Skiing at Steamboat Springs and soaking at Strawberry Hotsprings, with a break for snowmobiling! I try to get at least one western ski trip each winter. We had new snow each day, that was great, but it came with poor visibility which makes me ski defensively and so not as well as I should. I had a knee replacement a few years ago, and that knee works very well, but the other knee is now acting up, so I ski shorter days. But I am determined to keep skiing each year!
Steamboat Springs is named for the hot springs in the area-which give off steam like a steamer in the past. There are two springs-one in town (now housed in a building) and the Strawberry Hotsprings a few miles from town and outdoors.. The springs come out of the rocks at 140 degrees, with the water cooled to a hot tub temp of 104 degrees in one pool. Other pools are a bit cooler, and one is icy- not from the hot springs- that we didn’t go into! The pools were built with rock edges in the early 20th century and a popular diversion to ease sore muscles from skiing.
One of our group also organized a snowmobiling outing one afternoon. The only other time I have been on a snowmobile was in Yellowstone Park one Christmas vacation with my husband and sons. There we drove on snow-covered roads in the park and to Old Faithful. This time we drove thru woods and up hillsides, with blowing snow in some areas, and with four feet deep snow if we got off the trail. My shoulder muscles were tense from gripping the handles to steer and control the power. When we finished the 26-mile ride to the Wyoming border and back, I told the guides that this was not beginner terrain- quite a challenge for a novice! But another adventure in the snow!