Steamboat Springs is primarily known for its ski resort, which is world famous. Numerous international skiing events have been held here, and the area has produced many Olympic skiers and snowboarders. In addition to the downhill runs on Werner Mountain, a complete ski jumping facility on Howelsen Hill is one of only three in the country.
Nearby is an alpine slide for summer use.
On average, the city gets 170 inches of snow per year, only 7 inches of rain. Two rivers flow through town, the Yampa and the Elk, providing good sources for agricultural irrigation. Consequently, the Yampa Valley is home to quite a few successful ranches. The population of Steamboat Springs has increased dramatically in recent years, with even more growth occurring outside the city limits.
I enjoyed a very nice drive around the valley and along the river. Some of the ranch houses were most impressive.
I also appreciated the colorful barns in the valley, especially the one displaying the American flag.
And the wildflowers were pretty nice.
In addition to the river, Yampa Valley has many lakes and ponds, mostly man-made. They not only make agriculture possible, but provide habitat for wildlife. During my travels here, I had lots of opportunities to photograph birds and other wildlife.
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| Western Chickadee |
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| Yellow Warbler |
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| Cliff Swallow |
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| Mule Deer |
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| American Kestrel |
One of the larger lakes, Lake Catamount, has an upscale country club and residential development underway.
Another lake is the site of Stagecoach State Park, popular for fishing and camping.
About twenty miles west of Steamboat, the small village of Hayden is home to the valley's regional airport, serving three major airlines that are most active in winter, bringing in thousands of people to the ski resort. I went there because it has a couple areas noted for birding. One of these, naturally, is along the river.
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| Cedar Waxwing |
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| Northern Flicker |
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Once again I drove some back roads through ranchland and was rewarded with plenty of wildlife.
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| Western Kingbird |
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| Eastern Kingbird |
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| Sandhill Crane |
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| Red-tailed Hawk |
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| Pronghorn |
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