Need Steamboat MTB advice

[smmokan]

I'll be in Steamboat this weekend and will have quite a bit of free time on my hands... I'm hoping to do some XC riding up there- does anyone know of some good trails besides the downhill lift-accessed stuff they have? I'm an intermediate rider, if that helps any.


- These Rocky Mountains aren't very rocky at all, man. That John Denver is full of shit.

[Ubersheist]

On the smaller ski area (Howelson Hill) west of town, there's loads of nifty criss-crossing mtb trails for all abilities. They're all over the place on that hill. It's hard not to find one that matches your ability.

The classic mtb trail in the area is a car shuttle (or RT for the uberfit) from Steamboat Ski Area to Rabbit Ears Pass. I've heard it's an all-day doozy, but not very technical. There's a couple of good bike shops in town. Check with them. They have maps and can line you out.

[Squirrel99]

Spring Creek is accessed via the Buffalo Pass road (starts behind the high school from town). Not very techincal but it's FAST and zippy. Couple of optional creek crossings that were still good in July '03. You can either shuttle this route, ride up it, or access it by riding up the Pass.

Good bike shop near the Taco Bell. Can't remember the name, though.

If you do some lift served, from top of Thunderhead- hook up with the painful forest access road to Storm Peak. From there you can access Pete's Wicked Trail - which has a little bit of anything- so distant, you probably won't see many riders. Lots of meadows, then a short climb to reach back up to mid-mountain where you can connect to the Valley View trail (highly recommend)- it's pretty beat up, but fast, steep, got some tech. aspects to it.

Grab a beer at the Tugboat afterwards- see if this guy 'Bama is still bartending- he unloaded a bunch of free Rumpleminze shots on our Park City crew last year.

[Ubersheist]

The two shops I was thinking of are sort of in the northwest corner of town. One's in a really funky-shaped roundish sort of building with a 2nd story sort of widow's watch. About a block away on another street to the south is another good one.

I don't know about that one that Squirel99 is refering to. I spent most of my small amount of time at Steamboat in the northern part of the town. That one's obviously in the southern part of town, closer to the main, bigger ski area. There's a cool little bagel shop over by the Taco Bell, though...

There's a handful of other shops that are obviously ski shops in the winter and rent bikes in the summer, but aren't very specialized towards mtbiking in town. Just ask around for the bike shop in the funny round building, and I'm sure you'll get pointed in the right direction.

It's a way cool town, though. Be sure to go to Strawberry Hot Springs... one of the niftiest places in the state (so long as you're relatively open-minded and not too prudish)!

[Squirrel99]

I forget the name of the road but it starts just past the public hot springs in town (there's a large gas station on the left side of HWY 40 as you go toward ski area). Well this road takes a left and diagonal cut directly toward the ski area. Bike/Ski shop up ahead on the right in a shopping plaza (it's a stand alone building).

Well- not much help there. Sorry! But grab a pulled turkey/pork at the Smokehouse in town. Great spot to grab a beer with cheap food, nice peeps.

[gravitylover]

One of my all time favorite trails goes from the top of Rabbit Ears Pass to the top of Buffalo Pass. I think it's the 1101. It's been ten years since I've ridden it but the memories are still fresh. From the top of Buff pass you'd come down Spring Creek. Go to Ski and Bike Care downtown and ask Harry, he'll have the details.