Exactly one week today Condos in Steamboat will be sending our first guests of the season on the gondola for Steamboat’s opening day. While the snow in itself is worth celebrating we thought we’d share our top five most anticipated changes for the 2013/14 season.

1. Night Skiing – Debuting this winter on 1,100 vertical feet of terrain, five trails will be open illuminated by state of the art Ultra-Tech Lighting. Tickets start at $5. (Dates of operation will be Friday to Sundays, Dec 20-22, Dec 26 – Jan 6, Jan 10 – Feb 21, Feb 22 – March 20, plus Jan 22 all from 5.30pm – 8.30pm).

2. Snow sports School and Kids Vacation Center at Night – Lessons for all abilities will be available during night skiing; now there is no need to stop learning after dark. Coinciding with night skiing hours the evening kids camp will feature snacks and dinner, games, crafts and a gondola ride (weather depending).

3. Four Points Lodge – set to open in December 2014 this multi-million dollar Lodge, located in the heart of Storm Peak/Four Points area features a 2,500 square foot wrap around deck and 35-seat bar. Hungry skiers have the option of healthy grab and go items or kick back and savor fresh fare including salads and pastas, plus daily specials from the soup kettle and stone grill.

4. More direct flights – getting here couldn’t be easier this winter with direct flights from 9 major airports and connections to 230 nationwide and worldwide. New for this season is a twice weekly nonstop from Seattle to Steamboat on Alaskan Airlines. Check out Alaska, American, Delta and United for deals.

5. Olympic Celebration – Jan 25 2014 come and send our winter Olympians off to Sochi in style. The entire town will host a community wide celebration featuring past and present Olympians (79 have called Steamboat home), fireworks, music and lighting of the town’s 15-foot tall community cauldron.

While we believe these new additions will make for an incredible 2013/ 2014 season it’s the 88 inches of white stuff settled so far, that’s making the town buzz. The countdown has begun and here at Condos in Steamboat we’re ready for a spectacular season. If you haven’t booked up already take a look at our vacation rental deals, grab one of these easy flight options and we’ll see you at Four Points.

Sounds a little far-fetched? Not for residents and visitors who have come to love this typically snowy night tradition. Shopkeepers close early, setting their storefronts up as candy stations for trick or treaters. Fire trucks and police cars forgo duty (fingers crossed for no emergencies), becoming a focal point in the middle of the road. Parked instead with sirens blaring intermittently capturing the attention of awestruck youngsters.

Here in Steamboat Halloween is not all about the candy. Old timey diner Johnnie B Good’s hand out French fries and shakes, hot chocolate stations are placed strategically to heat up frozen souls alongside hot chestnuts roasting and warmed apple cider.

As an animal loving community, you can bet the family pet is now super dog, hot dog or mini musketeer. Dog treats replace candy making it one for all and all for one.

So, if you find yourself travelling through on Thursday night don’t be frustrated, park the car and join the fun. It will probably be snowing and every driver needs a break, right?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM CONDOS IN STEAMBOAT!

There are many different ways a town can generate money, and one of them is through tourism. By attracting visitors, spending becomes more active, businesses flourish, and more taxes are generated. A report called, “Steamboat Chamber wants to broaden efforts to attract more group events to town,” posted in SteamboatToday.com last October 7, 2013 shares the Chamber’s vision for the town’s growth:

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Winter is only a few months away and many people can’t wait to indulge in their favorite winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding. However, not everyone lives near the mountains where people can just pick up their gear and start having fun on the snow. There are many great ski areas in North America, and National Geographic lists Steamboat Springs among them:

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According to statistics, up to 83% of workers suffer from stress, which means that if you’re reading this from your office computer, 4 out of every 5 people working there, including yourself, are stressed out by their work. This is an alarming number, especially since this problem seems to be self-inflicted: an after-effect of America’s workaholic culture that is being spurred on by the country’s recent economic challenges. However, if people allow stress to fester uncontrollably in their bodies and minds, they can be subject to serious illnesses such as cardiovascular complications that could lead to heart attacks and strokes. Read the rest of this entry »

Fall is nature’s feast for our senses; at least that is my humble opinion. Perhaps Mother Nature needs the human touch when it comes to taste. Turning that plump orange pumpkin into a delectable cinnamon topped pie. For everything else, she has it covered. The earthy scent as you rake leaves, the crunch of fall foliage underfoot and the sound of birds chirping planning their imminent journey south.

While I can’t help you to experience every sensory feel of fall, I can help with one. I thought today we might take a drive, not the type where we sit next to each other having inane conversations, snacking incessantly as we go. No, this is a virtual journey with me at the wheel taking those that won’t make it here in person to witness Steamboat at its most golden.

Look Left

Look UP

Look Right

Look Ahead

Look Back

While most people think of Steamboat as Ski Town USA, we began our journey as Cow Town USA, and that side of us still remains.

No Trespassing

Getting dinner ready for winter

Rancho Relaxo

Some of our hairy Friends

May have been home once!

Nod to Skiers

Next time don’t be a passenger, see for yourself and be quick you never know when Mother Nature will swop fall leaves for snow. Grab a Steamboat lodging fall deal, it’s not too late.

You won’t find me in camo or a bright orange jacket this month but hunting season still impacts my life.
Or should I say my cooking? Personally the tale of how little packages of elk wind up in my freezer does nothing for me. However it makes my husband and our very own Dan at Condos in Steamboat happy. Fall for them is more about heading to the hills gun in hand than admiring the glorious colors on a sedate hike.

Maybe you are here to camp or staying in the Valley at one of our Hotels or Condos in Steamboat, whatever your preference your daytime mission is to leave here with meat to share.

Elk may not be to everyone’s taste, but on the “good for you” scale it is up there, lean and loaded with iron. Hands down the best restaurant in town, Café Diva offers it year round. Locally it’s thought of as their signature dish. While the rest of us fail to conjure up anything as delectable as their in-house creations, there are several go to favorites that are relied on by us lesser chefs.

One cookbook that can be found in most Yampa Valley kitchens is Steamboat Entertains, the result of a local fundraising campaign for Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. Many of the recipes go back for generations; here are a couple tried and tested favorites. One asks for beef steak, but my neighbor and I prefer to use elk.

Game Marinade
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp chili pepper
1 Tbsp BBQ sauce
Fresh root ginger or fresh herbs (optional)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Excellent as marinade for elk or venison. Grill meat to desired temperature. Makes enough for 2 lbs. of meat.

Winter Green Chili Stew (can be used with beef)
2 tbsp olive oil
1Ib elk steak (cut into ½ inch cubes)
2 yellow onions diced
1 cup red wine
8 cups water
2 carrots, diced
2 potatoes cut into ½ inch cubes
½ cup diced green chilies
1 cup beef stock
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp coriander
2 cups salsa, canned or your own
Salt and pepper to taste
36 large garlic croutons (to follow)
3 ozs grated cheddar cheese
3 ozs grated Monterey jack cheese
Sour cream
Chili powder

In a large heavy saucepan heat the oil. Sauté steak and onions for 2-3 minutes. Add wine and water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes, green chilies, beef stock, cumin, coriander and salsa. Simmer for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper. To serve place stew in serving bowls and top with croutons and a sprinkle of cheese. Broil until cheese melts. Top with sour cream and a sprinkle of red Chile powder. SERVES 6

Garlic Croutons
Melt ½ cup of butter. Add a huge amount of minced garlic, a handful of parsley, a good dose of white pepper and salt. Pour over some large French bread cubes and bake in the oven until they are brown and crunchy.

Elk Stroganoff (not a personal favorite as I have an aversion to canned mushroom soup, but plenty folks seem to love this one!)

2 lbs elk steak, cubed
¼ cup water
1 large yellow onion chopped
3-4 cloves garlic pressed
1lb fresh mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
2-10 oz cans cream of mushroom soup (or white sauce)
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups sour cream or part plain yoghurt
1lb prepared pasta, preferably fresh

Spray large skillet with vegetable spray. Add ¼ cup water. Over medium heat sauté onion until translucent. Add meat and garlic. Cook until meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Add mushroom caps, cream of mushroom soup and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pasta and drain. Just before serving, add sour cream to stroganoff mixture. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Serve immediately by spooning over pasta. Serves 8.

So all you hunter gatherers out there; no excuses for not creating something sensational after the thrill of the kill is over and you are back on your home turf.

Please feel free to add to our recipe repertoire, we’d love to hear from you.

Story and collection by Suzi Mitchell.

When heading to Steamboat Springs,Colorado for a vacation, you’ll want to make sure you to go visit many of its wonderful spots, such as Fish Creek Falls, the Yampa River Core Trail, Strawberry Park Hot Springs and Buffalo Pass for some Powder Cat skiing, Steamboat Lake just to name a few. One thing you may also notice is that there is almost just as many accommodation options as there are lovely sights in Steamboat Springs. If you’re finding it hard to choose between good condos and hotels in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, below are some tips that can help you decide. Read the rest of this entry »

Discounts on excellent Steamboat Springs Lodging and Lift Tickets!

• 25% off on lodging AND 25% off on lift tickets (6+ nights)
• 20% off on lodging (5 nights)

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We may have the feel of a small town, but the people of Steamboat Springs love nothing more than embracing worldwide traditions adding a local stamp or two and calling them our own. Oktoberwest has become just that. Germans and Belgians have been celebrating their ales for decades, but Colorado brews are proudly making their own mark on the beer map.

From Friday September 20 through Monday September 23, we invite you to join us with some great Steamboat Springs Lodging deals.  Come for the weekend or stay for the week, Condos in Steamboat’s fall rental deals are tailored just for you. Oktoberwest is the perfect autumn showcase for all that’s great about Steamboat when the leaves start to glow.

The fun begins on Friday at 5.30pm with the Pedaling Posse Parade from Howelson Hill to Little Toots Park. Grab your cruiser bike and meander through historic downtown stopping along the way for suds and grub at a selection of restaurants.

On Saturday the action is on the mountain. Take advantage of many Condos in Steamboat property locations, where the only transport you’ll need are your feet. While the event is free to attend, purchase a weekend gondola ticket and immerse yourself hiking or biking in fall colors before the activities begin. At the base kids will love the Coca-Cola Adventure Zone, parents will the love the 50% discount on Water Wakerz, Ropes Course and the Slingshot Bungee Jump.

Kicking off at 2pm in Gondola Square and along Burgess Creek, the I Love Beef Cook Off and Beer Garden. Tickets can be bought through www.steamboat-chamber.com, make the most of the combo option $35 per person in advance. With over 20 Colorado Brewers offering 2 kinds of brew choice won’t be an issue. Fill your commemorative mug with favorites including Crazy Mountain Brewing, Breckenridge Brewery and Steamboat’s Butcherknife Brewing Company.  Live music by roots rock band Moreland and Arbuckle starts at 2.30pm with I Love Beef winners announced at 5.30pm. Make sure to buy the one of a kind Lederhosen t-shirt before heading home for the night. Avoid the morning after fuzzy head with a pint of two of rocky mountain’s own cheap and cheerful beverage, water.

On Sunday, events shift downtown to Yampa Street for a real western party. Live music, line dancing and off course, more beer.  As the party doesn’t start until 1pm you have all morning to explore a smorgasbord of attractions. From golf on the Haymaker, to a dip in the Hot Springs you can be as active as you choose. Make the most of early fall shades on Emerald Mountain or Fish Creek Falls for a hike with a view. Like everything in this Valley, you go at your own pace.

Take a peek at Condos in Steamboat’s fall vacation rental deals and find something just right for you. If you can’t make Oktoberwest we’ll raise our mug of brew and say “cheers to you”. If we find you at the beer garden in party mode, from us all in town it’s “one for the road”.

Event Pricing Information:

• Oktoberwest Festival Admission – FREE
• I Love Beef Cook-Off & tasting – $15; available at the door
• Beer Garden Entrance* – $25 online in advance, $30 at the door. (Includes beer stein and tastings)
• Beer Garden* & I Love Beef Cook-Off Combo – $35 online in advance, $40 at the door. (Includes beer stein and beer/beef tastings)