Thanks to exceptional snowfall the past two months, the ski season at Steamboat has been extended for an additional week.
Many destination ski resorts are reluctant to extend their spring seasons, even when snow cover on their slopes is substantial, because of seasonal work forces and the tendency of skiers and snowboarders to start thinking about warm-weather pursuits in the spring.
This year, though, Steamboat couldn’t resist. The last time Steamboat extended its season for a full week was 1993. One day was added in 2007.
The new Steamboat closing date for 2023 is April 16.
Steamboat received 100 inches of snow in December and again in January, and it has continued to receive amazing snow totals. Its current base at mid-mountain stands at 6 feet, and the overall snowpack is 32% above normal. In Colorado, only Wolf Creek has a greater mid-mountain base depth (7 feet, 7 inches).
“Details on what will be available the extra week are still being determined, but guests can expect most lifts and many restaurants to be open,” Steamboat spokeswoman Loryn Duke said in a news release. “Updates will be available on the website and app.”
The snow keeps on coming, too. Steamboat is forecast to receive 19 inches of new snow over the next five says and 14 more in the five days that follow, according to the OpenSnow forecasting and reporting service.