Work has begun on Steamboat Resort’s $135 million "Full Steam Ahead" base area redevelopment and on-mountain improvement plan. The development is scheduled to be completed in two years.
Check in here for regular updates to the Steamboat Base Redevelopment.
What’s The Latest?
July 21, 2022
Construction is well underway this summer at Steamboat Resort - both on-mountain and at the base area. It's exciting watching all of the hard work come to fruition.
To update you on what to expect at Steamboat Resort this coming Winter 2022/23 Season:
Steamboat Base Area:
- Skeeter's Rink - An outdoor ice rink as the new centerpiece of Steamboat Square in the middle of the base area.
- The Range Food & Drink Hall - A two-story food hall at the base of the mountain with stalls including Sunshine Bowl Ramen, Pioneer Pie, Twister Tacos and Why Not Sweet Shop.
- Steamboat Square - The stage will be back! And lots of seating and firepits to enjoy.
- Happy Camp - A reminder that this new center for kids ages 1-4 moved to the Sheraton and has been renamed to Happy Camp from Kids Vacation Center.
Steamboat On-Mountain:
- Wild Blue Gondola - The lower leg of the new, top-to-bottom Wild Blue Gondola will launch this winter. It will bring skiers to a new mid-station adjacent to Bashor Bowl and to the location of the new learning center, Greenhorn Ranch.
- Greenhorn Ranch - This new spot on the Wild Blue Gondola is dedicated to beginner skiers and riders. It will have progressive terrain-based learning and slopes graded for beginners. Easy access with the new gondola!
More to come for 2023/24
- Wild Blue Gondola - The second, upper leg of the gondola will open Winter 2023/24, completing the top-to-bottom, 10-person gondola.
- Pioneer Ridge - Open in Winter 2023/24, this area will add 650 acres of advanced gladed terrain, making Steamboat the 2nd largest ski resort in Colorado.
October 8, 2021
The gondola cabins have been hung on the line and are ready to go! Still in progress are gondola load testing, escalator installation, and paver installation. One of the final pieces will be a concrete "lid" being placed over the lower plaza in mid-October. We're loving watching the transformation happen before our eyes.
If you'd love to watch along, too, you can see the construction teams working diligently to tie things up before the beginning of the season through this 'live' YouTube feed:
July 30, 2021
It feels like Steamboat's base area is looking different every day! With the demolition complete, it's now in the building phase. We wanted to check in with you and show you some of the progress and what you can expect in the days ahead.
Base Area Improvements
Upcoming Timeline
July 20, 2021
The new Gondola terminal is in place! The walls are being built for the operator cabin. The demolition of the stage is complete and work has begun on the utilities under the plaza. Work has begun on the "Gold Walk Entrance" including the foundation for the future escalator.
With all of this demolition and work, it's almost unrecognizable. We can't wait to see what's coming next!
June 8, 2021
Steamboat's Gondola building is coming down. Demolition and clearing of debris is happening at warp speed!
May 25, 2021
Watch the live feed of the demolition of the Steamboat ski school building. Making way for the future!
APRIL 19, 2021
After the mountain closed on Sunday, April 11, fencing went up and crews began clearing out the gondola and ski school building.
This is the first step being taken for the gondola square design as the gondola will be moved 300 feet east onto the mountain in place of where the magic carpets are currently. Demolition will likely begin in about a month.
Christie Peak chairlift will run this summer instead of the gondola.
What Are The Plans?
Plans: Gondola Square Redesign
The first step has already begun, which is moving the gondola to an on-snow location. It will move 300 feet east over Burgess Creek where the magic carpets currently are.
The current gondola and ski school building will be demolished to make way for a complete Gondola Square expansion and transformation.
Plans are for Gondola Square to become a multi-use, amenity-rich plaza with additional dining, retail and entertainment options, as well as adding welcoming gathering spaces. An ice rink, outdoor seating and fire pits are also in the plans.
Another exciting enhancement to Gondola Square is the arrival experience. There will be a new escalator to bring guests down into the square. This will eliminate the multiple levels of cumbersome stairs that currently exist.
Plans: On-Mountain Development
Over the next three years, there are master development plans in place for:
- Will be the longest 8-person gondola in North America at 3.16 miles from the base to the summit at the top of Sunshine Peak.
- Will increase the out-of-base capacity from 6,000 people per hour to 10,000 people per hour.
- Will provide access to a new ski school area in the current Bashor Bowl.
- This would expand the trail map by 20% to a total of 3,620 acres – would make Steamboat the second largest ski area in Colorado.
