Ten ways to propose this leap year in Steamboat Springs. 

Ladies, waiting for the love of your life to drop down on one knee? Listen up and wait no more. Your time has come to leave him to his dithering and do the asking yourself. This month marks a leap year and February 29 is just around the corner.

As a team who loves a touch of romance in our lives, we devised our own top-10 ways to propose in Steamboat Springs this month.

1. Make the day last by popping the question on an early morning hot air balloon ride. Watch the valley awaken below as you cruise slowly along, hovering above Mount Werner and the meandering Yampa River. Air temps can be chilly so they’ll be good reason to cozy up.

2. For the couple that loves speed, go off the beaten path on a snowmobile tour. Hahns Peak Roadhouse offers guided trips in the spectacular North Routt National Forest. Whizz up to Sand Mountain for the perfect backdrop to making the proposal of a lifetime.

3. Pack a beer or a mini bottle of bubbly and head for the Steamboat Ski Area. Make your way over to Wally World, and then take Tomahawk to Baby Powder off the Sundown lift. Just over the first hillcrest on Baby Powder, hang right and look for an A-frame shape opening in a large tree. Cruise in slowly and stop inside the local’s favorite ‘tree cave’. Be sure to cross your poles at the entrance so you can have it to yourself. It’s an intimate little spot and ideal for the skier who doesn’t need to be skiing blacks or double diamonds all day.

4. Share your inner cowboy on a horseback ride through some of Steamboat’s most historic ranchlands. Savor the solitude of a snow-covered aspen grove, then stop in the saddle and surprise him. Del’s Triangle 3-Ranch is the perfect outfit to make it happen.

5. Strap on the snowshoes and hike down to the base of Fish Creek Falls. The frozen falls creates a fairytale like setting for popping the question. Pack a flask of hot chocolate (or a beer), and spend the next couple hours hiking the snow-packed trail or return to the overlook and raise a toast to the future.

6. Do it the old-fashioned way and book lunch or dinner for two. Hazie’s Restaurant at the top of the gondola has the best view in town. Ask for a booth on the second floor for the most intimate setting. If your loved one is a foodie, then screw the view and take him to Café Diva. The food is sublime and the staff will go out of their way to make your special moment memorable.

7. Take the chilled out option and opt for the thermal waters of the Strawberry Park Hot Springs. It can be busy and clothing is optional after 5 p.m., but the setting is one of the most romantic in the area. Small cabins are available for rent if you want to make a night of it, so he can hop in and out of hot water as you please.

8. Add a little endurance to the mix by scaling West Summit 1A loop at Rabbit Ears Pass on cross-country skis. The climb is gradual and the views at the top are worth the exertion. Take a picnic from Backcountry Provisions or Cruisers (both make incredible sandwiches), and pop the question over lunch. You’ll feel like you are on top of the world, and you’ll likely see only a handful of folk along the way.

9. Book a sleigh ride and snuggle up under the stars. Two options are available. At the Steamboat Ski Area the sleigh is pulled by snowcat but you are on top of a mountain and there is plenty opportunity to leave the group and find yourselves alone under the starry sky. Horse drawn options are available at Bar Lazy Z Ranch, Hahns Peak Roadhouse and Saddleback Ranch.

10. Last but not least, take Storm Peak chairlift to the top of Mount Werner, hang left and hike up to the top of St. Paddy’s Bowl. If you are alone, pop the question, or take a few turns and find a quiet spot in the trees at the top. Whichever way it goes the drop down is steep, so you’ll either be descending on a double dose adrenaline or he’ll be put through his paces for refusing.

Life is for living, so take the plunge ladies and get romantic this month. Good Luck!

What do three Steamboat Springs boys with a passion for skiing do in their final year of High School when the snow keeps falling? They graduate early, get in a van and chase the powder of course. That’s exactly what Jack Vanderbeek (JV), Nick Simon and Mathew White decided to do – and they’ve just rolled out of town.

The trio has been ski racing their whole lives, and over recent years, they’ve developed a passion for big mountain competitions. They’ve entered six competitions between now and the end of March, taking them from the Sangre de Christo Mountains in New Mexico to the Columbia Mountains in British Columbia.

In order to minimize costs, they are living out of a 1986 Volkswagen Vanagon, owned by JV’s dad. The vehicle has been refitted with a 2.5 liter Subaru engine and insulated walls.

Armed with a video camera, they are planning to make a documentary of their travels shooting what they believe will be “some of the best skiing in the western half of North America.”

The trio will be carving turns on locally produced Harvest Skis using Grass Sticks poles – both companies agreed to sponsor the boys, or Van Clan, as they’ve been dubbed.

Keep up to date following the Van Clan on www.vanclanblog.blogspot.com

Ahead of ski season we have a myth to dispel. Steamboat Springs has not been set alight with reefer madness. On the contrary. Recreational marijuana was legalized in January 2014, but that doesn’t mean you will come here and see people walking along the sidewalks joint in hand.

There are rules and regulations on where you can and cannot use cannabis, which we thought we should share.

• The City of Steamboat Springs has three dispensaries selling recreational and medical marijuana. There is also one recreational marijuana dispensary in the Town of Oak Creek.

• All three of Steamboat’s dispensaries are located in the west side of town. Rocky Mountain Remedies offers a free shuttle service through Steamboat 420.

• To enter a dispensary you will need a valid ID showing you are over 21 years old. Access to medical marijuana is only for cardholders.

• Colorado residents can purchase 28 grams in a single transaction. Non-residents can purchase up to 7 grams in a single transaction.

• Transporting cannabis over state lines is 100% illegal.

• Consuming cannabis on federal land, including the Steamboat Ski Area is illegal. It is illegal to smoke in public places. Consumption is limited to private areas.

• Be aware of potency. Levels of THC (the active ingredient that makes you high) vary depending on the product and how you choose to consume marijuana. The effects from edibles take longer for the high to kick in, making it easy to over consume. Be patient.

• The legal limit for driving with Delta 9 THC (the active high) in your system is five nanograms per milliliter of blood.

Steamboat Paddleboard Adventures

1. Yoga at 9,000 feet

It’s not everywhere you can downward dog and tree pose with your head almost touching the clouds. Every Sunday until September 6, stretch out at the base of Mount Werner from 9 – 10 a.m. with instruction from the experienced teachers at Yoga Center of Steamboat. Cost is free but suggested donation is $10 – best to reserve a mat in advance.

On August 30 make your way to the top of the gondola (opens at 9.30 a.m.) for a 10 – 11 a.m. class at 9,000 feet. Views, fresh air and an entire body stretch – Namaste.
www.yogacenterofsteamboat.com

2. Paddleboard Pearl Lake beneath the stars

Surrounded by a forest of pines, Pearl Lake is a secluded little haven just short of Steamboat Lake. Steamboat Paddleboard Adventures has introduced a very different way to experience the tranquility of this place. Starting at 8 p.m. a group of up to six people can enjoy a guided nighttime float. Boards are equipped with NOCQUA lights, which emit a soft glow to show the way. Tours end at 10 p.m. and must be reserved. Suitable for age ten and up. www.steamboatpaddleboardadventures.com

3. Unwind in soothing waters

Feel your stresses float away with a Watsu massage at Strawberry Park Hot Springs. Nestled in the trees, seven miles north of town is one of Steamboat’s hidden gems. Natural waters gather in a series of pools ranging in temperature, with a cool stream to dip in and out of. ½ hour massage $65. www.strawberryhotsprings.com

4. Seek scenery from the saddle

Meander your way through aspen groves and catch a glimpse of rolling ranchland riding in North Routt. Family owned and run Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch offers one and two hour rides through some of the Yampa Valley’s most dramatic scenery. $55 for one hour, $85 for two hours. www.steamboathorses.com

5. Source or sample some of Steamboat’s edibles.

With only 59 growing days, we relish any fruits or veggies that can grow up here. Local non-profit, Yampatika runs a series of guided summer hikes and workshops throughout the summer, sharing knowledge of native flora and fauna. Join them later this month on their annual wild mushroom hike and learn the art of foraging. Or kick back on September 16 for their garden to table dinner served in the historic setting of the Legacy Ranch. Reservations for both are required. www.yampatika.org.