Where can you explore Steamboat Springs in depth with a guarantee you will barely see another living soul? The sky, of course!

For those who still feel trepidation about being around others, an above ground experience is probably the perfect way to sightsee. You can also be assured your adrenaline will be pumping for all the right reasons.

Helicopter Ride

Cover the greatest amount of territory in one-hour, with a helicopter ride over much of Routt County. Zephyr Helicopter Company takes up to five passengers (weight dependent on total group), over the historic downtown of Steamboat and up Fish Creek Canyon. The flight spans the Never Summers, the Gore Range and up to North Routt. Private charters are also available. www.zephyrhelicopter.com

Hot Air Balloon Ride

Wrap up warmly in the early hours of the morning and watch the sleepy valley below awaken for a new day. Wild West Balloon Adventures offers daily 45-minute tours over Steamboat and the surrounding area. Celebrate your 3,000 feet escapade with a continental breakfast and champagne. www.wildwestballooning.com

See the sky filled with a kaleidoscope of color at the annual Hot Air Balloon Rodeo on July 10 & 11, 2021. This summer staple event is a feast for the eyes each morning, with an additional Balloon Glow on Saturday evening.

Ziplining

Get your heart racing as you cruise above the treetops at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, on a six-segment zip line course. Each two to three-hour tour includes an ATV ride along the original U.S. 40, complete with snippets of local history from the guide. Steamboat Zipline Adventures is located on Rabbit Ears Pass, ensuring spectacular views of downtown and the Flat Tops Mountain Range. www.steamboatziplineadventures.com

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!