When we sit around the table next week to celebrate Thanksgiving, we have a lot to savor. It’s not just the gravy smeared turkey with it’s colorful timings, but the everyday blessings we toast as we raise our glasses. We wanted to share some of the reasons we are thankful for living in Steamboat and hope you can enjoy them too on your next visit. 

Terrain – lots of it to explore in hiking shoes, ski boots, cross country gear. On boards, sleds, snowmobiles and horseback. Nature’s playground at its best. 

Horses and our ranching heritage. Miles of rolling farmlands to cycle past, livestock to watch at fair and cowboy traditions to uphold. 

Artwalk on the first Friday of the month. Strolling through downtown to glimpse or study works crafted by local talent. 

No hour-long waits in the car at rush hour. More time for happy hours with friends, dog walks, bike rides,  an early morning skin up the mountain or simple family time. 

Kicking back in the thermal waters of the hot springs to soak tired limbs after a day of skiing, hiking or biking. Watching the stars at night and the reflection of the moon in the water. 

Fireworks and festivals on every holiday. Carnivals and parades to watch from afar or join in if you choose. 

Understanding the challenges of mountain living and a community that is on-hand to help whoever is in need. 

Leaves – watching the seasons change on the branches of aspen trees. The light green of springtime, darker hue of summer and burst of gold in fall before the winter shed. 

Cheers to you and yours, may we all be thankful for blessings big and small. 

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!

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.