cheap inns, motels and lodges). Steamboat is a tiny town in the forest with a booming tourist industry. Utah is probably one of the best places to find ski deals whereas Steamboat is one of the worst (it doesn't even have a hostel like some ritzier resorts do)

Steamboat doesn't seem to have much generosity in terms of lift tickets, either. You can find ticket deals through lodging, but without much local competition, Steamboat doesn't go the extra mile in offering lots of deals and promotions. At least not from what I've seen.

I think you'd be better off focusing on Summit County if saving money is your main focus. Much more competition for skiing and lodging there. Also, be sure to look for package deals, not just standalone lodging and lift prices. And call in addition to searching the Web - some deals aren't e-published. About seven years ago, I got the most ridiculous deal on lift/lodging at Copper - slopeside lodging + B line lift ticket (no waiting in line). It was definitely the best deal I've ever seen for a ski trip and probably the best deal I've gotten on anything (adding lift tickets actually dropped about $200 from the price of lodging alone due to whatever package promotion they had going). It wasn't published anywhere on the website, and I only got it cause I booked on the phone.

No our ticket prices are high for sure. One reason why I am going to be going AT this season!

Yea, S'boat is a tough nut to crack on a budget. I remember being hit-up by some kind of poll-taker in the lodge asking my opinions, and essentially saying that they gouge because they can.Even days when passes are valid at other resorts aren't at S'boat just because they can get away with it. That being said, a call to their ticket office got an exemption that was most appreciated.

Shockingly I find myself agreeing with JoeUT and concur that virtually any place in CO is cheaper than Steamboat, but, of course, no one else has those luscious trees. If you haven't been then it's worthwhile just for a couple of days of them, but be prepared that the gnar, gnar is, for the most part, lacking.

I usually try to go once or twice a season (but not this year due to conditions), but the deals are few and far between. Depending on your group, the Fairfield Inn is usually in the low $100's, with breakfast and a shuttle to the hill.

The thing that killed me about Steamboat's high price and lack of discounts is that the resort isn't even that big or interesting. Okay, the trees. But there really isn't anything else that great about it. The tourist board I'm sure would tell you that they have great snow, but that was not the case the week I spent there last year (in January). It wasn't even as uncrowded as I expected. The fact that most of us have to layover in Denver before getting a connecting flight to Hayden is the real kicker for me--if a place is going to be a hassle to get to, there better be a great payoff at the end.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christy319 

The thing that killed me about Steamboat's high price and lack of discounts is that the resort isn't even that big or interesting. Okay, the trees. But there really isn't anything else that great about it. The tourist board I'm sure would tell you that they have great snow, but that was not the case the week I spent there last year (in January). It wasn't even as uncrowded as I expected. The fact that most of us have to layover in Denver before getting a connecting flight to Hayden is the real kicker for me--if a place is going to be a hassle to get to, there better be a great payoff at the end.

Well, I don't know what you consider big, but Steamboat is nearly 3,000 acres.  Nope, it doesn't have anything very steep, but it does have, IMO, some of the best tree skiing anywhere. 

Too bad you came in the worst snow year for Colorado in the past 20 years.  I managed to hit Steamboat for the first time in more than 30 years at the beginning of March and we had fantastic pow every day.  But if what you really want is gnar, Steamboat isn't the place for you.

Mike

One piece of good news.... Steamboat is going to allow peg skibikes next year.   The trial season worked this past season.

The cheap way I do Steamboat.  My ski pass is free and there is a free parking lot downtown that you can park overnight in.   Lots of Winter Park employees just sleep in their vehicles there.  Steamboat Campground is pretty cheap too.  $20/night for car camping in winter.  Cabin rentals are $59/night if you can get one.  Hot showers, free WiFi, and indoor plumbing - all the necessities.  The campground is full of Steamboat employees during winter.   It's on the bus route so no need to drive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeSchmoe 

I was wondering how they can justify the high prices too.  

 

There isn't a big population close to the resort for locals to support the place, almost every major resort around N America is easier/cheaper to get to (unless you live near an airport that flies directly to the local airport), and there isn't anything that puts it head and shoulders over vs the "easier to get to" / cheaper resorts.  

 

If you're a casual skier looking to book a week for your family (one of those 80-90%ers that purportedly support the sport), how do you end up in Steamboat?

Because its not only great skiing; its a great town.  

BTW- gnar?  yeah, well, there is plenty of expert level skiing up at the boat, why do you think we have nearly 70 olympian and pro skiers living there? If you have the SKILLS you can ski the trees for weeks on end without ever getting bored. IMHO there's a big difference between those who claim to ski "gnar" and those who can ski trees well.  

Some of Steamboat's listed negatives can be positives.  Given there isn't a large population near buy, not 1 1/2hr's out from Denver like Summit, simply reduces the day trippers.  That really is one major reason we originally started to hit the boat, typically low numbers and if you happen to be there when it dumps, your likely to have to share this only with those already there for the first day. 

If your "4" are wife and two kids then family wise, if you book early .. in Oct or early Sept you can get 30% off the lift price.  If as we did had children 12 or under, and got a 5 day or more lift, you get free kid lifts.  Sure, I'd love to pay less but it was do-able and not really different in overall price comparison to other resorts. 

There was a 4by40 (i think) which may be an option.  I think it was $220 which could allow you (if driving) hit 2 days at Steamboat and two at Winterpark.  Winterpark is pretty cool.  Given the prices at Steamboat, we ended up doing the Rocky Mountain Super pass that at early pricing of ~$400 gives 6 days at Steamboat on top of Winterpark and Copper Season passes ... not much help for you from Canada.

The last downturn had (i think) a 30% downturn in rentals, so it might be if things do a second dip that you can at least get a nicer place at the lower price.  We got lucky 3 yrs back and were upgraded from a 2bdrm condo to a 4bdrm townhouse ... so while it was still pricey at the 2bdrm price, made for a nice offset mentally.

Anyhow, for Steamboat, it's just really pricey if your trip is short, other than an early season multi day pass. Steamboat Central is pretty easy to use for pricing and typically they can find you a price point.  That or going with a Group, Ski Club.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeSchmoe 

I was wondering how they can justify the high prices too.  

 

There isn't a big population close to the resort for locals to support the place, almost every major resort around N America is easier/cheaper to get to (unless you live near an airport that flies directly to the local airport), and there isn't anything that puts it head and shoulders over vs the "easier to get to" / cheaper resorts.  

 

If you're a casual skier looking to book a week for your family (one of those 80-90%ers that purportedly support the sport), how do you end up in Steamboat?

Other than the SLC resorts, which resorts do you think are easier/cheaper to get to?  The Tahoe resorts all require a drive from SFO, Sacramento, or Reno, Summit County requires a drive from Denver, and Vail, Aspen, CB, Mammoth, Big Sky, and Jackson all require travel on flights that are capacity limited with high prices. Given that you can fly directly into Hayden and drive 25 miles or less to the 'Boat, I don't see much of a difference there.  And lodging isn't more expensive than those other resort towns.

There's enough terrain at Steamboat to keep an expert skier entertained for several days.  There's something for everyone unless you want to ski 45 degree plus slopes.  Of course, if you are an expert skier who doesn't like trees, you might run out of terrain.  But that's an opportunity to work on your tree skiing!

Mike

never heard of Steamboat?  Well, then they need to come ski here then!  Fly right into Hayden airport and in under a 1/2 hour you are there. If you like to ski trees, there is no better place in the world (really). Fantastic bumps too. Rarely crowded. A real town that is a true gem. 

Steamboat has good beer too...      Oh and last year I got to watch their ski patrol do their thing... 

I think you should give CO a try and the Triple Play will give you a nice assortment.