Reading on Ranches with BookTrails

Planning your summer vacation and wondering how to make your trip appeal to everyone in the family? We have a solution – summer camp. Steamboat has a whole host of exciting options for kids this summer and you don’t need to be local to take part.

We thought we’d share a couple weeklong favorites that never fail to please year after year. The best part of all, kids have fun, they do things they’d only be able to do here, and you are free to explore Steamboat without any resistance from the junior crew. You have your evenings together and everyone’s happy.

BookTrails
Steamboat’s first ever literacy learning camp was founded in 2012 by environmental educator and self professed bookworm, Emily Krall. Reading on Ranches is a collection of weeklong adventures that allow kids up to 6th grade to literally bring stories and characters alive. Students have the opportunity for multisensory learning by mixing reading with hands on activities all taking place outdoors. Each camp is themed and activities correlate to the chosen title or series. Campers could be reliving the days of homesteading, exploring the waterways of the Yampa Valley, learning wilderness survival types, writing in hieroglyphics or playing quidditch in a field. Student to teacher ratio is 3:1 and readers of every level are encouraged to join the fun. This summer camps include: Little House on the Prairie, Hatchet Camp, Wolves Mini Camp, Harry Potter Camp, American Girl Doll, Camp Half Blood, Spirit Animals, Spy Camp, Magic Tree House, Native American Legends, Tomb Raiders, Camp Splash I and II.
For more information or to register go to www.steamboatbooktrails.org

Yampatika
There is no better way to explore the natural world around us than through the guiding eyes of Yampatika. Four themed camps are offered to kids ages 5 -14, with an overnight camp out option for older participants. The Blue Planet is all about water and weather. Explore forests and plants on the Evergreen Scene camp. Delve into history on Wild, Wild, West camp learning about mammals, birds, livestock, mining and pioneers. Or cover geology, mountains and soil ecology on Landform to Landfill camps. Great adult day guided hiking options too. For more information or to register go to www.yampatika.org

Packing List

BookTrails is all about empowering kids to be themselves.

Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, good shoes for hiking, backpack and lunch bag, water bottle, rain jacket and a big smile. Pre-made lunches can be ordered and picked up around town from Backcountry Provisions and Cruisers. Our own local favorite snack for happy campers is Honey Stingers mini waffles and chews available in most food stores and from BAP at the little red house on Oak Street.

For a small mountain town, Steamboat Springs sure knows how to put on a heck of a parade. This year’s July 4th certainly did not disappointment. From a fire breathing dragon to ranchers in saddles, every facet of the town’s culture was covered.

Kicking off the procession fire trucks and police cars had little ones cheering with excitement, flag bearing military got the nod from thankful countrymen, after a stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.

From then on it was anything goes. There was dancing in the street from Perry Mansfield and Elevation Studio, balls tossed through the air with Steamboat Rugby, a rubber ring clad swim team, chainsaw wielding forest fire fighters, giraffe on a bike, a live camel and that was just the quirky. Old time ranchers lassoed down Lincoln, tractors tooted, a longhorn mooed its way, and a Thunderbird revved up behind a Morris Minor.

Perhaps the most talked about entrant was Steamboat’s very own fire breathing dragon. Built entirely of recycled material, Charlie and Gail Holthausen’s art car is becoming something of an icon in the valley. So much so this July 4th centerpiece is heading west in the fall destined for Burning Man and the Las Vegas Halloween Parade.

Sticking with the anything’s possible theme, it seemed only right a ski town would have snow on their parade. Halfway through the procession a little flurry of the white stuff blew around Ski Corp’s gondola on wheels, thanks to the wonder of electronics.

Flag waving spectators cheered on the morning’s kid’s races, plus Nordic skiers (on roller blade like devices). Kids dived off the sidewalk for candy and Power Ice bars being dished throughout. The sun shone brightly on happy faces enjoying a tradition that each year brings out the best Steamboat has to offer.