Steamboat Living winter 2015

LIVING DOWN, SET, HIKE

NFLers at home in the ‘Boat

INSIDE: LOCALS ON TIMING, WHAT EL NIÑO SPELLS, STEAMBOAT’S MURALS AND MORE

WINTER 2015-16

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From arguments over sweaters, to bears breaking into Subarus, to men on horseback trotting into local watering holes, we promise you Steamboat Springs is no sleepy ski town.

shenanigans “This is one who’s who list you don’t want to be on. A quirky compilation of some of Steamboat's best — and wackiest — tales of the siren.”

– Eugene Buchanan, Steamboat Springs author

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THE BEST OF THE STEAMBOAT SPRINGS POLICE BLOTTER

A 128-page book filled with the best police blotter entries from the past 10 years.

This is the best of the Steamboat Springs police blotter from 2005 through 2014.

SKI TOWN SHENANIGANS

SKI TOWN For many locals, the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s police blotter is a breakfast staple.

SKI TOWN shenanigans THE BEST OF

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FROM THE EDITOR

We asked our staff: What Best of the Boat category do you think we should add?

Suzanne Schlicht Publisher Lisa Schlichtman Editor in chief

Best “Best of the Boat” contest

Eugene Buchanan Magazines editor Best Local Tradition

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

Laura Tamucci Multimedia sales manager

Down, Set...Ski! Am I the only one to do this? Every fall riding the bike path, I slalom around leaves, spots and other markings as if I’m running gates on the slopes. I veer this way and that, angling into turns and carving around whatever has fallen from the heavens like a veritable Lindsey Vonn vadeling down the Core Trail.

Not that I’m a racer. Far from it. All I have under my notched-on-the-last-hole belt are a few ski patrol races from my college days and cellar dweller finishes in Town Challenge series (rec division, if you must know).

But for some reason, plying my inner Bode Miller on the bike path comes as naturally as my thoughts about the upcoming ski season. People might mutter “doofus” at my derring-do, but so be it; it’s my way of bridging the seasons in Steamboat.

The real gates, of course, and harbingers of winter are the leaves. I’ll be turning wide and loose and then all of a sudden — leaf, leaf, leaf — a flush of foliage sends my handlebars weaving.

As fall progresses, more leaves flutter down, meaning more gates. September’s SuperG progresses to GS and finally a quick-turning slalom come October.

If I’m ripe for a shrink, so be it. The ritual is a surefire sign that the season itself is shrinking and winter’s on its way.

Of course, there are more obvious omens as well, from the sprinkler guy blowing out your lines to the first crop dust atop Mount Werner. It can even be found in the football games blaring from bar TVs along Yampa Avenue — which, ahem, brings up one of this issue’s stories on ex-NFLers living in town. So, too, can it be found in our annual Best of the Boat contest, whose tweener-season publication keeps it in front of visitors all winter long.

Recreational overlaps — such as bike slaloming around leaves — come with the territory here in Routt County, no matter what side of the equinox we’re on. And it’s these bridge seasons — when your golf bag, hockey gear, fly rod, bike and skate skis all jockey for position in your car back — that make living here so great.

Of course, some people get carried away, similar to when I found myself slalom-walking around leaves, which isn’t nearly as fun. And let me know if you ever see me weaving the cart down the grocery aisle ... then I’ll know I have a problem.

— Eugene Buchanan

Jim Patterson Assistant editor Lindsay Porter Creative services manager Steve Balgenorth Circulation manager Best Mudseason Special

Magazine sales Jenni DeFouw and Molly Reust

Best Steamboatrelated Fantasy Football Name

Photographers Austin Colbert, Scott Franz, Chris McGaw, Joel Reichenberger, John F. Russell and Matt Stensland Copy editors Jim Patterson, Mackenzie Yelvington Editorial intern Annie Martin

Best Appetizer

Advertising design Veronika Khanisenko, Mack Maschmeier, Chris McGaw and Jessica Wagner

Favorite Tree

Steamboat Living is published three times a year, in April, July and October, by the Steamboat Pilot & Today. Steamboat Living magazines are free.

For advertising information, call 970-871-4235.

To get a copy mailed to your home, call 970-871-4232.

Email letters to the editor to ebuchanan@SteamboatToday.com or call 970-870-1376.

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Departments

19

14

Quick Hits What El Niño spells for Steamboat, locals on timing, the perfect river tube, Steamboat’s multifaceted murals, ode to the gondola, and more

Steamboat Snapshots

126

Road Trip Skiing with Sol in Canada’s Monashees

130

43

5 minutes with New Steamboat Ski Area President Rob Perlman

Artist Profile Glasswork blower Jennifer Baker

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

111 45

Best of the Boat With a record number of respondents, our fifth annual Best of the Boat contest goes big, big, big.

Bonus: a special nod to the echelon enshrined in our five-time winners circle.

Best of the Boat Bonanza!

Fifth year anniversary draws record results

F

or a town with a population of 16,000, getting more than a third of them to vote — considering many of those are children — is no easy task. Yet that’s what transpired in this year’s annual Best of the Boat contest, with the fifth running of the event luring a record 5,686 voters to the polls to express their opinions about all things Steamboat.

In all, these voters cast 78,531 votes in 115 categories, from best cocktail to carpet shop. In analyzing the numbers, as well as showcasing the most voters

ever, this year’s contest also recorded the most ties.

Showing that our voters like to lick their fingers, the smallest margin of victory came in Best Wings, which saw The Tap House best Carl’s by a beak, 200 to 198. Others won by a landslide, a veritable Nixon over McGovern in 1972.

Voters have no qualms about where they like to buy their booze (Central Park Liquor won by the largest margin) or Mexican Food (arriba! Fiesta Jalisco for the fifth year). There were also some upsets, especially with leading contend-

ers like Rios bowing out of the running, leaving the Laundry free to waltz in and claim the cocktail prize with its fiery margarita. And for the first time, Back Door Grill usurped Big House Burgers in the coveted Best Burger category.

So, all in all, again it was a resounding success, painting a picture of our community’s opinion of everything from retailers and roofers to après options and Asian food. But enough of voting and results; now let’s all get out there and support our podium finishers who help make Steamboat shine.

Features

Special section

111

Down, Set...Hike: While Steamboat has its fair share of Olympians and other athletes, a few locals once made their livings on the gridiron. A look at a few you might run into in the gondola line.

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 43

On the cover: Olympian, three-time XGames silver medalist in snowboard cross and local mother of two, Erin Simmons-Nemec poses with gear and apparel from some of our 2015 Best of the Boat winners. Clothing: Ski Haus (Best Ski Shop/Sporting Goods Store); Snowboard: Powder Tools (Best Snowboard Shop); Hair: Hair on Earth (Best Place for a Hair Cut); Nails: and Steamboat Nails (Best Nail Salon). Erin and her husband, Kevin “Cactus” Nemec, own Cactofab. (Photo by John F. Russell)

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 11

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Hospital history

I enjoyed your story on the history of the hospital and its 100th anniversary. In 1921 the hospital moved to a converted apartment building on Seventh and Aspen rather than Seventh and Pine. Twenty-five years later, Dr. Willett and the community saw the need for a new structure and nonprofit to run it, so in 1946, the hospital building was purchased by the school district. The building served as the high school and junior high band room as well as the Seventh Street Playhouse before being torn down in 2005. I was “born in the band room,” as were several other old-timer friends, but not many of today’s residents remember the building.

— Marsha Campbell

Battle of the Jims

I just saw the recent issue of Steamboat Living and the battle of the Jims (Clark vs. Boyne) piece. That was a fun idea. We’re not going to have to arm wrestle to break the tie, are we?

— Jim Boyne, SSWSC

Jim vs. Jim

QUICK HITS

Two local leaders square off in Steamboatness

I

Jim Clark

CEO of Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association

n case you haven’t noticed, two different Jims recently took the helms of prominent Steamboat organizations — Jim Clark as head of the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association and Jim Boyne leading the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. This got us to thinking: Which one ranks higher in genuine Steamboatness? To find out, we pitted them head to head, assigning points for all things Steamboat. Here’s how they stack up.

Advantage

King City, Missouri, rural farm kid 25 until I gave it up In the market for a good deal Yes 25

t t t t

Snowshoes

tie

3

t

Float tube Only granddogs Emmy and Coco Yes Nope ... too old Four of ‘em Butcherknife for beer, BARley otherwise, Rio for margs

tie

t t

Yes

Own skate skis, cross-country skis, Telemark skis or a snowboard?

Number of Alpine skis owned?

Own a kayak, raft or canoe?

Dogs’ names?

Hunt?

Stripped down at Strawberry Park Hot Springs?

tie

Attended Cabaret or Pirate Theater?

Own Hiking the Boat?

Vanilla

t

Favorite Clark Store ice cream?

No

tie

Coach a kids team?

Not yet, looking right now

tie

t t t tie

1 Three of them Remy Martin, Pip and Izzy Not yet, but also not sure I’m interested I was paid not to Just waders and a few flies

t t tie

tie

The Hero of Waterloo in Sydney, Australia ... too many fine establishments here in Steamboat 10 Emerald Mountain Pirate Theater Yep Haven’t been there yet, but it’d be caramel sea salt

tie

Not yet

t t t

Cowboy hat, motorcycle boots

Valley View (for the view)!

tie

Favorite ski run?

tie

Crow Track over to Buddy’s Run

Not yet

tie

Ever early bird skied?

tie

Not yet

tie

Ever skin the mountain?

tie

Not yet, hoping for next season

Attend Sunset Happy Hour?

I’m shopping now!

Own cowboy boots?

Fish Creek Falls

Favorite hike?

My copy of Steamboat Living arrived today. Thanks so much for your story, “Hunting Hemingway,” on the release of my “Influencing Hemingway” book. You did a great job. He would have loved it here in Steamboat.

— Nancy Sindelar

Snowshoes

4 battle-tested river tubes

Not this one, but I have others

Don’t I wish ... too busy

Hemingway hero

Yes, I love to ride on Emerald Bad year ... knee injury on Scholarship Day

Favorite bar?

Favorite bike ride? tie

t

Own a fly rod?

Number of tubing trips last summer?

River Road / Core Trail

Jim Boyne

Mokena, Illinois

Own a road bike?

Number of ski days in 2014-15 season?

Thanks for a great magazine. I wanted to share this classic Steamboat photo of our newborn daughter, Ashtyn Adeline Lamb, who was born just in time to enjoy the last part of this renowned fall we’re having. The photo was taken by photographer Paula Jo Jacovetta, who, as we were taking our photos, saw the opportunity to capture her in a moment of western tranquility. I think her smile is from dreams of endless snowfall and maybe even standing atop an Olympic podium someday.

— David Lamb

Executive director of Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

Advantage

Severe ... I’ve only seen the good side of 100 a few times

Have a dog?

t

Haven’t yet ... got here too late First one this year!

Question Hometown?

Golf handicap?

Own a mountain bike?

Next generation

Yes I like the 10-mile loop around Gilpin Lake

It’s a draw!

Summer 2015 | STEAMBOAT LIVING

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STEAMBOAT SNAPSHOT

Bloody reflection “This photo was taken from the bank of the Yampa River near Rotary Park of the blood moon above Mount Werner with its reflection in the river.

The shot is two separate photographs taken just seconds apart — one for the moon and the other for the landscape.

Two shots were needed because of the different exposures needed for two differently lit objects.

The moon is very bright and doesn’t require much time for a photo. The landscape required about 30 seconds to bring out the foreground and stars. Then I stacked the two photos on top of each other to create this image.”

Photo by Matt Helm 14 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

Have a great Steamboat shot? Email your photo to ebuchanan@SteamboatToday.com

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STEAMBOAT SNAPSHOT “I took this shot up at Dry Lake in the peak of color season by using an incamera HDR setting. This means it took three shots at the same time at three different exposures and then combined them together in the camera.

The settings were at F 4.5, ISO 200 at 1/200th second. The sun was setting to the west when I took it, making all the colors amazing.”

Photo by Matt Helm

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QUICK HITS

What does El Niño spell?

O

kay, all you closet storm chasers, it’s official: El Niño’s back.

In techo-speak parlance, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society has issued an El Niño Advisory for the Northern Hemisphere this winter, reporting that “sea surface temperature anomalies were near or greater than 2 degrees Celsius across the eastern half of the tropical Pacific, with large positive subsurface temperature anomalies also persisting in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific, with the largest departures exceeding 6 degrees Celsius.” Collectively, the report concludes, “these atmospheric and oceanic anomalies reflect a strong El Niño.”

What’s that spell for our snowpack in Steamboat? Don’t necessarily start stocking up the snow shovels.

“In speaking with meteorologists, we think that this winter will be an average snowfall season,” says Steamboat Ski Area spokesperson Loryn Kasten.

Of course, after last year that’s welcome news, especially with Steamboat’s 10year average hovering at 349 inches. “We tend to like neutral or weak El Niño/La Niñas versus strong ones,” she adds.

If this year’s El Niño turns out as big as 1997-98’s, the strongest one on record and the year Chris Farley spoofed El

Niño on Saturday Night Live, the barometer dips; Steamboat only received 291 inches that season.

But don’t put all your predictions solely in the El Niño bassinet, says Denver’s KMGH meteorologist Matt Makens. “El Niño is part of a complex global weather pattern and can’t be singled out as the cause for a specific type of weather feature,” he says.

In his detailed analysis, during El Niño years, the state as a whole has experienced above average precipitation in spring, summer and fall, with winter hovering near average. But there is a good chance of snorkel-day dumps. “Out of Denver’s 24 biggest single snowstorms, nine came in El Niño years,” he says. “With El Niño we’re more than two times as likely to have a bigger singular snowfall event, providing other mitigating factors do not overcome the event.”

Still, you’re almost as good noting the height of the local skunk cabbage.

“There’s no apparent connection between the strength of El Niño and a wet winter or spring,” he admits. “El Niño is a fantastic water-cooler topic, but it’s a very poor indicator, on the broad view, as to what a winter can bring Colorado.”

— Eugene Buchanan

Steamboat snowfall in past El Niño winters

1987-88 333.5 inches

1997-98 291 inches

2002-03 344 inches

2009-10 261 inches

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 19

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QUICK HITS

Steamboat Scuttlebutt Crane factoids

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

Packing a punch

That lightning storm that passed through Steamboat the evening of Aug. 27 was a doozy. Just ask the Yampa Valley Electric Association, which says the strikes hit 13th Street near the Fairview and Dream Island areas, knocking power out for 45 minutes. In all, 166 association members were affected by outage.

“Surprisingly there weren’t more outages, but the lightning was striking cloud to cloud instead of cloud to ground,” says YVEA communications manager Tammi McKenzie. Lineman Perry Baker admits that the storm “was pretty intense” and that their troubleshooting truck even almost got struck. McKenzie says the lightning must have hit several times because it knocked out three fuses. Fun fact: The strikes could have contained up to 1 billion volts and billions of watts.

New cat for Chief

Don’t be surprised if you hear some purring along with the applause at Chief Theater shows. The cultural center officially adopted a new cat, a domestic short-hair 6-yearold stray from the animal shelter, affectionately named Inky for its black color. “It was in pretty bad shape, but it’s great,” says executive director Scott Parker. “I just love cats.

It was a good way to save a cat.”

Skydiving son

With 2,400 jumps under his belt as a professional skydiver, local Zachary R. Sabel, 38, is well used to the vacuum created behind him as he plummets back to Earth. He’s getting accustomed to the land-based kind as well, returning to Steamboat this past April to help his dad run The Carpet Shoppe.

“Basicaly, I traveled the country from coast to coast helping out at skydiving events,” says Sabel, who spent the last year running a skydiving school in Chicago. “But we really missed the mountains and it’s great to be back.” And by the way, the owner of three world skydiving records, two national records and nine state records says that dead airspace above you isn’t called a vacuum; technically it’s known as a “burble.”

Info: zrsbodyflight.com.

The fourth annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival has officially flown the coop, but not without giving festival-goers a weekend of marveling at the ancient aviaries. With the Bud Werner Memorial Library as its headquarters, the festival included five days of guided crane viewings, birding walks, expert speakers, films, photography and journaling workshops, kids activities, sketch-a-bird workshops and more.

Did you know?

Cranes are the oldest living species of bird, dating back 10 million years.

Sandhill cranes begin to arrive in the Yampa Valley in early March and leave by late September.

Greater Sandhill Cranes can reach 5 feet tall, weigh 14 pounds and have a wingspan of 6 feet.

Adult cranes have grey feathers. They paint them with ironladen mud and vegetation to turn them rust-color for camouflage during breeding season.

Cranes can live 15 to 20 years.

With moves passed down from parents, dancing lets rivals assess each other before courtship. They’re considered the most accomplished dancers in the animal kingdom, other than people.

Cranes’ communication system signals danger and keeps the group together. Their calls can be heard as much as a mile away.

Cranes can fly up to 500 miles in a single day, often as high as 13,000 feet.

Fish conductor

As conductor of the Omaha and Steamboat Symphony orchestras, Ernest Richardson is used to waving his batons around. But a closer look at his batons’ tips reveals another passion involving swinging a rod back and forth — this time over a stream instead of a symphony. Inlaid into each baton tip are his two favorite flies for the Yampa River: a Rusty spinner and chartreuse midge pupa.

“That’s what I use every time I come here,” says Richardson, as avid a caster as he is a conductor.

“I came up with the idea to inlay them in my batons when I was working on my house in Omaha.”

Similarities between the two motions, he says, depend on the music. “If the music is broad and sweeping, you don’t use much wrist, just like fly fishing,” he says.

“And once you’re in the zone, both the music and water compel your gestures.”

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 21

QUICK HITS

F

orget Neil Young and Steamboat’s harvest moon, local woodworker Eric Baker will take his Harvest Skis.

That’s the brand he’s breathing life into in his new line of garage-made, wooden skis.

Baker, a former arborist and current mandolin player for Old Town Pickers, picked up the ski-making bug last winter after buying a steel ski press in Denver.

He’s made 40 pairs so far, all from local aspen.

“It’s a great wood for skis,” he says.

“It’s light and responsive, with a nice dampening feel. Plus, it’s beautiful. What might seem like imperfections are natural cosmetic details, showcasing the core of the ski. You see exactly what you’re skiing.”

As for the agriculture-themed name, Baker wanted to tie it to the time of year when people think about skiing.

“Plus, you can use them to farm powder,” he says.

That’s done via a hybrid camber, which incorporates rockered tips, traditional camber underfoot and semi-flat

22 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

tails. The Trench Town Rocker is an all-mountain powder ski (168, 178 and 188 cm), with a 152-mm tip and 115-mm waist; the more traditional Home Grown (166, 176, 186 mm) has a 133-mm tip and 104-mm waist; and the new Pow Cow carries a 150-mm tip and beefy 124mm waist.

“They’re all great for Steamboat,” says Baker, who’s also experimenting with adding touring scales to the bottom.

While he admits “a lot of blood, sweat and tears go into making them,” he hopes to build another 50 pairs this season, saturating Steamboat’s slopes with his home-spun schussing creations.

“It’s something I always wanted to do,” says Baker, who’s put his Ski Town Tree Care business on hold while he churns out skis. “It’s a craft, like making home brew. I love making them, and it’s pretty cool skiing skis you made yourself. But I’m going to have to move the press this winter so my wife can have the garage back.”

Info: harvestskis.com — Eugene Buchanan

PHOTO BY CAMILLA MARION BLOOM

Harvest skis

Watch out K2: Baker, basking in his new line of Harvest Skis.

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QUICK HITS

Grand ol’ Gondola: In 2016, the Steamboat Gondola celebrates its 30th year of operation.

Ode to Gondola Gondola celebrates 30 years, 80,000 hours in 2016

I

f only our cars enjoyed this kind of longevity.

In 2016, the Steamboat Gondola, once affectionately known as the Silver Bullet, celebrates its 30th year of operation, a milestone for any machine helping us access the goods.

Steamboat’s first gondola, the Bellmade Stagecoach Gondola, was originally built in 1970 and ran for 17 winters before being replaced by the current one. “It was one of the great attractions in northwest Colorado,” says vice president of mountain operations Doug Allen.

“It put Steamboat on the world’s ski map.

Resort founder John Fetcher once says, ‘We went out on a limb to build a gondola that ended up building Steamboat.”

It was forward thinking, Allen says, with Fetcher traveling to Switzerland to purchase it. When Allen arrived in 1986, the resort was turning it out to pasture for the current one, a “monumental project that attracted the attention of all European lift designers.” Engineers were

just perfecting the mono-cable lift system whose detachable grips would allow cabins to slow down for loading and unloading. The design also eliminated the need for track ropes, enabling faster speeds and higher skier capacity.

Now the grand ol’ machine is entering its fourth decade delivering skiers and snowboarders to the slopes of Mount Werner. By next summer, it will have amassed 80,000 hours of operation. “We know of no other gondola anywhere in the world with so many successful hours of operation,” Allen says, touting its nighttime use as well.

Allen says the resort is working on plans to replace Old Faithful in the coming years, but that in the meantime, similar to a horse with life still in its legs, it’ll continue its tireless task. “It’s remained the standard in the industry for reliability,” Allen says, crediting its redundant safety systems for its almost continuous operation. “It almost never stops.”

— Eugene Buchanan

Steamboat Gondola stats 1970 — Year Stagecoach Gondola was built 1986 — Year current gondola was built, the world’s first eight-passenger gondola 2,800 — Skier capacity per hour 80,000 — Hours of operation it will accumulate by its 30th birthday next summer 2.8 million — Miles these 80,000 hours would equate to were it a bus traveling at 35 mph 908,800 — Miles the haul rope will have traveled, four times the distance from Earth to the moon 11.36 — Miles per hour the haul rope travels 766 — Kegs of sponsor Coors Light beer (Silver Bullets) used for initial ballast testing in 1986

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 25

QUICK HITS

Tube titan: Former Steamboat local Sebastian Schleicher kicking back on his new Tubular Tube.

That’s tubular Building the perfect river tube

T

hink your river ride is sweet? Try the new Tubular Tube being launched through Kickstarter by former Steamboat resident Sebastian Schleicher.

Schleicher, a Yampa-tubing regular who lived in town from 2005 to 2008 while working for BOA, launched a $25,000 campaign to fund his creation this fall. The result: what he calls the Cadillac of tubing comfort.

Retailing for $99, the Tubular is made with heavy duty, 6mm PVC and comes with bluetooth speaker, drybag, cooler and electric pump. He calls it the most comfortable and durable tube on the water today.

“It became an obsession once we used some of the market’s current tubes on Utah’s Weber River,” he says. “It wasn’t really the best experience. We wanted something better.”

Enter the Tubular, which is perfect for the Yampa, he says, because it’s big enough to handle the rapids yet when the water’s low you won’t be dragging your butt. “You can also enjoy your tunes and favorite beverage until you hit Sunpies for a slurricane,” he says. “And the cooler will hold your trash to keep it out of the Yampa.”

To create the perfect tube, he first listed what was missing from traditional floaties: a bigger seat; a removable flip-top cooler; safe storage for phones and other essentials; cup holders; the ability to blare tunes; and handles for going over that inadvertent drop. Above all, he adds, it had to be rugged. “After some initial mock-ups, we finally nailed down our first prototype,” he says. “Then we went for a look that would reflect the mission and soul of the tube.”

— Eugene Buchanan

Marketing gems straight from brochure

Derriere R&D: Early prototypes and designs for the Tubular Tube.

26 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

Designed by two of the most sober people in our company.

Comes with so many accessories that your Swiss Army knife will ask it to the Sadie Hawkins Dance.

Lightweight design makes it easy to toss over the neighbor’s fence when you’re sneaking into their pool.

More durable than those barrels the dwarves used to float the river in “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug.”

Every aspect has been rigorously developed, tested and fine-tuned by some of the biggest slackers in the outdoor community.

After watching one too many episodes of Miami Vice, we landed on a graphic Don Johnson would be at home with.

We hear our burgers are the Best of the Boat.

Come in and judge for yourself.

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 27 825 Oak St, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 路 backdoorburgergrill.com

QUICK HITS

Word of the month

“There’s no crystal ball to help us with timing of new product introductions, so we live by a few general rules. First, if we think it’s a great idea, and it’s ready to bring to market, then why wait? We’ve introduced products very late in the ‘traditional’ development cycle for camping equipment and hit home runs in terms of sales and reviews.

Second, no focus group will tell us more than our own employees, ambassadors, sales reps and key retailers whose opinions we trust and who we share new product samples with. Finally, if people in the industry are scratching their heads wondering how we pulled off a successful product launch of something truly groundbreaking, like our mtnGLO tents with integrated LED lights, then our timing was probably perfect!”

— Bill Gamber, president, Big Agnes/BAP/Honey Stinger 28 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

“Timing is everything and this holds especially true in the law. The scales of justice may tip ever so slightly based upon it. Time is ‘of the essence’ in many legal respects and relationships: Timing to notify, to defend, to go on the offensive, to await actions of others, to accrue or toll, timing to file, timing to present evidence. The list goes on and on. The right timing is power. The wrong timing is weakness. Like a game of chess, making the right move at the right time will result in checkmate, and in the realm of the law, this will provide a successful outcome. Golda Meir stated, ‘I must govern the clock, not be governed by it,’ and as a counselor at law, I can fully relate to that.”

— Dave Nagel, P.C., managing partner, Feldmann Nagel, LLC

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVE NAGEL

5 locals share their thoughts on “Timing”

Thank you, Steamboat, For Voting for us!

970.870.1544 ¡ 635 Lincoln Avenue

Located downstairs at the corner of 7th and Lincoln Ave

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(970) 870-7870 9:00 am- 7:00 pm

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

QUICK HITS

“A lot of yoga relates to timing, depending on the style you’re practicing and teacher.

One area is the length of time between postures. In some classes, the tempo is quicker, linking breath with movement: one posture per every breath. In others, you may hold a posture longer; the pausing can foster emotions and releases in that area of the body. Breathing techniques also center around timing. You can keep your inhale and exhale lengths the same, focus on the exhale by releasing your stagnate breath or concentrate on the inhale for full expansion. Holding your breath for a certain amount of time is also used in pranayama (breathing) techniques.”

— Valerie D’Ambrosio, yoga teacher

970-879-1114

Downtown Corner of 9th & Lincoln

Your Local Friendly Pharmacy

Old Fashioned Soda Fountain

Great Gifts Beverly

30 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

Katie

Alex

Ginny

Jamie

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

QUICK HITS “A lot of success in real estate comes from timing, whether you’re a buyer, seller or agent. I got started when the market was in the doldrums and a lot of agents had left.

Then it started gaining steam and so did my business. That timeliness allowed me to stay and raise my family here. Timing can be a big factor when you’re buying a property, as well. Often people interested in a property take their time because it’s been on the market for so long.

But then someone comes by who’s ready to buy and the property gets sold from underneath them. It hurts to lose an opportunity like that when your timing isn’t right. Sellers also often get hurt on their timing.

When the market is hot, people hold as they see values going up, waiting to sell when they see values flattening out. But by then it might be on the downslide, which happened in 2007-08. We still haven’t caught up to that seven years later.

It’s easy to blame things on fate, but I’ve always felt timing and being able to make timely decisions is the key to most successes.”

— Cam Boyd, broker/owner, Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 31

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

QUICK HITS

“Timing, in its various forms, has always been crucial to everything I’ve done in my life. When I was a skier, hitting my peak fitness during the most important events all revolved around the timing of our training programs.

The timing of the takeoff on a ski jump is also crucial. If you’re a little bit late or early when you start your jump, it can ruin the whole thing. Timing is equally important in my new career of fly-fishing. The long casts the sport demands are all about timing. There is almost no power involved, it’s all about the timing of the casting stroke. Also getting on the right water at the right time helps, too. Too late or too early, and you might be out of luck.”

— Johnny Spillane, Olympic medalist Nordic combined, owner Steamboat Flyfisher

2015 nominations

Best Burger

Best Cocktail 32 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

Best Italian Best Family DininG

TIRES · SHOCKS · STRUTS BRAKES · ALIGNMENTS Tires, service, express lube, gas stop and car wash, we are Yampa Valley Tire Pros, your one stop for auto care!

2440 LINCOLN AVE, STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO 80487

) 879-6550 www.yvtirepros.com · (970) 879-7779· (Winter 9702015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 33

QUICK HITS

Mural mania Inside Steamboat’s outdoor artwork Steamboat may not have the street art scene of LA’s Sunset Strip, but its multitude of murals paint a different picture. Scattered throughout town, these hidden masterpieces adorn area buildings, bathrooms and alleyways, giving passersby a glimpse into artists’ styles and Steamboat’s support of the arts. Yielding the brush behind most is Steamboat Springs artist Chula Beauregard, who has painted murals since 1997 and is passionate about the value of public art. “It’s been hugely satisfying working with various groups in town and doing my best to represent their vision,” she says. “Murals can act as a visual language of our culture and signposts for our town, celebrating what makes our community so special.”

4

Strawberry Park Elementary School

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

34 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

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Bike Town USA Location: Steamboat Ski and Bike Kare Artist: Chula Beauregard

To see Steamboat’s communal passion for biking, look no further than the 12-foot-by-20-foot mural on the side of Steamboat Ski and Bike Kare downtown. Adorning the store’s eastern brick wall since 2011, the painting’s $12,000 price tag was funded by grants and community donations, including those from Bike Town USA and Routt County Riders, to show biking as a story through public art. “We wanted to capture the entirety of Steamboat’s biking culture,” says Beauregard. “But the more we got into it, we realized the variety of biking in Steamboat.” The painting depicts everything from downhillers and road riders to cruisers and the Town Challenge mountain bike series. Look in the middle and you’ll also find re-painted kids’ art of various types of cycling. “I sifted through drawings from local sixth-graders and then re-traced them,” she says. The result is a testimony to all Steamboat cyclists and the tight knit community they form.

Steamboat circa 1910 Location: Yampa River Core Trail Artist: Chula Beauregard

Arguably the widest mural in Steamboat’s quiver, this painting faces the Core Trail east of the James Brown Bridge and blends town’s Western history with its modern innovation in the arts. The mural is based on an actual historical representation of the Yampa Valley in 1910, and the work was funded by the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation. Perhaps most unique is its use of the building’s hardware — including pipes serving as train smokestacks and wagon doors, and an awning as a cabin — and items such as real wagon wheels that lend it a threedimensional industrial element. “It was a super fun project to think of how to incorporate everything into the painting,” says Beauregard.

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

QUICK HITS

2

GManufacturer E T YO Uof ROutdoor G E Gear A R sinceF R1985O M B A P Home of

STEAMBOAT’S BEST UNDER ONE ROOF!

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 35

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

QUICK HITS

5

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

This mural is far from being child’s play. Parents taking children to Stockbridge Playground will be pleased to find this artwork lighting up the playground’s false building fronts with its lively colors and Old West theme. Funded by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department in 2006, the artwork transforms what

would otherwise be mundane space into usable art that captures Steamboat’s Western spirit. The focal point of a playground, which includes jungle gyms, slides, bouncy animals and more, the mural’s front side depicts such Western buildings as a saloon, sheriff’s office, bank, general store and town hall, while the back is painted to match Steamboat’s scenery. “We conceived it to add a personal, handmade element to the playground,” says Ernie Jenkins, who commissioned the project. “It adds a ‘Steamboat’ element to the manufactured playground equipment.”

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

Western Town Location: Stockbridge playground Artist: Chula Beauregard

3

Howie Location: Howelsen Ice Arena Artist: Chula Beauregard

Nothing says welcome like ice skating polar bears. At least that’s what the city’s Parks and Recreation Department had in mind when commissioning this 8-foot-by-10-foot mural for the Howelsen Ice Arena in 2002. Similar to the biking theme in her Bike Town USA mural, this time Beauregard captures the diversity of town’s skating community, depicting scarf-wearing bears doing a variety of skating stunts and hockey moves against the backdrop of Mount Werner. And there’s no need to go on a hunt to find it; it’s the first thing you see when entering the arena. “It makes the entrance to the ice arena welcoming,” says Ernie Jenkins, who helped spearhead the project. “The public loved watching her paint it.” Best of all? It helps all skaters feel warm and fuzzy before hitting the ice.

36 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

4

Our Place, Our Home Location: Strawberry Park Elementary Artist: Chula Beauregard/elementary students Beauregard doesn’t always work alone. For this mural inside the Strawberry Park Elementary School, she had students draw and talk about “their place and home,” resulting in more than 100 student-drawn sketches. “I took all of them and then tried to put them into a comprehensive design,” she says. To do so, she projected them onto a panel and then traced them before they were finally painted in by the students. “All I did was trace them and then clean up the edges a bit after they painted them,” she says. The proposal was created by retired librarian Sherry Holland and art teacher Erin Kries and helped the students be involved in a hands-on, lasting piece of art.

REP RE ENT ING YA MPA VALLE Y’ F I NE T LOCAL ARTI T

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Every Dog’s Favorite Place to Stay!

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QUICK HITS 4 To Strawberry Park Elementary School

9

2

5

7

Yampa St.

1 Fifth St.

Lincoln Ave.

6

3

8 10 To Tree Haus Bridge

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

Steamboat Mural Locations

7

6

Respect the Yampa Location: Backdoor Sports Artist: Chula Beauregard

This mural was commissioned by Backdoor Sports owner Peter Van De Carr in 1995 to depict the many faces of one of town’s greatest natural amenities: the Yampa River. “I had a theme I sort of wanted, and she just ran with it,” he says, adding that the painting is front and center of everyone who walks into the store. “The idea was to show the river as it progresses and that it’s there for everybody, from skiers using its snow high up in the mountains to kayakers, tubers and fly fishermen.

She did a great job.” Beauregard, who says she was working at the store at the time “for deals on paddling gear,” says she painted it during a nascent part of her career, but that its message remains strong. “We wanted to try and get across the spirit of the Yampa and the importance of respecting it,” she says.

38 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

The Seasons in Steamboat/The Scream/ Red Hills and White Skull Location: Elk Park Artist: Elementary school students

Young at Art, originally known as Kaleidoscope, is a program centered on “self-expression, communication and creative problem solving.” The group’s mural, plastered on the unlikely cinderblock canvas of the Elk Park bathroom, is a testament to Young at Art’s mission. Depicting a montage of skiers billowing in powder, the slopes of Mount Werner, as well as horses, rabbits and other animals, the project was funded by the Steamboat Springs Art Council and was completed in 2010 by 20 elementary school students enrolled in the Young at Art’s summer camp program. The painting on the other side of the building was completed by two middle school students in 2011 who researched their favorite artist and then re-created one of their pieces. The murals are both unexpected and a welcome splash of color for those passing through the park.

Serving the ‘boat with the freshest ingredients and spices to create great Mexican cuisine with a modern twist, with different types of sauces like our poblaño cream, chipotle, and our fire roasted tomato salsa.

Happy Hour Every day 3 - 6 GPS ESBGUT t XFMMT IPVTF NBSHT t UFRVJMB TIPUT UBDPT mTI DBSOJUBT DIJDLFO

Steamboat Springs’ Margarita House

Bartender Specials

More than 50 varieties.

Large parking lot located in Central Park Plaza.

Reservations recommended during busy season.

Large parties welcome.

1755 Central Park Drive www.lafiestagrillandcantina.com

970-879-6393

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 39

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

QUICK HITS The Emerald Garden Location: Yampa River Botanic Park Artist: Chula Beauregard Painted in 2001, this shed adornment was commissioned largely to help hide the outside of an unseemly shed commanding a corner of the Botanic Park along the Yampa River. Mimicking the verdant foliage and ridge line of Emerald Mountain behind it, Beauregard calls it “one of her early works” and downplays its contribution to the local outdoor art scene. “They wanted to cover up a shed in the middle of the garden and have it blend into the garden more,” she says. “At the time the shed stuck out like a sore thumb, but now the bushes and trees around it have grown so it doesn’t stick out as much anymore.”

8

40 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

9

Starry Night/Cafe Terrace at Night Location: Deja Vu Boutique Artist: Donna Steele

Best Apres Scene After a day on the hill relax at Slopeside Grill

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

Inspired by Van Gogh, Steamboat’s newest mural was finished by artist Donna Steele in May 2015 and was commissioned by former Deja Vu Boutique owner Katie Gaylord. “She wanted something that draws your eye back toward that area of the building,” says Steele, who completed the work in five days and had to get out early, before it got too hot to paint.

“She specifically wanted Cafe Terrace at Night, and then we came up with the idea to wrap Starry Night around it going up the stairs.” For the Cafe depiction, regarded as Van Gogh’s most famous painting, Steele took a photo and then gridded it off into squares to repaint. Starry Night, she says, “was more of an interpretation.” On a side note, she adds that just as she was finishing the piece, a viral post swept the Internet interpreting the white-robed waiter and diners in Van Gogh’s original Cafe Terrace as representing Jesus and his disciples.

970-879-2916

Located at the base of the mountain with free underground parking

Mountain living at its best sushi - steak - ramen - more

Creative Japanese Cuisine you don’t want to miss

10

1875 Ski Time Square | 970-761-2087 Reservations accepted on Open Table.

Graffiti Location: Tree Haus Bridge Artist: Unknown

We’re not L.A., but we do have bastions of basic graffiti.

Not to glorify this defacing of public property, one of the most artistic examples of graffiti can be found beneath the Tree Haus Bridge. While not on par with the Fremont pictographs of nearby Dinosaur National Monument, the drawings are likely the work of more than one artist, featuring overlay upon overlay.

The grassroots, underground style likely also denotes the customary code names and monikers of the vandals in question.

—Annie Martin/Eugene Buchanan

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 41

42 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

ARTIST PROFILE

A Glass Act: Local artist Jennifer Baker pulls a stream of glass in her Steamboat Springs art studio.

A drive to create

Glasswork blower Jennifer Baker

C

olor gleams in the reflection of translucent light as the uncertainty of Jennifer Baker’s final product takes shape. She’s not exactly sure how it will turn out, but everyone who is familiar with her and her glasswork knows it will be beautiful.

Glasswork is a process that takes precision, patience and an acceptance of the unexpected. Baker knows the elements of this process well and has worked in this artistic medium since 2007, when she moved to Steamboat Springs from Cincinnati, Ohio.

“I feel like I’ve always been an artist,” Baker says. “It’s not something I decided to do, it’s something that’s always sort of been within me, that drive to create.”

After working in a wide variety of mediums, she says that as she got older there was a natural transition to glasswork and something just clicked. “I never looked back after I learned how to work

with glass,” she says. “I’m not sure what it was, but I was always drawn to it.”

Immersing herself in the depth of color and texture of Steamboat’s mountain landscape, Baker’s glasswork incorporates characteristics that are ever-present in the Yampa Valley, such as the expansive skies, glistening lakes, wildflowers, fish and aspen trees. With her work resembling more of an organic foundation with its fluidity, she often starts with one idea and continues in an entirely different direction.

“Some ideas I just sort of go with it,” Baker says. “I don’t like to rush through anything. I want it done right and to come out the way I envision it in my mind.”

Typically, her process starts with a sheet of glass as her canvas, which then transforms as she builds upon layers of glass and colors before firing the glass in a kiln. Her experience in glasswork has enabled her to know which temperature

will create the right results.

“I’m largely self taught, mostly by trial and error and a lot of frustration,” Baker says. “I feel like there is always something new to learn. A lot of times, if I’m curious about something, I’ll try it. Sometimes, it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Her work was recently featured in the “Symbiosis” exhibit at the Depot Art Center with David Marshal’s metal sculptures.

Her pieces also have been a mainstay at the Circle 7 Fine Art Gallery downtown for the past three years.

“Coming from the city forced me to slow down and appreciate my surroundings,” Baker says. “I started to notice a lot of things I hadn’t before. That helped me see the nature and beauty around me because I wasn’t in such a fast-paced environment anymore. I actually have the time to appreciate it.”

— Audrey Dwyer Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 43

44 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

Best of the Boat Bonanza!

Five-year anniversary draws record results

F

or a town with a population of 16,000, getting more than a third of them to vote — considering many of those are children — is no easy task.

Yet that’s what transpired in this year’s annual Best of the Boat contest, with the fifth running of the event luring a record 5,686 voters to the polls to express their opinions about all things Steamboat.

In all, these voters cast 78,531 votes in 115 categories, from best cocktail to best carpet shop. In analyzing the numbers, as well as showcasing the most voters ever, this year’s contest also recorded

the most ties.

Showing that our voters like to lick their fingers, the smallest margin of victory came in best wings, which saw The Tap House Sports Grill best Carl’s by a beak, 200 to 198. Others won by a landslide, a veritable Nixon over McGovern in 1972. Voters have no qualms about where they like to buy their booze (Central Park Liquor won by the largest margin) or Mexican food (¡arriba!

Fiesta Jalisco for the fifth year). There were also some upsets, especially with leading contenders such as Rio bowing

out of the running, leaving the Laundry free to waltz in and claim the cocktail prize with its fiery margarita. And for the first time, Back Door Grill usurped Big House Burgers in the coveted best burger category.

So, all in all, again it was a resounding success, painting a picture of our community’s opinion of everything from retailers and roofers to après options and Asian food. But enough of voting and results; now let’s all get out there and support our podium finishers who help make Steamboat shine.

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 45

BEST OF 2015

TOP 10 VOTE GETTERS 959 CENTRAL PARK LIQUOR BEST LIQUOR STORE

FUNNIEST ANSWER: BEST MASSAGE: ROUTT COUNTY REPUBLICANS!

718 CREEKSIDE CAFE & GRILL BEST BREAKFAST SPOT

675 LIFE ESSENTIALS DAY SPA BEST SPA

594 PAWS ’N CLAWS ALL THINGS PET

BY THE NUMBERS 78,531 TOTAL VOTES CAST 5,686 TOTAL VOTERS

BEST PET STORE

593 FIESTA JALISCO BEST MEXICAN FOOD

564 CIAO GELATO

BEST ICE CREAM/FROZEN YOGURT

115 SURVEY CATEGORIES

513 SLOPESIDE GRILL

14 CATEGORIES IN WHICH RMR WAS LISTED

509 NOODLES & MORE SIAGON CAFE

11 TIES, THE MOST OF ANY YEAR 200:198 CLOSEST MARGIN (BEST WINGS)

BEST APRÉS

BEST ASIAN

489 MOUNTAINBREW BEST COFFEE SHOP

475 OLD TOWN HOT SPRINGS BEST FITNESS CENTER/GYM

46 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

BEST OF 2015

N

Year of the tie

o, it’s not the Year of the Tiger. It’s the year of the tie, with this year’s contest resulting in more draws than there are in Vermillion Basin. By the time our talliers finished up, no fewer than 11 categories saw the votes come out even-steven, including five ties for third, two for second and four for first. “I’m not sure what it was, but it was the first time we’ve seen that many,” says contest organizer Jenni DeFouw. “And they happened in a wide range of categories.” Next up: an arm wrestling match?

TIED FOR FIRST PLACE BEST MARIJUANA STORE

GOLDEN LEAF AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN REMEDIES BEST PLACE FOR A HAIRCUT

10TH STREET BARBERSHOP AND HAIR ON EARTH BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER

OLIVIA KIMMETH AND VALERIE STAFFORD BEST ATTORNEY

LARRY D. COMBS AND JASON LACY

TIED FOR SECOND PLACE BEST VEGETARIAN MENU

FRESHIES AND SWEET PEA RESTAURANT BEST FISHING GUIDE

KEITH HALE AND JOHNNY SPILLANE

TIED FOR THIRD PLACE BEST GIFT SHOP

OFF THE BEATEN PATH AND STEAMBOAT ART COMPANY BEST BEER

ALPENGLOW ALE AND HEFEWEIZEN BEST CHIROPRACTOR

DR. DAVE LIBERMAN AND DR. RUSS SANFORD BEST DOCTOR

DR. PHAEDRA FEGLEY AND DR. CHARLIE PETERSEN BEST FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

GRAHAM MUIR AND MARY BETH ARSE

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 47

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WITH OVER 100 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

STEAMBOAT

HARDWARE

Locally Owned and Operated Since 1984

48 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

2015 Best of the Boat Home Supply Store, Nursery/Garden Supplier & Home Decor Store

BEST FOR 5 YEARS

Five-time Winner’s Circle!

I

t’s hard to beat consistency.

How else can you explain the businesses that have won our annual Best of the Boat compilation a whopping five times running, and shown that dedication to excellence shines through in spades at the voting polls.

Thankfully, our Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette categories weren’t listed

every year, meaning no one gets that dubious distinction five times straight (or the giant “L” that comes with it). And in our effort to refine the contest each year, some categories switch around, putting that year’s winner out of the running.

But the following winners and accompanying photo spreads celebrating them, represent the pinnacle of consistency,

whether they’re hawking hot dogs or clipping hair here in Ski Town USA. With a special nod to Cafe Diva and Ski Haus, which have each won two categories five times, let’s tip our collective cowboy hats to the following businesses that help make our fair little hamlet what it is.

And there was much rejoicing.

DINING

Double ZZ

State Farm - Debbie Aragon

BEST RIBS

BEST INSURANCE AGENCY

Slopeside Grill

Daryl Newcomb

Lyon Drug Store & Soda Fountain

BEST APRÈS SCENE

Creekside Cafe & Grill BEST BREAKFAST SPOT

Drunken Onion

BEST CATERING SERVICE

Rex’s American Grill BEST FAMILY DINING

Cafe Diva

BEST FINE DINING AND BEST SERVICE

Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill BEST HAPPY HOUR

Freshies

BEST LUNCH SPOT

Noodles & More

BEST SERVER

SHOPPING Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare BEST BIKE SHOP

The Tall Tulip BEST FLORAL SHOP

Annie’s Home Consignments BEST HOME DECOR STORE

Hofmeister Personal Jewelers BEST JEWELRY STORE

Central Park Liquor BEST LIQUOR STORE

BEST PHARMACY

10th Street Barbershop BEST PLACE FOR A HAIRCUT

Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch BEST PLACE TO HORSEBACK RIDE

Native Excavating BEST SNOW REMOVAL SERVICE

Pet Kare Clinic BEST VETERINARY OFFICE

HOME & GARDEN Joe Patrick Robbins

BEST ASIAN FOOD

Allen’s Clothing

Azteca Taqueria

BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE

BEST BURRITO

Paws ‘N Claws All Things Pet

Hungry Dog

BEST PET STORE

BEST HOT DOG

Ski Haus

BEST LANDSCAPING SERVICE

Mambo Italiano

BEST SKI SHOP AND BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE

Windemere Landscape & Garden Center

BEST ITALIAN FOOD

Fiesta Jalisco

BEST MEXICAN FOOD

Powder Tools BEST SNOWBOARD SHOP

Backcountry Delicatessen BEST SANDWICH

SERVICES

Ore House at the Pine Grove

Bob’s Downtown Conoco

BEST STEAK

BEST AUTO REPAIR SHOP

Sake2U

Discovery Learning Center

BEST SUSHI

BEST DAYCARE

The Tap House Sports Grill

Old Town Hot Springs

BEST WINGS

BEST FITNESS CENTER/GYM

Steamboat Meat & Seafood Co.

Haymaker Golf Course

BEST SEAFOOD

BEST ARCHITECT

Gecko Landscape & Garden Center

BEST NURSERY/GARDENING STORE

Tin Man Roofing BEST ROOFING CO.

Land Title Guarantee Co. BEST TITLE CO.

PROFESSIONALS Lonny Vanatta, Vanatta Outfitters BEST HUNTING GUIDE

BEST GOLF COURSE Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 49

From contract to closing Our commitment to our clients is unequaled - Locally owned, operated and trusted since 1967 - 100% of our work is produced in our 48 Colorado offices - Committed to giving back to the communities we serve Steamboat Springs Office 721 Oak Street Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 Office 970-870-2822 Melissa Gibson mgibson@ltgc.com Visit www.LTGC.com for more information and a full list of our office locations.

50 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

DINING 5 YEARS BEST SERVER

DARYL NEWCOMB

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

For five-time Best Server winner Daryl Newcomb, of Cafe Diva, service comes with the fine dining territory. “We treat everyone with courtesy and respect,” he says, summing up his success. “And it helps to have an awesome product.”

BEST BREAKFAST SPOT

CREEKSIDE CAFE Kelly and Jason Landers have built a strong following for Creekside Cafe, enough that it’s won Best Breakfast Spot five times running. They pin their success on fresh, local ingredients, bottomless Italian coffee and friendly service.

“We prepare everything onsite,” says Kelly. “Our success owes itself to the support of the awesome Steamboat community and our family of employees who have been with us since we started winning.” Ample portions also help; we dare you to finish the Wafflelaughagus.

BEST CATERING SERVICE Catering “the biggest, the everyday and the in-between,” Drunken Onion’s Ben Stroock says his success boils down to one simple ingredient: serving the best food possible.

His business in Wildhorse Marketplace offers everything from full catering and graband-take items to fine roasted coffees and specialty drinks.

“Food should taste as best as it can in the best scenario,” Stroock says.

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

DRUNKEN ONION

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PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

DINING 5 YEARS

BEST WINGS

THE TAP HOUSE SPORTS GRILL The Tap House Sports Grill owner Melissa Baker credits her wings’ five-time award to 12 homemade, special sauces, which help her and her staff sling as many as 5,000 wings on a busy night. “People love them,” she says. “Some customers have even asked me to send them the sauce.”

BEST HAPPY HOUR

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

MAHOGANY RIDGE BREWERY & GRILL Owners Charlie Noble, left, his wife, Nancy, and two children inside Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill. Mahogany’s early and late night Happy Hours offer something for all appetites and thirsts, from half-priced drinks and appetizers to $1 tapas. “Locals love our consistency,” says Charlie. “They know exactly what they’re going to get every time they come in the door.”

BEST BURRITO Derek Beers prepares a burrito at Azteca Taqueria. “We’re a true locals’ spot,” says co-owner Jonas Gabriel, who likes his burritos “the good way,” with cilantro rice, black beans, chipotle sauce, cheese, lettuce, sour cream and picante salsa with tomato and corn. “We like to work and play hard, just like everyone else.”

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

AZTECA TAQUERIA

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DINING 5 YEARS

BEST HOT DOG

HUNGRY DOG Five-time wiener winner Hungry Dog is hands down the favorite dog in town. “Steamboat’s a great hot dog town,” says owner Brad Somers. “Our hot dogs are 100 percent beef, we’re in a great location and we’re open late.” The secret, he adds, is in the meat, with his dogs made from 100 percent Vienna beef. That, and the fact that he grew up in the hot dog hotbed of Chicago.

BEST LUNCH SPOT

FRESHIES Freshies owners Scott and Kristy Fox inside their five-time Best Lunch Spot-winning eatery. “We’re fortunate to have strong local business,” says Scott. “We offer primo product that locals enjoy and, then word spreads to the tourists. Plus, our staff is awesome. We have fun at work and love what we do.”

DOUBLE Z BAR & BAR BQ Credit the secret sauce, smoking and slow-basting for Double Z topping the Best Ribs podium for five straight, finger-licking years. “People love our sauce,” says owner Dave “DK” Kane, adding that, on any given day, they’ll prepare up to 80 pounds of pork ribs and 30 pounds of beef ribs — even more come Triple Crown season. “We’ve been doing it the same way for years.”

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PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

BEST RIBS

10th Street Barber Shop Thank You for Supporting Us on Being, Once Again, The Best Place to Get a Haircut! * $ &$1$(" $( ( , .- )- )0 & # / , + +$', 3 ,- &$,# $(

941 Lincoln Ave, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 | 970-879-9809

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WEAVER’S WAGGIN’ WASH PET GROOMING 18 years of making our pets look and feel better!

THANK YOU to all of the

loyal dog and cat owners for this vote of confidence!

We so appreciate it! – Lynette & Linda Weaver’s Waggin’ Wash Located in Oak St. Plaza 970-871-0021

DEBBIE ARAGON STATE FARM INSURANCE

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PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

DINING 5 YEARS

BEST FAMILY DINING

REX’S AMERICAN GRILL & BAR Rex Brice, co-owner of Best Family Dining winner Rex’s American Grill & Bar, says his whole family of restaurants owe their success to the people who work behind the bar, wait on tables, cook the food and make sure a friendly face is always ready to take care of customers’ needs. “It’s the people who work here that make Rex’s a success,” he says.

BEST SEAFOOD

STEAMBOAT MEAT & SEAFOOD COMPANY

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

Thirty-three years after first opening its doors, there’s not much Steamboat Meat & Seafood Co. doesn’t do, from catering to maintaining a full-service deli. But where it really shines is seafood — supplying both locals and area restaurants — thanks to its use of everything from Fed-X to making twice-weekly forays to Denver to pick up fresh-flown seafood from DIA. At the heart of it all is owner Bill Hamil’s emphasis on fresh. “There’s a lot of pride and passion in what we do,” he says. “We’re hand-cutting fresh fish every day, and people appreciate getting it hand-wrapped in front of them. We also have good people who have been working here a long time. It’s kept me in business for 33 years.”

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

BEST STEAK

ORE HOUSE AT THE PINE GROVE For five years running, there hasn’t been a better place to order a steak than Ore House at the Pine Grove. Dating back to 1971, one of Steamboat’s oldest continuously operating restaurants is still one of its best. “Our success begins with decades of experience from our chefs and kitchen staff,” says co-owner Diane Emert, who owns the restaurant with husband, Dan Emert, and Jeff Little. “We pride ourselves in serving 100 percent Colorado Certified Angus Beef, hand-cut to ensure consistency and quality control. Our steaks are then grilled to perfection over an open flame broiler by talented professionals. Generations of local support have helped grow our business for over 45 years.” Our pick: the Steak Ore House, a bacon-wrapped center cut filet topped with crab meat and béarnaise.

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Thank you Steamboat

Because of your support this year, we were able to Be great together!

Voted best Kids Program 2 years running Check us out online or in person: www.bgcnwc.org 路 8th Street & Pine 路 970.871.3160

PROUDLY SERVING

Chicken Fried Steak, biscuits and gravy, giant breakfast burritos, local thick cut bacon & more

131 11TH STREET t 6AM - 2PM

Downtown Steamboat

879-4925 t creekside-cafe.com 58 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

DINING 5 YEARS

BEST ITALIAN

MAMBO ITALIANO Located in the heart of downtown, Mambo Italiano is as Italian as it gets in the Rockies. Owned by Jeremy Gray and Andy George, the restaurant uses fresh, local ingredients to stand out just as Italy does from the Mediterranean coastline. “We take classic, Italian food and give it a modern twist,” says head chef Hannah Hopkins. “We have a great team that puts their heart into everything we do.

Everyone’s super passionate about what we serve.”

BEST APRÈS SCENE

SLOPESIDE GRILL For Slopeside Grill, winning Best Après Scene five times running comes down to location, location, location. Skiers and riders can schuss right up to a 21,000-pound. ice bar, live music and heaping nachos straight off the slopes. “It’s a lively, fun atmosphere and great place to be after skiing all day,” says manager Chris McIntosh.

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

BEST ASIAN FOOD The reason Noodles & More Saigon Cafe is in the five-time winner’s circle is authenticity. The Vietnamese cafe and sushi bar combines fresh ingredients with straight-from-Saigon spices to create traditional Vietnamese fare. “We’re dedicated to serving great meals at a good price in a relaxed setting,” says co-owner Eric Nguyen.

BEST SUSHI

SAKE2U

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

NOODLES & MORE SAIGON CAFE

Sake2U has been in the Yampa Valley 12 years, starting on the mountain before moving to its current location along the Yampa River downtown. Owned by Kier and Eric Delaney, its fish is flown in fresh, and the restaurant is also known for its crazy good happy hour. “You can’t beat our view of the river or service,” says general manager John Trolley. “We keep a very high standard on everything we serve.”

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DINING 5 YEARS

BEST SERVICE AND BEST FINE DINING

CAFE DIVA

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

Cafe Diva owners, from left, Beth Fadel, Paul Underwood and Kate Rench are flanked by the rest of the awardwinning staff at Cafe Diva, winner of Best Fine Dining and Best Service a whopping five years in a row.

The owners credit their hard-working staff for their success and take pride in providing top-level service to locals who support the business year-round and visitors who make Cafe Diva part of their vacations.

BEST MEXICAN FOOD

FIESTA JALISCO

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

Fiesta Jalisco credits its success to original, made-from-scratch family recipes, great service and a great atmosphere. “People like good service and reasonable prices,” says owner Mario Rodriguez, whose authentic Mexican atmosphere includes hand-carved booths and colorful Mexican tile work, paintings, sculptures and music. “It all makes you feel like a little bit of Mexico.”

BEST SANDWICH

BACKCOUNTRY DELICATESSEN

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PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

More than 16 years after opening, Backcountry Delicatessen remains a long-running staple of the Steamboat sandwich scene. Owned by David Pepin, right, and Peter Boniface, left, the eatery, that puts the deli in delicious, also has shops in Fort Collins and Denver, spreading the Steamboat sandwich love. “We work with the best ingredients available,” says Pepin, crediting their five-time winner status to great sandwiches and service. “It feels great to be doing as well as we are after 16 years.”

Your Local, Friendly Neighborhood Taco Dealer Steamboat’s Original Taco Stand 970.846.2307 | 1755 Lincoln Avenue | Open 8AM-7PM | Dine In or Take Out

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PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

SHOPPING 5 YEARS

BEST HOME DECOR STORE

ANNIE’S HOME CONSIGNMENTS Annie Tisch has sold more than 115,000 items from Annie’s Home Consignment since she opened in Steamboat nine years ago. She says she strives to know as much as possible about every piece in her store, which has helped propel it to top billing five times running. Sometimes, she says, when the owner knows the story of an item, it’s easy. But when no one has any idea what a contraption is even used for, it’s harder.

Finding out is one of the aspects of her job she enjoys most.

BEST PET STORE

PAWS ‘N CLAWS ALL THINGS PET

PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

Dave and Jodi Terranova moved their pet supply business to Central Park Plaza 18 months ago seeking more space. They found it, as well as a continued loyal following. Their passion for animals has paid off, with their store winning Best of the Boat five years in a row. “We love our customers and try to keep our prices competitive,” Dave says.

BEST BIKE SHOP

PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

STEAMBOAT SKI & BIKE KARE

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Harry Martin started Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare 20 years ago out of a garage on 11th Street. The shop moved into its current location on Lincoln Avenue in 2004, which Martin says has helped lead to its success as five-time winner of the Best Bike Shop category. But the backbone of the business, he adds, remains the locals who found the shop two decades ago on a side street and keep coming back.

Dine-in, carry-out or delivery.

Open every day.

pizza by the slice deep dish fresh salads baked wings 970-870-8600 路 685 MARKETPLACE PLAZA, STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO 80847

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Inspired by Nature, Built by Rivertree

www.RivertreeBuilding.com Steamboat Springs, Colorado eric@rivertreebuilding.com 970.846.9800 or 970.879.1016

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SHOPPING 5 YEARS BEST SKI SHOP AND BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE

SKI HAUS

PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

Two, two, two milestones in one! That’s the jingle being sung by Ski Haus, which reeled in five-time winner accolades for both Best Ski Shop and Best Sporting Goods Store — no easy task in a heralded ski town.

Ski Haus has been a staple for sporting goods for decades in Steamboat, and it’s grown through the years right along with Steamboat Ski Area. Owner Rod Schrage, who has run the something-for-everyone shop for more than four decades, has overseen several big expansions, including the building of the current store in 2001 and an expansion in 2011. “We just have a great, core family of employees, some of whom have been here for 30 years,” says Schrage. “When people walk in, they always see a friendly face. And Ski Haus is nowhere but Steamboat Springs. It’s who we are.”

BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE

ALLEN’S CLOTHING It’s all in the family and all about the locals for five-time Best Men’s Clothing Store winner Allen’s Clothing. “What’s driven us all these years is catering to locals,” says co-owner Tod Allen. “They’ve always been our numberone customer. We try to carry clothing that the everyday Steamboat person wears on a regular basis.” (Pictured: co-owner Kris Allen.)

PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

BEST JEWELRY STORE

HOFMEISTER PERSONAL JEWELERS Tom Cox and Shirl Cox have been operating Hofmeister Personal Jewelers, a family-owned business based in Indiana, locally for 10 years. That’s given them time to see couples who originally came in to purchase engagement rings and wedding bands get married and have children, who someday might also come in to buy engagement rings of their own. And that, they say, is the secret to their success — keeping prices low to satisfy the local customer base, which accounts for the majority of their business.

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15th

Where quality comes first!

Thank you to our loyal team and clients for making Tin Man Roofing One of Steamboat’s Best!

Since 1979

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SHOPPING 5 YEARS BEST FLORAL SHOP

PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

THE TALL TULIP Kip and Amy Tirone, owners of The Tall Tulip, credit their downtown flower emporium’s success to their service and selection for blooms in the ‘Boat. All this has earned it a loyal following among town’s flower connoisseurs. “We’re continually searching for the highest quality flowers from around the globe and bringing them to our friendly, blue shop on Ninth Street,” says Amy. “Thank you, Steamboat, for supporting our shop and bringing our flowers into your homes.”

BEST LIQUOR STORE

CENTRAL PARK LIQUOR

PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

From right, owners Patty Vargas, Greg Nealy and Glenn Wiedemer say the key to their success is the support of locals, who they try to win with their selection. That means 2,400 varieties of wine and more than 400 kinds of beer, all of which are rotated by styles and brand to keep the selection fresh as they listen to their customers’ needs.

BEST SNOWBOARD SHOP

POWDER TOOLS

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

Sponsor of eight local kids on the U.S. Pro Team, including Matt Ladley and such Olympians as Arielle and Taylor Gold, five-time winner Powder Tools, which opened way back in 1988, prides itself on supporting locals and being a snowboarder’s one-stop shop dream. “We’re the only full-service snowboard shop in town,” says manager Bernie Tomassetti. “That’s all we do. We have it all — a full-service tune shop, full rental shop, demos, retail and more. Plus, we’ve been around a long time, and our staff is incredible. They’re all true snowboarders who are passionate, knowledgeable and have been here forever.” With a casual atmosphere featuring couches and a fireplace, the shop appeals to kids, many from the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, who often come inside just to mill around. “It’s my living room,” he says. “I love people coming in to hang out.”

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PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND

COMMUNITY SERVICES & PROFESSIONALS 5 YEARS

BEST FITNESS CENTER/GYM

OLD TOWN HOT SPRINGS

BEST VETERINARY OFFICE

PET KARE CLINIC Pet Kare Clinic has come a long way since it opened in a motor home in 1987. Why do people keep bringing their animals here and voting it Best in the Boat for the past half decade? “I think it’s because we honor our mission statement every single day, and that is to treat your pet like one of our own, with unparalleled compassion, experience and teamwork,” clinic manager Lorna Hamilton says.

BEST INSURANCE AGENCY

STATE FARM-DEBBIE ARAGON Debbie Aragon’s State Farm Insurance agency has called Steamboat home for 19 years, the past five winning town’s Best Insurance Agency. They greet their clients with a smile, as well as homemade chocolate chip cookies baked each morning. “We have a very professional, caring, experienced and fun team,” Aragon says. “Our goal is to make insurance a pleasant experience and provide service that exceeds our customers’ expectations.”

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PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

It’s easy to understand why Old Town Hot Springs has lapped the competition as town’s best fitness center. Members have access to more than 45 different exercise classes each week in a world-class facility, and the staff includes 12 personal trainers. “We take fitness to the next level,” fitness director Marietta Roberts says. Outside the gym, a natural hot springs, complete with a back-massaging waterfall, helps sooth those sore muscles. Pictured, from left, are personal trainers Karen Cuevas, Mary Beth Magalis Arce, Leigh Ruston, Marietta Roberts and Rebecca Williams.

Arctic Liquors, located just west of town next to Ace Hardware, is your hometown liquor store. Come to Arctic Liquors for friendly service and a great selection of beer, wine and spirits.

Owners Mark and Mimi want to remind you of the Arctic Rebate Program.

5% back on all purchases - No Restrictions!

FEEL HE AR IC IN UR HUGE N

% ) "$ *'+ # . ,) )% / *$ - $ ( - / !*'( - )*' - / & $ *$)"# %$ *$ -(

More than a Sushi Restaurant... including Steak, Ribs, Salads & Wings · Live Music · Vegan Friendly · We’ve got all your NFL Ticket on 6 HD TVs · Like us on Facebook for Specials & Events · · Reservations available including groups & private parties

BEST SUSHI FOR OVER 10 YEARS

609 YAMPA ST STEAMBOAT, CO · 970.870.1019 · www.sake2u.net HOURS Mon - Wed 3 to Close

Thurs - Sun 11am to Close HAPPY HOUR DAILY FROM 3-6

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DEL’S TRIANGLE 3 RANCH

COMMUNITY SERVICES & PROFESSIONALS 5 YEARS

BEST PLACE TO HORSEBACK RIDE

DEL’S TRIANGLE 3 RANCH For more than 50 years, Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch has provided a unique experience for visitors and residents wanting to enjoy the outdoors by horseback, which is what the longtime local Heid family knows best.

“Once you leave the corrals, you don’t see a lot of civilization,” says co-owner Becky Heid. “It’s a great activity for anyone.”

PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND

BEST DAYCARE

FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CENTER/ DISCOVERY LEARNING CENTER Family Development Center Executive Director Tami Havener credits the success of the Discovery Learning Center preschool to one thing: the teachers. “Literally, we have hundreds of years of experience among the staff,” Havener says in recognizing the importance of winning the Best Daycare category for the past half decade.

BEST GOLF COURSE

HAYMAKER GOLF COURSE

BOB’S DOWNTOWN CONOCO

PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND

For newbies and seasoned professionals alike, the 18-hole, city-owned Haymaker Golf Course offers something for everyone. Playing anywhere from 5,059 to 7,308 yards, it’s won Best of the Boat five times running, was given four stars by Golf Digest and ranks sixth in Colorado for Golf Week’s Best Courses. With only 110 of its 233 acres used for fairways and greens, it also preserves the open space legacy important to the local community.

BEST AUTO REPAIR SHOP

For the past 38 years, Bob’s Downtown Conoco has been an iconic business along Lincoln Avenue. Today, it is the last service station standing downtown, and business is still booming for owner Bob Logan and his team.

The mechanics and staff are key to their success. “They really care and take a lot of responsibility in their jobs,” Logan says.

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COMMUNITY SERVICES & PROFESSIONALS 5 YEARS

BEST SNOW REMOVAL SERVICE

PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND

NATIVE EXCAVATING There’s a lot of snow in Steamboat, and for the past 30 years, Native Excavating has excelled at moving it. Charlie MacArthur, left, and Norman Hill head up the company’s operations, plowing everything from large-scale parking lots to private driveways to keep Steamboat free and clear. MacArthur says offering a reasonable price and communicating with customers is key to the business. “People don’t mind driving through snow as long as they know we’re coming,” he says.

BEST PLACE FOR A HAIRCUT Ryan Seiler, pictured, is one of many clients who regularly has his hair cut by Katie Moore at 10th Street Barber Shop, the winner for the fifth year in a row of the cutting locks category. “We’re walk-in only, and we’re the only true barber shop,” says Barbara Porteous, who owns the business with her husband, Kenny. “Men like to feel like they’re truly coming to a place that’s really for men.”

Your Comprehensive Primary Care practice Providing integrated care management and behavioral health.

Steamboat’s place for patient centered care.

Congratulations to Dr. Charlie Petersen and Dr. Lambert Orton on this year’s Best of the Boat!

940 Central Park Dr. Suite 100 970-879-3327 · www.yvma.com

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PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND

10TH STREET BARBER SHOP

COMMUNITY SERVICES & PROFESSIONALS 5 YEARS BEST PHARMACY

LYON DRUG STORE & SODA FOUNTAIN

BEST HUNTING GUIDE

LONNY VANATTA, VANATTA OUTFITTERS

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND

For years, Lyon Drug pharmacists have seen the same people walking through their doors. “We have a lot of loyal customers,” says co-owner Wendy Lyon, crediting the staff for the five-time accolades. “We’ve been here for a very long time and appreciate everyone’s loyalty.” Lyon Drug is located in the historic Squire Building downtown. Since 1920, there has been a drug store located in the building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hunters have been turning to five-time Best Hunting Guide Lonny Vanatta for more than 30 years. Vanatta, a former Alpine racer on the U.S. Ski Team, has taken more than 100 animals with a bow and has helped his clients bag even more. He does it for the lifestyle more than the money and says chasing big game runs in the family. “We grew up hunting with our family and friends, and it was pretty much a way of life when we were young,” he says. “Now, we spend all fall on big game hunts, with about eight hunters per week. We want our hunters to succeed.”

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PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

HOME & GARDEN 5 YEARS

BEST LANDSCAPING SERVICE CENTER

GECKO LANDSCAPE & GARDEN CENTER For 18 years, Yampa Valley residents have come to Gecko Landscape & Garden Center to spruce up their lawns. Owner Dave Ince says it’s the personal service that keeps customers coming back. “Personal service in a community like Steamboat is always appreciated,” he says.

“We’re also bringing in the best quality plants we can find.”

BEST TITLE COMPANY

LAND TITLE GUARANTEE CO.

BEST ARCHITECT

JOE PATRICK ROBBINS There’s a reason Joe Patrick Robbins has kept his local architecture firm small for the past 40 years. “It’s so I can provide the best service,” Robbins says. The theory’s worked, as he’s topped the Best Architect podium five times running. “I feel I’m very good at listening to what the client needs, beyond what they want,” he says.

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PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

With more than 45 offices statewide, including its Steamboat office at 721 Oak St., Land Title Guarantee Co. has been locally owned and operated in Denver since it first opened its doors in 1967. This year marks the fifth in a row the Steamboat office has won top title company accolades.

last 15 years!

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HOME & GARDEN 5 YEARS

BEST ROOFING COMPANY

TIN MAN ROOFING Buddy King, center, says his staff at Tin Man Roofing is the hardest working, most loyal crew you can find.

King, who has been in Steamboat since 1974, also has managed to keep his business thriving through recent challenges. While King has suffered three strokes since 2012, his wife, Joanie, says he has kept trucking along.

“I’ve watched him fight not once, but three times, to come back and be the best he can be,” Joanie says.

“He has managed to not only hang on to Tin Man Roofing, but to make it thrive.”

BEST NURSERY/GARDENING STORE

Windemere Landscape & Garden Center owner Talina Teixeira credits her store’s success to its location, variety and selection, which includes everything from trees to its top-selling perennials.

“We have something for most everyone’s landscape or gardening needs,” she says. “It means a lot to win the category five times in a row.”

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ

WINDEMERE LANDSCAPE & GARDEN CENTER

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Congratulations to Best of the Boat toP three Car salesPeoPle: steve Dunklin, stacey rogers, and Jorge sanchez

staCey rogers “The strength of the team is each individual member.

The strength of each member is the team.”

–Phill Jackson

Jorge sanChez

Cook is Northwest Colorado’s oldest and most reliable automotive source.

Locally owned and locally operated, Cook has been serving the Yampa Valley for over 50 years!

(970)

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steve Dunklin

DINING WINNERS

DINING Best Après Scene (On the Mountain)

Best Catering Service

Best Food Truck

First: Slopeside Grill Second: T Bar at Steamboat Third: The Paramount

First: Drunken Onion Second: Steamboat Meat & Seafood Co. Third: Marno’s Custom Catering

First: Skull Creek Greek Second: Taco Cabo Third: Y Not Wagon

Best Bar

Best Coffee Shop

First: Carl’s Tavern Second: Sunpie’s Bistro Third: Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill

First: MountainBrew Second: Starbucks Third: Off the Beaten Path

First: Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill Second: E3 Chophouse Third: Carl’s Tavern

Best Bartender

Best Family Dining

Best Lunch Spot

First: Rex’s American Grill Second: Carl’s Tavern Third: Ore House at the Pine Grove

First: Freshies Second: Creekside Cafe & Grill Third: Winona’s

Best Fine Dining

First: Creekside Cafe & Grill Second: E3 Chophouse Third: Aurum Food & Wine

First: Glen, La Montana Second: Richard “Gooch” Shine, Sunpie’s Bistro Third: JJ, Laundry

Best Breakfast Spot First: Creekside Cafe & Grill Second: Freshies Third: Winona’s

First: Cafe Diva Second: bistro c.v.

Third: E3 Chophouse

Best Place to Watch the Game

Best Happy Hour

First: Carl’s Tavern Second: The Tap House Sports Grill Third: Slopeside Grill

Best Server First: Daryl Newcomb, Cafe Diva Second: David Dolifka, Off the Beaten Path Third: Tom Stefanelli, Ore House at the Pine Grove

Best Outdoor Dining

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PHOTO BY CHRIS MCGAW

D

rawing more responses than nearly all other categories combined, dining reigns supreme as Best of the Boat’s most hotly contested category. From best bar to best burrito, food aficionados voted in droves to make their voices heard, anointing favorite frontrunners their fifth annual crown, while bestowing newcomers with podium accolades, as well.

Some of the closest categories included best wings, where just two votes separated the winners, and best cocktail, a field that was wide open after Rio salted the rim of its last margarita. Perhaps no category drew more attention than best sandwich, where a Dagwoodesque deluge nearly broke our computers. “Steamboat locals are certainly pretty opinionated about their sandwiches,” says contest organizer Jenni DeFouw.

Steamboat Springs’ Independent Bookstore and Locals’ Favorite Meeting Place Ranked in 2015 Best of the Boat: 0 ( "(-+ 0 # , ,(* 0 "#% * ' + # , ,(* ," ,* , (/',(/' , & ( , 0 970-879-6830 www.steamboatbooks.com

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DINING WINNERS

BEST BURGER

PHOTO BY CHRIS MCGAW

W

When they opened Back Door Grill in June 2014 — initially operating out of the “back door” of Ghost Ranch — coowners David and Brandi Eliason’s vision was simple, direct and clear: offer Steamboat residents great burgers at reasonable prices.

Based on the opinions of those same residents — readers recently voted the homey Oak Street eatery as Best of the Boat’s Best Burger, ending the four-year reign of Big House Burgers — they’ve reached that goal and then some.

The secret, they say, lies in quality ingredients, a laid back atmosphere and a commitment to offering great food at reasonable prices.

“We built it for locals, not to make a bunch of money,” David says. “We wanted good burgers for our family … and we’re proud to serve our guests the same thing.”

Brandi is quick to agree.

“I grew up in Southern California, where everything was funky and fun,” she says. “We just wanted a place to give our kids the things we grew up with.”

After four months operating at Ghost Ranch, the Eliasons seized the opportunity to relocate to their current location

BACK DOOR GRILL — a two-story, woodframe building at 825 Oak St., in November 2014. The ground floor serves as the restaurant, while the upper level houses The Bar at Back Door, offering a juke box, a video arcade and one of the best selections of beers and liquors in town.

As a bonus, the same food is available both upstairs and down.

Boasting a burger menu that features such colorfully named offerings as the “Afterburner,” “John Wayne,” “Dirty Harry” (appropriately, served on a glazed donut) and “Triple Lindy,” Back Door has something to suit nearly every palate.

David says the phrase “fun and funky” sums up their winning philosophy, from their decor to putting things like peanut butter, donuts and corndogs on burgers.

“We’re serious about the quality of the food we serve,” he says. “But it’s a burger joint … we’re not gonna wine and dine you. We’re gonna get you a burger and a beer, and that’s what we want people to expect. We also like playing around with different recipes.”

Despite their philosophy of making things fun — both for themselves and for the locals to whom they primarily

cater — the Eliasons add that quality and value is serious business. “That’s the most important thing — the food,” Brandi says, adding that all their burgers are made with never-frozen, 100-percent Colorado beef. “Then the atmosphere is just family,” Brandi says.

This combination has struck a chord with Steamboat locals.

“There are always people here, and that’s a good thing,” David says. “I never expected to do as much business as we’re doing.”

Spurred by this success, the Eliasons are now looking to expand. They’re putting the finishing touches on their newest venture — O’Neil Tavern and Grill — which is slated to open on Lincoln Avenue in late November, and they are looking at other mountain town locations for additional Back Door Grills.

“We want to grow Back Door Grill throughout the Rockies,” David says.

“We’re both from the beach and love the mountains.”

From the look of things, the mountains love them back.

— Jim Patterson

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 81

DINING WINNERS

FOOD SPECIALTIES Best Hamburger

First: Noodles & More Second: Sake2U Third: Sambi Canton

First: Back Door Grill Second: Big House Burgers Third: Carl’s Tavern

Best Brew Pub/Place to Get a Beer

Best Hot Dog

First: Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill Second: Butcherknife Brewing Company Third: Storm Peak Brewing Co.

Best Burrito

First: Hungry Dog Second: Johnny B. Good’s Diner Third: Double Z Bar & Bar BQ

Best Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt

Third (Tied): Alpenglow Ale, Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill Third (Tied): Hefeweizen, Butcherknife Brewing Company

Best Steak

Best Mexican Food

Best Sushi

First: Fiesta Jalisco Second: Vaquero’s Mexican Restaurant & Taqueria Third: La Fiesta Grill & Cantina

Best Pizza

First: Azteca Taqueria Second: Fiesta Jalisco Third: Taco Cabo

First: Blue Sage Pizza Second: Brooklynn’s Pizzeria Third: Papa Murphy’s

Best Cocktail

Best Italian Food

First: Fiery Margarita, Laundry Second: Hurricane, Sunpie’s Bistro Third: Martini, Harwigs L’apogee

First: Mambo Italiano Second: Mazzola’s Majestic Italian Diner Third: Cugino’s

First: Double Z Bar & Bar BQ Second: Moe’s Original Bar B Que Third: Steamboat Smokehouse

Best Dessert

Best Locally Brewed Beer First: Amputator, Butcherknife Brewing Company Second: 4 Wire Pale Ale, Storm Peak Brewing Co.

Best Ribs

82 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

Best Vegetarian Menu

Best Wings First: The Tap House Sports Grill Second: Carl’s Tavern Third: Steamboat Smokehouse

Best Sandwich First: Backcountry Delicatessen Second: Cruisers Sub Shop Third: Freshies

TAP HOUSE Pressed for how many chicken wings The Tap House Sports Grill might go through in a year, owner Melissa Baker hammers at an adding machine, counting pounds by the day, the week and the month.

Finally, exasperated, she settles on the only answer she can.

“A lot,” she says.

Indeed, The Tap House goes through a lot of wings, each dipped in one of 12 special sauces. After nearly two decades of frying up wings by the baker’s dozen, The Tap House was again selected as the top spot in Steamboat to enjoy them.

It was close. Carl’s Tavern came exactly two votes shy of The Tap House in this year’s voting, but again it’s the Lincoln Street sports haven that’s standing on top.

Baker says it’s taken plenty of focus to stay at the top of the heap for five consecutive years. One of the keys, she adds, is those sauces, a dozen that pack variety into the menu.

First: Sake2U Second: Noodles & More Third: YAMA First: ROOTZ Second (Tied): Freshies Second (Tied): Sweet Pea Restaurant & Market Third: Bamboo Market

First: Ciao Gelato Second: Lyon Drug Store & Soda Fountain Third: Dairy Queen

First: Cupcakes, MountainBrew Second: Creme brulee, Cafe Diva Third: Mountain mud pie, Ore House at the Pine Grove

First: Ore House at the Pine Grove Second: E3 Chophouse Third: Cafe Diva

Years ago, they were largely supplied by local sauce manufacturer Wing Time Buffalo Wing Sauce, but when Wing Time was bought by a larger company in 2013, The Tap House decided to try its own hand at sauce production.

Now, all its sauces are made in-house.

There are the basic options, of course: your mild, medium and hot varieties.

And there are fun derivatives, such as Jamaican jerk and Sriracha honey — two of Baker’s favorites. Then, there are varieties that are different, yet popular with the local crowd, including spicy garlic parmesan. And then, there are the ones that prompt quizzical looks, such as the peanut butter and jelly sauce.

“You either love those or hate them,” Baker says. “I get emails from people saying they crave them and they want me to send them some of the sauce, but they’re not really my favorite. There’s not usually a middle of the road.”

Customers have given plenty of them a try. On Tuesdays’ weekly Wing

BEST WINGS Night, when wings are just 50 cents, the restaurant can go through more than 800 pounds and 5,000 wings. So while Baker has a hard time adding it all up, it all adds up to another place on the podium for Steamboat’s favorite place to get wings.

— Joel Reichenberger

PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER

Best Asian Food

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DINING WINNERS

BEST CATERING SERVICE

DRUNKEN ONION

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Stroock says his parents had a tremendous impact on him.

“What I learned from them is professional pride and quality,” Stroock says. “If I’m not excited to eat it, someone else wouldn’t be either. Food should taste as best as it can in the best scenario.”

— Audrey Dwyer

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

As a full service coffee shop, go-to breakfast stop, deli with lunches and grilled offerings galore and a store offering a variety of take-and-bake options, the Drunken Onion is far more than just a catering company.

With the tagline “Caters the biggest, the everyday and the in-between,” Drunken Onion chef and owner Ben Stoock provides heat-and-serve meals from his Wildhorse Marketplace location to help those needing nourishment during late hours or to relieve the stress of dining out.

Options includes blackened chicken with lemon chive aioli, mac ‘n’ cheese, pan fried pork chops, pizzas, lasagna, enchiladas, sandwiches and more, from full-service catering to the casual pick up and go. He also offers a variety of frozen and chilled items that change with the seasons, along with a sitdown area for lunch.

Stroock moved to Steamboat in 1993 after graduating from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. After his restaurant The Main Dish closed, he worked on his idea of a fullservice catering company and business offering casual take out meals for a few years until he opened Drunken Onion in 2007.

Since then he’s prided himself that the local establishment has taken first place in the catering category for the past five years, highlighting hardworking employees and the consistency and quality of food.

DINING WINNERS

BEST COCKTAIL

FIERY MARGARITA With house-infused spirits and a great drink philosophy — and perennial margarita favorite Rio out of the running after shutting its doors in August — it’s not hard to guess why Laundry’s Fiery Margarita takes best cocktail for 2015. Created by Tod “JJ” Johnson for the opening of Laundry in 2012, the elixir exemplifies his mixology philosophy of making the drinks from the bar just as creative as the food from the kitchen.

When Laundry was working through menu options, it set out to be among the first in the area to emphasize modern, creative craft cocktails. It all starts with a great base, or inspiringly infused alcohol, before adding a citrus and the perfect amount of sweetness. Ingredients such as house-crafted simple syrups and bitters boost the creativity.

The Fiery Margarita answers the craft cocktail calling with its silver tequila, infused with red peppers, green peppers, jalapeño, garlic and six habanera peppers

for three weeks before being combined with house-made cilantro lemongrass simple syrup and orange and lime juices.

The syrup gives the concoction its bright color and mellows the peppers. Johnson says the mixture creates a perfect balance, just like you should find in a great margarita.

Bartenders at Laundry can concoct any infused spirit they can think up. The only caveat — it must be sold and can’t be thrown away. That’s never been a problem with the Fiery Margarita.

Laundry bartenders say they have become better at their profession because of Johnson’s commitment to beverage perfection. If ever suspicious or unsatisfied with a drink’s mixture, he’ll sample it and order it remade, if necessary, no matter how busy the bar may be. And the bar is busy aplenty with aficionados of the Fiery Margarita.

— Mackenzie Yelvington

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BUSINESS & COMMUNITY WINNERS

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY N

o matter the category, it’s the people who live here who make Steamboat so great. That’s where our business and community category comes in, shining light on everyone from artists and ski patrollers to those in the

service industry who call the Yampa Valley home. While they might go about their business humbly, it’s their peers who voted them onto the podium. Head to any business district, and you’ll find every service under the sun, from doc-

Best Auto Repair Shop

Best Indoor Music Venue

First: Bob’s Downtown Conoco Second: Doc’s Auto Clinic Third: Elk Mountain Automotive

First: Strings Music Pavilion Second: Schmiggity’s Third: Chief Theater

Best Bank

Best Insurance Agency

First: Yampa Valley Bank Second: Wells Fargo Third: Alpine Bank

First: State Farm - Debbie Aragon Second: State Farm - Dax Mattox Third: Alpine Insurance

Best Computer Repair First: Ski Town Computing Second: Northwest Data Services Third: Mac Ranch

Best Daycare First: Discovery Learning Center Second: Young Tracks Third: Holy Name Preschool

Best Fishing Outfitter First: Steamboat Flyfisher Second: Straightline Outdoor Sports Third: Bucking Rainbow

Best Fitness Center/Gym First: Old Town Hot Springs Second: Anytime Fitness Third: Steamboat Pilates, Yoga & Fitness

Best Golf Course First: Haymaker Golf Course Second: Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club Third: Catamount Ranch & Club

Best Guest Ranch First: Saddleback Ranch Second: Home Ranch Third: Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch

Best Kids’ Program First: Boys and Girls Club of Steamboat Springs Second: Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Third: City of Steamboat Springs Youth Programs

Best Nail Salon First: Steamboat Nails Second: Exclusive Nails Third: Wildhorse Salon

Best Outdoor Adventure Company (Summer) First: BAP! Second: Straightline Outdoor Sports Third: Bucking Rainbow

Best Outdoor Adventure Company (Winter) First: Steamboat Powdercats Second: Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp.

Third: BAP!

Best Pet Groomer First: Weaver’s Waggin’ Wash Second: Doggy Style Mobile Pet Grooming

86 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

tors and dentists to vets, florists, mechanics and more, all bringing to their work the happy, can-do attitude and smile that comes with living in Steamboat. Read on for a closer look at a few of year’s winners.

Third: Powder Hounds Grooming Salon

Best Property Management Company

Best Pet Kennel

First: Retreatia Second: Wyndham Vacation Rentals Third: Central Park Management

First: Red Rover Resort Second: RK Pet Ranch Third: Rocky Mountain Pet Resort

Best Pharmacy First: Lyon Drug Store & Soda Fountain Second: Safeway Third: Walgreens

Best Physical Therapy Practice First: Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy Second: SportsMed at Yampa Valley Medical Center Third: Kinetic Energy

Best Place for a Haircut First (Tied): 10th Street Barber Shop First (Tied): Hair On Earth Second: Wildhorse Salon Third: Brio Salon

Best Place to Horseback Ride First: Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch Second: Saddleback Ranch Third: Hahn’s Peak Roadhouse

Best Printing Shop First: PostNet of Steamboat Springs Second: Northwest Graphics Third: Element Print and Design

Best Radio Station First: 96.9 KBCR “Big Country Radio” Second: 105.5 KFMU “Colorado Classic Rock” Third: 88.5 KUNC “Public Radio for Northern Colorado”

Best Snow Removal Service First: Native Excavating Second: Gecko Landscape & Garden Center Third: City of Steamboat Springs

Best Spa First: Life Essentials Day Spa Second: Rocky Mountain Day Spa, Boutique & Salon Third: Waterside Day Spa

Best Towing Service First: Rocky Mountain Towing Second: American Towing & Road Service Third: Sunshine Mountain Auto Towing

Best Veterinary Office First: Pet Kare Clinic Second: Steamboat Veterinary Hospital Third: Mount Werner Veterinary Hospital

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 87

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY WINNERS

BEST OUTDOOR ADVENTURE COMPANY (WINTER)

POWDERCATS

Offering a skier’s paradise for the past 33 years, Steamboat Powdercats, one of the largest snow cat operations in the lower 48, left other contenders in its tracks in this year’s Best Outdoor Adventure Company category for winter. How could it not when it helps people ski or ride some of the best powder they’ve ever seen?

Although Mother Nature controls how much powder skiers and snowboarders can experience, the company combines infrastructure, knowledge and the expertise of their guides, as well as incredible snow and terrain, to offer its guests an unforgettable experience.

88 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

“Every day, it’s like people are coming home,” says manager Kent Vertrees, who has been with the company since 2000.

“Our guides develop a camaraderie with each other and with the guests. We help satisfy people’s adventures by taking them on a dream ski trip and let them experience something we’re super passionate about. We’re lucky to have that opportunity.”

Since the company’s founding in 1983, it has guided everyone from locals and visitors to such celebrities as Martina Navratilova, Cindy Nelson, Dr. Richard Steadman, Klaus Obermeyer and Seth Morrison. Even Warren Miller has filmed

a few face shots with the local company.

Guiding as many as 36 guests per day and 2,000 skiers and riders per year in the Buffalo Pass backcountry — which regularly vies with Wolf Creek Pass for the state’s deepest snowfall — Powdercats is known for its family atmosphere and for offering the adventure of a lifetime.

“For us, it’s an opportunity to provide people with the best day of skiing in their life,” Vertrees says. “It’s a great feeling seeing the smile on people’s faces after a beautiful, fresh ski run.”

— Audrey Dwyer

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY WINNERS

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 89

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BUSINESS & COMMUNITY WINNERS

BEST PET KENNEL

RED ROVER RESORT throughout the year.

What sets Red Rover Resort apart from the competitors?

“There’s a lot more individual attention, playgroups and a low-stress environment,” says Bloodworth, who lives up the hill from the facility with her own six Alaskan huskies. “It’s really nice and private, and we have a big yard to play in.”

Dogs get to mix and mingle with other pups four times a day and have year-round outdoor time thanks to artificial grass turf in the spacious, fenced outdoor play areas.

The socialization is one of the many factors bringing back lots of repeat, local customers.

“They get out to play at least four times a day; that’s one reason a lot of

people come to us,” Bloodworth says.

“And they get lots of individual attention.”

The facility also offers complete grooming services, including baths and nail clippings.

Though dogs are the main residents of the pet resort, Bloodworth says she’s willing to board any animal and has watched cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, and even boarded eight falcons once that needed a place to stretch their wings during a trip to town.

The kennel is located on a 40-acre ranchette about 10 minutes from Steamboat Springs and is accepting new pets for overnight boarding or daytime care.

— Teresa Ristow

PHOTO BY TERESA RISTOW

It’s a dog-eat-dog business world out there, so it’s no surprise the inaugural “best kennel” distinction goes to the area’s longest-operating pet boarding facility — Red Rover Resort.

The Milner kennel was opened by owner Carol Bloodworth in 1995, back when she was still keeping busy with her other practice of running sled dog tours.

Bloodworth gave up sled dog racing five years ago to focus on the expanding kennel facility, which was rebuilt in 2006 and can now house 30 to 40 dogs at a time, depending on how many pooches are bunked up with siblings in the same kennel.

“I’ve totally gone to the dogs,” says Bloodworth, who operates the kennel with a few full- and part-time employees

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 91

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY WINNERS

BEST TOWING SERVICE

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

ROCKY MOUNTAIN TOWING

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In a place where winters turn the roads into ice rinks, a good towing company is essential. Mark Sloop saw that need and pounced on it, founding Rocky Mountain Towing in 2008.

His can-do/can-tow attitude — echoed in his company’s “No job too small, no problem too big” slogan — has helped build his company to one with a reputation that’s reliable, ethical and familyoriented. All that helped him cinch the top spot in the towing category in this year’s Best of the Boat contest.

Sloop started his business — and family, including boys ages 1, 4, and 7 — after moving to Steamboat from North Carolina’s Appalachian State University with a degree in communications. His move was spurred by his love of the mountains, and he started working for Steamboat Powdercats shooting photos and videos as soon as he arrived.

The decision to start a towing company was a way to provide for his family. That family friendliness shows in his business, which goes so far as to provide custom extended cabs and crew cabs for large families when breakdowns occur. Offering quick, courteous service, he’s received numerous awards and praise from customers for his work, en route to making Rocky Mountain a go-to service for the Colorado State Patrol, area police departments, insurance companies, motor clubs and more.

For Sloop, however, all this pales to the satisfaction he gets from helping people get their cars off the road. “As long as I’m number one to me, that’s all that matters,” he says.

— Annie Martin

E

veryone who lives in or visits Steamboat has a roof overhead, and many also have yards and gardens that come alive after winter releases its hold in spring. The people and businesses serving this niche anchor our home and garden category, which runs the gamut from real estate and mortgage brokers to architects, plumbers, landscapers and more. What they all have in common is working beyond the call of duty to ensure we all have a home we can be proud of in Ski Town USA.

Best Architect

Third: Rivertree Custom Builders

First: Joe Patrick Robbins Second: Brandt Vanderbosch, Vertical Arts Third: Bill Rangitsch, Steamboat Architectural Associates

Best Home Supply Store

Best Electrician

Best Interior Designer

First: Geoff Coon, Coon Electric Second: Jed Gibson, Central Electric Third: Richard Schwanke, Aspen Electric

Best Flooring/Tile/ Carpet Store First: Carpets Plus Second: The Carpet Shoppe Third: Affordable Flooring Warehouse

Best General Contractor/Home Builder First: Soda Mountain Construction Second: Fox Construction

First: Steamboat Ace Hardware Second: Alpine Lumber Third: Steamboat Lumber First (Tied): Olivia Kimmeth, Olivia’s Home Furnishings First (Tied): Valerie Stafford, Rumor Designs Second: Michele McCarthy, Vertical Arts Third: Susie Wilkinson, Aesthetic Designworks

Best Landscaping Service First: Gecko Landscape & Garden Center Second: I Design Third: Kinnikinnick Lawn & Garden Inc

Best Mortgage Broker First: Kathryn Pedersen, Fidelity

HOME & GARDEN

PHOTO BY CHRIS MCGAW

HOME & GARDEN WINNERS

Mortgage Second: Josh Kagan, Cornerstone Lending Third: Lynn Reiff, Wells Fargo

Best Nursery/Gardening Supplier First: Windermere Landscape & Garden Center Second: Gecko Landscape & Garden Center Third: Steamboat Ace Hardware

Best Painter First: Kyle Lawton, Lawton Painting Second: Peter Sloop, SLOOP Painting Third: Tom Barr, T Barr Painting

Best Plumber First: Phil Taber, Taber Plumbing Second: Clayton Custer, Perfect Slope Plumbing and Heating Third: Aaron Scarborough, Down Hill Plumbing

Best Real Estate Agent First: Matt Eidt, Colorado Group Realty Second: Jon Wade, Steamboat Group at Colorado Group Realty Third: Charlie Dresen, Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty

Best Roofing Company First: Tin Man Roofing Second: Revelation Roofing Third: High Point Roofing

Best Stone Supply Company First: Hale’s Landscape Supply Second: Steamboat Stone Supply Third: Caveman Stone

Best Title Company First: Land Title Guarantee Company Second: Heritage Title Company Third: Title Company of the Rockies

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 93

HOME & GARDEN WINNERS

BEST NURSERY/GARDENING SUPPLIER

WINDEMERE

While plastics might have been the future in The Graduate, for Windemere Landscape & Garden Center, winner of this year’s best nursery/gardening supplier, it’s perennials. “Those are probably our biggest seller,� says owner Talina Teixeira, who purchased Routt County Landscaping in 1995, turned it into Windemere and moved to Steamboat full-time in 1998. “Those and our annuals.�

Teixeira says her store’s success owes itself to its location, variety and selection.

But she also credits an exceptional staff of eight that focuses on serving customers’ needs. She enjoys her work because of her customers and staff, as well as a natural affinity for working with plants of all shapes and sizes.

As for its variety, as well as a full selection of annuals and perennials, Windemere offers everything from patio

pots and hanging baskets to fertilizers, herbicides, grass and wildflower seeds, trees, shrubs, soil amendments and more.

Complementing all this is an array of bark products, mulch, top soil, compost, garden decors, furnishings, fountains and everything else you might need for your lawn or garden. On the service side, it also offers custom garden design, installation and delivery.

While maples and Colorado spruce top the tree list, Teixeira says they recently brought in a few new varieties of spruce as well, including Leaping Norway and Baby Blue Eyes. Other species of pine, such as Vanderwolf and her favorite, Bristle Cone, are also moving well. “I like the Bristle Cone because it has a nice organic shape to it,� she says. “It’s perfect for homes here.�

With a weather-dependent season usually running from April through Octo-

ber, Windemere’s season is shorter than that of year-round Steamboat businesses, but she makes the most of it from when she opens her doors until closing them for winter. “There are all kinds of things you can grow here,� she says, pointing to the Botanic Park as shining example. “Steamboat’s a great place, from the weather to the community.� — Eugene Buchanan

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HOME & GARDEN WINNERS

B

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT

Before moving to Steamboat, Matt Eidt of Colorado Group Realty was a 10-year professional photographer who practiced photojournalism in South Africa, guided trips in Ecuador’s Amazon and skied in Chile. All that and more has helped him navigate the jungle of local real estate.

With a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi, Eidt knew he wanted to call

MATT EIDT Steamboat home after a twoweek visit in 2008. “I’ve seen a lot of fantastic communities, and I just fell in love with Steamboat,� says Eidt, 32, who started with Colorado Group Reality in 2012. “I’ve never found a more beautiful, open and complete community.�

Prioritizing service, it’s his youthful energy that sets him apart in the real estate crowd. “I’m excited about what I do, and I do things differently than many other brokers,� he says. “I have a tremendous amount of energy and new, fresh ideas. I don’t tell people I’m a Realtor; I say I move people to Steamboat.�

Eidt brings a multi-media marketing mix to listing homes, from using his own professional photography

skills, which gives him more control, to hosting virtual property tours, social media campaigns and open houses.

Using virtual tours, he’s even sold several homes sightunseen, requiring a high level of trust between broker and client. “You can’t just list something on MLS and forget about it,� he says. “Every property is different, so I try to approach everything creatively, with no preconceptions.�

Specializing in services for first-time home buyers, Eidt says the market is heating up, especially for properties under $1 million. This year, he adds, he’s closed on 20 transactions alone.

His success also stems from being involved in the community. He chairs the local Young

Professionals Network chapter and was involved in creating Yampa Valley Gives, which raised more than $400,000 for local charities through Colorado Gives Day. He does all this while thoroughly enjoying the Steamboat lifestyle, where you’re as apt to find him snowboarding Mount Werner or mountain biking Emerald — sometimes even while working. “I love it here, and it’s extremely gratifying helping people find a home here,� he says. “Where I grew up, there was no long-boarding to a meeting or rendezvousing with a client snowboarding.

It’s pretty unique to be able to do that all in such a great community.� — Eugene Buchanan

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PROFESSIONAL WINNERS

O

ur professionals category is where we put the people behind town’s great businesses. These are the bike tuners, the fly-fishing guides, the trainers and more who put their best foot forward to make sure you do the same. While everyone in this listing deserves recognition, the top three in each category, and especially those occupying the catbird seat, are the professionals worthy of extra praise.

PROFESSIONAL Best Acupuncturist

Best Dentist

First: Frank Turano-Cutler, Healing Path Acupuncture Second: Betsy Smith, Five Element Third: Kelley McDaneld, Yampa Valley Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs

First: Dr. Sunny Owens, Sunshine Dentistry Second: Dr. Jeffrey Piaskowy, AvantGarde Dental Third: Dr. Gary Fresques, Steamboat Family Aesthetic Dentistry

Best Attorney

Best Doctor

First (Tied): Larry D. Combs, Steamboat Springs Criminal Defense First (Tied): Jason Lacy, Steamboat Lawyers Group Second: Kris Hammond, Cantafio Hammond Law Third: Adam Mayo, Esq.

First: Dr. David Niedermeier, Steamboat Medical Group Second: Dr. Lambert Orton, Yampa Valley Medical Associates Third (Tied): Dr. Phaedra Fegley, Steamboat Springs Family Medicine Third (Tied): Dr. Charlie Petersen, Yampa Valley Medical Associates

Best Bike Mechanic First: Dusty Henning, Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare Second: Brock Webster, Orange Peel Third: Chris Johns, Wheels Bike Shop

Best Car Salesperson First: Stacey Rogers, Cook Chevrolet & Subaru Second: Steve Dunklin, Cook Chevrolet & Subaru Third: Jorge Sanchez, Cook Chevrolet & Subaru

Best Chiropractor First: Dr. Tim Rinn, Rinn Chiropractic Second: Dr. Von Wilson, Backsmith Chiropractic Third (Tied): Dr. Dave Liberman, Liberman Wellness Third (Tied): Dr. Russ Sanford, Sanford Chiropractic

Best Eye Doctor First: Dr. Lewis Cutter, Mountain Eyeworks Second: Dr.Mark Helm, Helm Eye Center Third: Dr. Jason Garey, Steamboat Vision Clinic

Best Fishing Guide First: Rob Burden, Steamboat Flyfisher Second (Tied): Keith Hale, Steamboat Flyfisher Second (Tied): Johnny Spillane, Steamboat Flyfisher Third: Steve Henderson, Henderson Fly Fishing

Best Fitness Instructor First: Rebecca Williams, Old Town Hot Springs Second: Brady Worster, Anytime

Fitness Third (Tied): Graham Muir, Manic Training Third (Tied): Mary Beth Arce, Old Town Hot Springs

Best Hair Stylist First: Alicia Ellson, Brio Salon Second: Brooke Engeseth, Hair on Earth Third: Kaitlyn Wetzel, Wildhorse Salon

Best Hunting Guide First: Lonny Vanatta, Vanatta Outfitters Second: Shane Yeager, Colorado Premier Outfitting Third: David Schwanke, Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch

Third: Dr. Dana Fitzgerald, Pediatrics of Steamboat Springs

Best Personal Trainer First: Rebecca Williams, Old Town Hot Springs Second: Brady Worster, Anytime Fitness Third: Mary Beth Arce, Old Town Hot Springs

Best School Teacher (K-12) First: Clint Koehler, Steamboat Springs High School Second: Tracy Bye, Steamboat Springs Middle School Third: Deirdre Boyde, Steamboat Springs High School

Best Local Artist

Best Ski/Snowboard Instructor

First: Lance Whitner Second: Gregory Block Third: Sandy Graves

First: Bridget Ross Second: Chip Shevlin Third: Rob Lewis

Best Local Photographer

Best Ski/Snowboard Patroller

First: Abby Jensen Photography Second: David Dietrich Third: Noah Wetzel-Lightpole

First: Kyle Lawton Second: John “Pink” Floyd Third: Brooks Bingman

Best Massage Therapist

Best Surgeon

First: Pam Peretz, Life Essentials Day Spa Second: Erica Olson, Heartfire Massage Third: Ali Boehm, Kneading Hands

First: Dr. Eric Verploeg, Orthopaedics of Steamboat Springs Second: Dr. Alex Meininger, Steamboat Orthopaedic Associates Third: Dr. Andreas Saurbray, Orthopaedics of Steamboat Springs

Best Pediatrician First: Dr. Sheila Fountain, Pediatrics of Steamboat Springs Second: Dr. Steven Ross, Sleeping Bear Pediatrics

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 97

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PROFESSIONAL WINNERS

BEST PERSONAL TRAINER

REBECCA WILLIAMS

PHOTO BY MATT STENSLAND

R

Rebecca Williams knows what it’s like to juggle work, time with family and time for herself, and the working mom with two preschool-age kids uses that experience to help clients discover their own work-life balance.

“I mostly train women,” she says.

“Many of them are moms who are working a lot, and I show them how they can incorporate exercise into their life.”

Williams is a personal trainer and fitness instructor at Old Town Hot Springs, and in this year’s voting, she topped both categories — Best Fitness Instructor and Best Personal Trainer.

“I love trying to help people make exercise and fitness an enjoyable and regular part of their daily routine,” she says. “I tell people to put exercise on their schedule as a non-negotiable item, like a doctor’s appointment or business meeting. Work the rest of your day around it, and make it happen.”

The former high school business teacher became a fitness instructor two years ago and, three months later, earned her personal trainer certification. She says the two roles work hand in hand.

“As a personal trainer, I get my clients to a point where they can work out safely and effectively on their own and gradually get them to begin taking classes if it’s a good fit,” she says.

She also loves the fact that she’s now working with a very dedicated group of students. “What’s cool is I’m teaching groups who are highly motivated,” Williams says. “They like to get their butts kicked. They love to be sore.”

To produce the fitness goals her clients are seeking, she uses the HIIT (high intensity interval training) model as a basis for a lot of her classes and personal training sessions.

“It drives some serious results in muscular strength, endurance and weight loss,” she says. “It’s how I see the most success for my clients and myself.”

— Lisa Schlichtman

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PROFESSIONAL WINNERS

BEST CAR SALESPERSON

STACEY ROGERS

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Noticing an ad in the paper for a car salesman at the old Sam Taylor Auto Center on U.S. Highway 40 west of town (where NAPA Auto Parts is today), Cindy urged Stacey to apply. The interview went well.

Sam Taylor: “Do you know anything about selling cars?”

Rogers: “Nope.”

Sam Taylor: “You’re hired.”

It turned out Taylor preferred greenhorns, because they didn’t have any preconceived notions about how the business works. Of course, in the mid 1980s, the car business was a little different than it is now. At least in Steamboat it was.

“It wouldn’t fly now, but I remember years ago Sam and I took a side of beef as part of the trade-in on a new truck,” Rogers says. “Sam looked at me, and I says, ‘I’ll split with you.’”

Rogers has a reputation as one of the mellowest sales people in Steamboat.

Maybe that’s why he does so well.

“I’ll sit and BS with people for half an hour without mentioning selling them a car,” he says. “I’ve met a lot of people over the years, and 95 percent of it’s fun.

I’m committed to taking care of people after the sale. I think that’s one of my strong suits.”

The Rogers have two adult daughters.

Ashley, 33, is the sales manager and partner at KPMG, an auditing firm in Manhattan. Melissa, 30, is an artist with a growing national reputation, living in Asheville, North Carolina.

— Tom Ross

PHOTO BY TOM ROSS

Best of the Boat’s top automotive salesman of 2015, Stacey Rogers, first came to Steamboat Springs from Illinois in 1975 driving a 1969 Chevy Nova that wasn’t quite prepared for the Yampa Valley climate.

“We moved out here in a Nova with bald tires pulling a U-Haul that was bigger than the car – in February in a snowstorm,” Rogers says. “We came down Rabbit Ears Pass sideways and finally got to town, where we got stuck in a parking lot.”

Little did Rogers know that, through his employment at Cook Chevrolet & Subaru, the Chevy badge would become a lasting part of his professional life.

Rogers and a partner owned Steamboat Liquors on South Lincoln Avenue for 18 years (remember that drive-up window they had?). After they sold the business, Stacey’s wife, Cindy, quickly grew weary of her hubby hanging around the house.

BEST BIKE MECHANIC

PROFESSIONAL WINNERS

DUSTY HENNING two-wheeled life away from the shop is a fascinating one. He grew up in Steamboat playing hockey and first worked at Ski & Bike Kare at the age of 14. His passion was always building his own BMX bikes.

“When I first got into it, it was just BMX; it’s all I cared about,” he says.

“I built a bike out of (Ski & Bike Kare owner) Harry Martin’s junk drawer. I don’t remember buying a bike.”

And Henning still has an affinity for well-used cycles.

“If there’s an old bike that looks like it needs to be thrown away, that’s the bike I like to work on,” he says. “I enjoy the bikes no one wants to touch.”

Times change though, and more than the dirt-jumper he made out of old parts and the fixed-gear bike he customized, his current love is the classic Schwinn Le Tour road bike he inherited from his late grandfather, Kurt Schmidt.

Despite his passion for bicycles,

hockey is probably a bigger part of Henning’s life. He’s about to begin his ninth season as a professional hockey player, playing defense for the Huron, Michigan, Prowlers. It’s a new team and a new coaching staff for Henning. Last winter, he won a Federal Hockey League championship with the Wolves of Watertown, New York.

If he’s good at balancing on wheels and balancing those of the bikes he tunes, he’s even better on his skate blades.

— Tom Ross

PHOTO BY TOM ROSS

Some people might say bicycle mechanic Dusty Henning, of Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare, has unusual tastes in his personal bicycles, but when it comes to other people’s rides, he’s meticulous.

Henning’s drive for perfection, instilled in him by his seniors at Ski & Bike Kare, goes a long way to explaining his recognition as this year’s top bike mechanic in town.

“If something touches my rack, it doesn’t come off my rack until it’s right,” Henning says. “First and foremost is the safety of our customers. We put our names on every bike we work on, and I pride myself in not having the bikes I work on come back. The performance in our shop reflects our leadership.”

Henning says receiving the award for Best of the Boat comes as a surprise.

“There’s so many good bike mechanics in this town, I wouldn’t think I’d get many votes,” he says.

Henning’s approach to cycling in his

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 101

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PROFESSIONAL WINNERS

BEST FISHING GUIDE

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

ROB BURDEN N

No day is the same for local fly-fishing guide Rob Burden.

Moving to Steamboat in 2007, Burden arrived in town as a competitive mogul skier on the U.S. Development Freestyle Team. But in the offseason, he pursued his other passion — fly-fishing.

Burden’s father taught him how to fly-fish at a young age, and it’s something that’s always been present in his life.

“I just love everything about it,” Burden says. “It’s a constantly changing game that makes you have to adapt to different situations. I really enjoy the fact that it’s never the same and that every day will be something different.”

During his first summer here, Burden became a guide for Steamboat Flyfisher, and today, he co-owns the shop with business partner and former Nordic combined Olympian Johnny Spillane. The shop is known for providing professional guiding services on the Yampa and Elk rivers.

Steamboat, he says, is a unique place to fly-fish due to the size of local trout and the river’s accessibility, which lets him to easily take clients out on half-day and day trips.

As far as tips for first timers, he says start the day with an open mind and be willing to learn. After all, he adds, it’s a hobby that offers a lifetime of learning.

“The thing I love about guiding is that it constantly teaches people new things, and teaching is something I’m passionate about,” he says. “I also like that it’s challenging.

To become a master at it takes time.”

— Audrey Dwyer

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 103

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SHOPPING WINNERS

F

rom best gift shop to art gallery, ski shop to clothing store, Steamboat is as rife with shopping options as it is outdoor pursuits. While we might not have any factory outlets or Cherry Creek malls, nor the glitzy boutiques of Aspen and Vail, our hamlet has shopping options to satisfy residents and visitors alike. This year’s contest yielded a few surprises, as well as consistent showings, the latter reflected in top spots again by such stalwarts as Central Park Liquor, Ski Haus and Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare. As well as reading these pages, the best thing you can do is open your pocketbook and visit them.

Isn’t it time you upgraded your bike, ski gear and wardrobe?

SHOPPING Best Art Gallery

Best Floral Shop

Best Kids’ Gift Store

Best Shoe Store

First: Circle 7 Fine Art Second: Depot Art Center Third: Steamboat Art Museum

First: The Tall Tulip Second: City Market Third: Steamboat Floral & Gifts

First: In Celebration of Kids Second: Dragonflies Third: Off The Beaten Path

Best Auto Accessory/ Part Store

Best Gift Shop

Best Liquor Store

First: Steamboat Shoe Market Second: Shoe Chalet & Boutique Third: Ski Haus

First: Lyon Drug Store & Soda Fountain Second: All That Third (Tied): Off The Beaten Path Third (Tied): Steamboat Art Company

First: Central Park Liquor Second: Arctic Liquors Third: Ski Haus Liquors

First: NAPA Auto Parts Second: Yampa Valley Tire Pros & Express Lube Third: Bob’s Downtown Conoco

Best Bike Shop First: Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare Second: Orange Peel Bicycle Service Third: Ski Haus

Best Candy/Sweets Store First: Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory Second: Ciao Gelato Third: Rocket Fizz

Best Consignment/ Thrift Store First: Deja Vu Consignment Second: Annie’s Home Consignments Third: Lift-Up Community Thrift Store

Best Home Decor Store First: Annie’s Home Consignments Second: Steamboat Ace Hardware Third: Moxie Home Consign and Design

Best Jewelry Store First: Hofmeister Personal Jewelers Second: Steamboat Art Company Third: The Silver Lining

Best Ski Shop

Best Marijuana Store First (Tied): Golden Leaf First (Tied): Rocky Mountain Remedies Second: Natural Choice Third: Park Range Recreationals

Best Men’s Clothing Store First: Allen’s Clothing Second: Zirkel Trading Third: URBANE

First: Ski Haus Second: Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare Third: Christy Sports and Door 2 Door Ski Rentals

Best Snowboard Shop First: Powder Tools Second: Ski Haus Third: Powder Pursuits

Best Sporting Goods Store First: Ski Haus Second: Sports Authority Third: BAP!

Best Pet Store First: Paws ’N Claws All Things Pet Second: Elk River Pet & Ranch Third: Outdoor K9

Best Women’s Clothing Store First: Chrysalis Second: Ski Haus Third: URBANE

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 105

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

SHOPPING WINNERS

BEST FLORAL SHOP

THE TALL TULIP Receiving a floral arrangement from The Tall Tulip is like getting a handpicked bouquet of freshly cut flowers from an English country garden delivered to your door.

Kip and Amy Tirone, who own the flower shop on Ninth Street downtown, are known for creating one-of-a-kind arrangements that are anything but traditional.

You won’t find roses or carnations at The Tall Tulip, which has been selected for the fifth year running as Best Flower Shop in town. Instead, the Tirones order flowers from the Aalsmeer Flower Auction in Holland, and Amy drives to Denver International Airport weekly to pick up their shipments of fresh blooms carefully selected from around the globe.

“We can get the best of the best, because it has to be the best of the best

to be sold at the auction,” Amy says. “If it’s grown anywhere in the world, we can get it.”

A year ago, Kip and Amy moved The Tall Tulip from Wildhorse Marketplace to their new location in the heart of downtown. The new space is bright and airy and filled with a wide array of gift items, succulents, potted plants and of course, flowers.

Centerstage in their shop is a large work table where Kip, Amy, their staff and even their children, Arthur and Sophia, work together to create floral arrangements uniquely designed for each customer.

“We want people to feel like flowers are approachable,” says Amy, who encourages visitors to step up to the table and watch. “I think people like to see how it all comes together.”

Amy and Kip, who are both selftaught when it comes to the art of flower arranging, are always looking for inspiration and new shapes to use in their arrangements, which they describe as “refined with a touch of whimsy.”

“Flowers don’t have to be upright and stand at attention,” explains Amy, who keeps a quote from Constance Spry, a floral designer in the 1950s, displayed above her desk that, in part, says, “Do what you please, follow your own star . . . Open your minds to every form of beauty.”

“Amy breaks all the rules,” Kip adds.

The husband-and-wife team enjoy working together, and they love the business they’ve created as a family with the support of friends and the community.

“We just get to come to work every day and make people happy,” Amy says.

— Lisa Schlichtman

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ALLEN’S Let’s just say it’s a good family to be in to get hand-me-downs.

Allen’s Clothing, which has sewn up the Best Men’s Clothing Store category for five years running, owes much of its success to its four-generation hierarchy.

The company was founded by George Allen and his son, Bill, in 1949 and is now co-owned by Bill’s son, Tod, and his wife, Robin, as well as their son, Kris, 26.

“Honestly, what’s driven us all these years is catering to locals,” says Tod. “They’ve always been our number-one customer, way more than tourists.”

As far as their product mix, they cater to what the typical Steamboater would wear day in and day out in Ski Town USA. “We try to carry clothing that the everyday Steamboat person puts on on a regular basis,” Tod says.

To do that, they attend the industry fashion show in Las Vegas twice a year, and, most importantly, rely on their instincts as to what’s trending in the

Yampa Valley. “It’s more of a sportswear world for us here rather than a dressy style,” Kris says. “And things seem to be getting a little more casual these days.”

Local socks from Smartwool and Point 6 continue to do well, he says, as do pants from such brands as Kuhl. “We carry brands that capture the mountain lifestyle,” Kris says, adding that their business continues to grow year after year. “We have something for everyone.

We don’t try to carry things people only wear once. Men can dress up or down for a lot of different functions.”

Locals continue to anticipate their biggest sale of the year — Allen’s annual anniversary sale held around Thanksgiving. As for the proverbial passing of

the torch (“I’m on the way out, and he’s on the way in,” Tod maintains), Kris is more than ready to man the helm and hem the man. “I’ve been working here since a pretty young age,” he says. “I always had a suspicion I might end up running the business.”

— Eugene Buchanan

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE

SHOPPING WINNERS

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 107

SHOPPING WINNERS

BEST MARIJUANA STORE

IT’S A TIE

N

o, the final tally wasn’t 420 to 420.

But it might as well have been, as the voting yielded a fitting, 312 to 312, draw in this year’s inaugural Best Marijuana Store category.

Marking one of the contest’s closest tallies, with the lead changing like a basketball score, local cannabis connoisseurs marched to the polls in force to make their voices heard for the inside

dope on dope.

With both stores opening for medical use in 2009, six years of operation have put them at the forefront of Steamboat’s cannabis consciousness, each offering growing facilities, medicinal products, a retail outlet and more. And sales for their blooms are booming.

From January to July 2015, the city reports local dispensaries sold $5.25 mil-

lion worth of medical and retail marijuana, a 29 percent increase over the same period in 2014. Through July this year, those sales have resulted in $210,000 in tax revenue for the city.

With business strong for each, 624 voters simply split down the middle as to which store is best. And in a way, it’s nice that one store didn’t smoke the competition.

Owners Kevin Fisher and Ryan Fisher.

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

PHOTO BY AUSTIN COLBERT

You do the marijuana math

Owner Golden Anderson.

Rocky Mountain Remedies

Golden Leaf

Aug. 1, 2009

Year opened

2009 medical; 2014 recreational

41

Number of employees

35

Steamboat 420, offering on-call pick up and select stops around town

Shuttle service

No (but located on free bus route)

70 in rotation

Number of strains

15-20

“We provide a high level of customer service from a friendly and knowledgeable staff in a professional environment,” says co-owner Ryan Fisher. “We try to make it easy for people who have never purchased or experienced cannabis to make it easy and comfortable for them to come in. We provide high-quality products at a competitive price.”

Uniqueness factor

“All of our cannabis is grown locally in soil without any chemical fertilizers, pesticides or animal byproducts, just as Mother Nature intended,” says retail manager Chris Franges. “Our stateof-the-art growing facilities allow us to ensure high-potency and high-quality buds that retain their natural smell and flavor profile.”

— Audrey Dwyer 108 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 109

110 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

Down, set...hike!

Former NFLers calling Steamboat home

With football season in full swing, on any given week, you’ll find locals on barstools cheering on their favorite team. Just don’t heckle the opponents too loudly; there’s a good chance the fan on the next stool over played for the opposing team.

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

While Steamboat has its share of Olympians and other athletes — skiers, bike racers, rodeo stars, you name it — a few folks once made their greenbacks on the gridiron. Perhaps the legacy owes itself to the late Doak Walker, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1948 and earned a spot in the NFL Football Hall of Fame for the Detroit Lions before settling in Steamboat.

But it’s more likely due to our easygoing lifestyle and scenery, far removed from stadiums and paparazzi.

No matter your team allegiance, here are a few NFLers you might run into in the lift line.

— Eugene Buchanan

Ex-NFLers Tim Krumrie, Steve DeLine and Aaron Finch on the Steamboat sideline.

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 111

Tim Krumrie Tim Krumrie didn’t start skiing until retiring from the NFL in 1994. But he quickly headed for greener — or whiter — pastures once off the gridiron, moving to Steamboat after visiting throughout the ’90s so his family could learn how to ski.

“We heard it was a great place for kids to learn,” he says of kids Kelly and Dexter learning to ski here when they were young. “We traveled throughout the Rockies to find a place for a second home and Steamboat stuck out. It’s a real town, not just a ski resort.”

Krumrie and wife, Cheryl, bought a home, here in 2005 and moved to Steamboat full-time in 2010, just a decade after he was enshrined in the University of Wisconsin Hall of Fame, where he was a three-time All-Big 10 defensive tackle, two-time All-American and leading tackler each of his four years. The 1982 captain, he still holds the school record for most career solo tackles with 276.

He took that same tenacity to the 112 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

pros, playing 12 years for the Cincinnati Bengals, where he started 166 games, was a two-time AP All Pro and played in two Pro Bowls, as well as the 1989 Super Bowl. After his playing career, he coached 15 more years with the Bengals, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. In 2010, he even helped coach the Sailors. (“That was fun,” he says. “It let the kids learn I was once just like them — a small town kid who worked hard”). The Tim Krumrie Award is handed out annually to the outstanding high school senior defensive lineman in Wisconsin.

Voted by Sports Illustrated as the best player to ever wear number 69, Krumrie also holds the distinction of receiving one of the all-time worst injuries in the NFL. In a Joe Theisman-esque injury in Super Bowl XXIII against the 49ers, he broke his ankle and tibia in two places.

Watch a game with him, and he might also tell you about how he helped launch Brett Favre’s career. He knocked

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

“We both grew up in the same small town and love it here for all the same reasons people come here for vacations.”

the Packers’ starting quarterback out of the game, opening the door for back-up Favre.

But now, he’s loving his time out of the limelight and off the playing field in the Yampa Valley, where he often came to high altitude train in his playing days.

“We both grew up in the same small town and love it here for all the same reasons people come here for vacations,” he says. “It has a great small-town atmosphere and great hiking and biking and a close airport in Hayden and Denver for whenever I have to travel.”

While he now works for Denver’s CereScan as a brain injury advocate and as an ambassador for the NFL’s Heads Up program building youth fundamentals, he deservedly enjoys all things Steamboat, from fly-fishing and horseback riding to once biking the Tour de Steamboat and running the half marathon — albeit at a speed slightly slower than he used chasing quarterbacks.

Steve DeLine extra points for a 23-7 CSU victory. “We have a great family rivalry,” says DeLine, whose son, Ben, also kicked for CSU. DeLine moved his family – including wife, Karen, Ben, 26, Erika, 23, and Joe, 18 — from North Park to Steamboat in 2004. “We love it here and so do the kids,” he says. “The only thing we regret is not moving here sooner.”

DeLine helped coach the Sailors and son Ben to several playoff appearances, and he’s helped his son, Joe, now a senior, along as well. “I’ve had more fun with Sailor football here than I did everywhere else,” he says. “It’s just classic Americana.”

In a classic coincidence, in a 2009 win by CSU over CU, Ben accounted for the same number of points DeLine did in his win 23 years earlier — three field

goals and two extra points in a 23-14 win. “It was the exact same number of points, to the day,” says DeLine, who still ranches, both locally and in North Park and is a partner in Denver’s Prost Brewing Co. Joe is now in his final year playing for the Sailors, although DeLine acknowledges it’s sometimes tough to sit in the stands through a game. “Watching your kid do it is a lot harder than doing it yourself,” he says.

Living in Steamboat, however, gives him as good a feeling as he ever got splitting the uprights. “It’s the closest thing to Shangri-La as you could get,” he says, adding he still enjoys skiing, biking and more. “I don’t think there’s any place on the planet better than Steamboat.”

“The only thing we regret is not moving here sooner.”

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

Living in Steamboat for more than a decade, it’s oddly fitting that former NFL kicker Steve DeLine, 54, got his start kicking field goals through a cattle gate in a roping arena at his family’s North Park ranch. The tactic, and kicking for Denver’s Mullen High School, paid off as he kicked for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1987 and 1989 and the San Diego Chargers in 1988.

Similar to cowboying, kicking came naturally for him, and it’s largely been a family affair. After moving to North Park at age 16, DeLine taught kicking to his younger brother, who went on to earn a scholarship at CU. DeLine then reasoned that he, too, was a decent kicker, so he walked on at CSU. The two siblings played each other in 1986, with the elder DeLine kicking three field goals and two

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 113

Gary Campbell ing day,” says Campbell, 63. “Then we’d head to Honolulu and back here again before going back to Chicago for the pre-season.”

While he acknowledges he doesn’t follow football much anymore (“Though I am a Green Bay Packers fan,” he says), in his prime, he relished those Waimeasized hits. “As a linebacker, I will say I used to like hitting people,” he says. “I was very lucky to play pro football. I was never the best, but I was the best that I could ever be.”

Campbell moved to Steamboat permanently in 1998 with his second wife, Kathleen. Two of his three children from his first marriage — Alohi, 37, and Mehana, 32 — live here as well. “I’ve pretty much been here forever,” he says. “I like the access to the outdoors Steamboat of-

fers, and the weather is near perfect.”

His friends and family in Hawaii often come to visit, he adds, and he rolls out the welcome mat with genuine Steamboat hospitality. He does the same when driving for the city, joking with riders who are privy to his iPod’s 10,000-song play list. “I try to make the bus a good, relaxing place to be,” he says of a job he maintains is far easier than sacking quarterbacks. “Most people like the music I play.”

He also works as a part-time contract laborer for the U.S Postal Service delivering mail, so take up any tardiness disputes at your own risk. As with his bus driving, he’s as punctual with his postal deliveries as the hits he delivered to ball carriers.

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

You might not want to get too rambunctious on a city of Steamboat Springs bus if Gary Campbell is your driver.

The longtime Steamboat local and bus operator is well used to stopping people in their tracks. Born in 1951, in Honolulu, Campbell played running back for the University of Colorado (remember his 42-yard TD run that helped beat Oklahoma, which had gone undefeated for three years?) before being chosen in round 10 of the 1976 NFL draft as a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. From there, he went on to play linebacker for the Chicago Bears from 1977 to 1983 in the height of Walter Payton’s era.

All along, he’d visit Steamboat as often as he could. “As soon as the last game of the season was over, we’d get in our car and drive out here the follow-

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DENVER BRONCOS

Walter Barnes An All-American defensive lineman at the University of Nebraska, B&K Distributing co-founder (the “B”) Walter Barnes was drafted in the second round by the Washington Redskins in 1966, playing for legendary coach Vince Lombardi and alongside such stalwarts as Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas. He later played for the Denver Broncos, where he met future business partner Larry Kaminski, predicating his move to Routt County in 1974. “Right now it kind of all fades together,” he says. “But we had a great time.”

Although the sport has changed, Barnes’ love of Steamboat hasn’t; he has continued to live here all along, even after selling his share of B&K in 1993. “All you have to do is look out the window,” he says. “It’s a great place in the summer and winter.”

Looking back at his playing career, the view is no less stellar.

He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1988, with scouts during his playing years heralding him as “one of the finest football players in the country.” Leading all linemen with 55 tackles, he was nicknamed “Crazy Horse” for his gofor-broke style and led the Big Red to the Cotton Bowl in 1965.

He brought that same tenacity to the Broncos, where, wearing orange and blue, he left opposing ball carriers black and blue.

Fifty years later, a successful football and business career behind him, the lifelong skier is still happy to call Steamboat home, even if he doesn’t hit the slopes or opposing quarterbacks as he once did.

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“I was truly blessed coaching the Sailors for all those years.”

Aaron Finch Ghana is a long way from the gridiron, and that’s fine with longtime local Aaron Finch.

Finch, 56, who coached the Sailors to a whopping 52-18 record from 2004 to 2010, returned to Steamboat in September after a yearlong stint in West Africa as part of an executive economic development program hosted by his alma mater Stanford. “It’s a program for small- and medium-sized businesses over there,” says Finch. “I worked as a business coach for a broad range of companies.”

He had plenty of experience to draw upon. With an MBA from Stanford, after his coaching career with the Sailors, he served as chief operating officer of Fort Collins-based Otter Box, a maker of protective smartphone cases, before cofounding tech company 1 Oak Technolo116 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

gies, whose products and business applications spun into two other companies.

All this follows an earlier life centered around football instead of finance. After graduating from CSU, Finch signed as a free agent center for the Buffalo Bills in 1982. Getting cut, he then signed on with the Denver Gold of the inaugural USFL league before moving on to greener, less physical, pastures. “I never made a regular season roster in the NFL,” he freely admits, “and that’s probably a good thing. Pro football careers are pretty hard on offensive linemen. After two years of getting cut, I took the hint.”

So Finch moved to Steamboat with his family in 1998, including wife, Catherine, and children Christopher, now 24, and Liz, 22. Here, he quickly gravitated toward helping local kids enjoy and suc-

ceed at the sport as much as he did. He helped Matt Tredway coach the eighthgraders before assisting head coach Mark Drake with the high school team and taking the reins himself in 2004. “I was truly blessed those years,” he says. “For six years, we had great athletes and kids every year.”

While Finch acknowledges his pro career “was fleeting at best,” he’s happy to put it behind him, enjoying everything else Steamboat has to offer, which he says includes “falling off my bike and skis and anything else I can fall off of.” While he’s currently pursuing other business opportunities back home in the Yampa Valley, you’ll likely also find him with fly rod in hand trolling his beloved Yampa River, where he’s more concerned with a different kind of tackle.

Ryan Wood Ryan Wood, who maintains a home in Steamboat after founding Sweetwood Cattle Co. here in 2008, has successfully moved from the gridiron to the grill. Raised in Loveland with a national championship at Ohio’s Youngstown State under his belt, Wood made All Pac 10 at Arizona State, where he roomed with former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer.

In 1996, he was drafted in the seventh round as a fullback by the Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys, before moving on to

co-found apparel giant Under Armour.

All that is behind him now as he switches gears from football to artisan beef. And whenever he can make it up from the Front Range to the Yampa Valley, he continues to enjoy everything Steamboat has to offer. “Steamboat is a great place for us to unwind and enjoy the mountains,� he says. “I’ve been coming to Steamboat for 40 years with my family and hope to continue that tradition in the future with our kids.�

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Larry Kaminski provided a better education and social atmosphere for the boys,” he says.

With his sons, Kevin, Dana and Chris, once playing for the Sailors, Kaminski became active in the local community, being named Steamboat Man of the Year and Winter Carnival King in 1977, sharing the throne with Hazie Werner.

He also helped coach and served as a part-time teacher for the school’s Junior Achievement program.

He now lives in Port Gamble, Washington, where he runs his fishing charter business, Captain Larry’s Adventures, and B&K is managed by his son, Chris. And while they might miss him around the office, Peyton Manning and the Broncos miss him even more. He honed his skills blocking for former Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little. “I blocked for him for seven years,” Kaminski says. “But he didn’t need a whole lot of room.”

“Steamboat provided a great education and social atmosphere for the boys.”

PHOTO BY JENIFFER BAYARD

Sip a Budweiser while watching your favorite ballgame in Steamboat and you can thank former Denver Bronco Larry Kaminski. Awarded the Anheuser Busch franchise for Northwest Colorado, Kaminski, 70, moved to Craig with his family in 1974 after wearing number 59 as center for the Denver Broncos from 1966 to 1973. A former standout at Purdue, he moved B&K Distributing to Steamboat in 1977. “It was central to the territory and

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Peter Perry Colorado, making All-Big Eight defensive end in 1982 and competing in the Senior Bowl and Hula Bowl. From there, it was on to the pros, where he signed as a free agent for the Kansas City Chiefs and was later awarded on waivers to the Cleveland Browns. After a brief stint there, he was selected by the Houston Gamblers in the sixth round of the USFL expansion draft in 1983, before finishing his career playing for the Denver Gold.

“I bounced around the pros for a while, but it was nothing special,” says Perry, who moved his building business

to Steamboat in 2000, both for the skiing and the chance to raise his kids — who are now attending his alma mater University of Colorado — in a small town community. When not building houses, he put his athletic career to use helping coach the local football and hockey teams while Jackson was playing.

Fresh from trekking Peru’s famed Cordillera Huayhuash route in the Andes in August with Jackson and Dani, he’s happy to be home and ready for the upcoming ski season, where you’ll likely find him defending his favorite lines.

“We moved here for the skiing and chance to raise our kids in a small town community.”

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

Now that his son, Jackson, 19, and daughter, Dani, 21, have graduated from Steamboat High School, leaving their own trail of athletic accomplishments behind them, father Peter, a local contractor, has a little more time on his hands. It’s time he can use — when not climbing mountains in Peru as he was this summer — to reflect on his own career on the gridiron.

Perry, 58, grew up in Littleton, where he, too, starred on his high school hockey and football teams. He went on to play defensive back for the University of

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Rod Hanna As well as serving as the former public relations director for Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., local photographer Rod Hanna — who’s lived in Steamboat since 1975 and is well used to shooting orange sunsets against blue skies — used to photograph the orange and blue of the Denver Broncos as the team’s official photographer.

“Shortly after moving here, the Broncos asked if I could do their game-day photography,” says Hanna. “So I’d leave on a Saturday to travel with the team for an away game or drive down on Sunday morning for a home game.

I was their staff photographer for most of the 1980s.”

While he says he expected the players to be large and physical,

he was most impressed with how fast and explosive they were. He adds that, while he only got hit on the sidelines once or twice, he was ready to bail out at a moments notice. “When you’re looking through a long lens at the quarterback, and he throws the ball your direction, you know it’s time to get out of the way, because there’s going to be large person attached to it very quickly,” he says.

Speaking of quarterbacks, one of his best memories is of how low-key John Elway was.

“He didn’t act like a super star,” he says. “There was no grand entrance on to the team plane or anything. He always sat in the last seat on the right with his lineman buddy, Keith Studdard.”

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROD HANNA

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Verne Lundquist You’ll have to excuse longtime local Verne Lundquist if he’s a hair busy right now; it’s college football season, and he’s in full swing calling plays for the SEC games on CBS. Lundquist began his career as the radio voice for the Dallas Cowboys before working for ABC Sports and CBS. Inducted into the National Sportscasters Association’s Hall of Fame in 2007, he’s called everything from Jack Nicklaus sinking a must-make shot to the Super Bowl, and even the Tonya Harding/ Nancy Kerrigan dispute during the 1994 Olympics, the highest-rated Olympic broadcast of all time.

While the award-winning sportscaster

PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

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might have a cameo in “Happy Gilmore,” he’s never happier than when he’s at home in Steamboat, where he’s lived with his wife, Nancy, since 1984.

“I learned to ski here in 1971 and fell in love with the place,” he says. “Then, I played in a golf tournament here in 1975, which was my first experience here in summer. I vowed then to move to Steamboat if I could ever afford it.”

After marrying Nancy in 1982, they made the move from Dallas, where he was calling NFL games with Terry Bradshaw. “So, we’re almost locals,” he says.

They’re locals who give back to the community every chance they get — enough to win the town’s Philanthro-

pist of the Year award in 2012 for their support of Strings in the Mountain, Routt County United Way, the Boys & Girls Club and more.

“I was first attracted by the area’s beauty, but then, I fell in love with the people here,” he says. “I love that we’re a vibrant ranching community that’s also home to a world-class ski resort and countless Olympians, who are our real celebrities.”

At 75, he’s showing Olympian-resilience himself on the mic. Listen for such tell-tale phrases as “How, do you DO!” or “Oh my goodness!” on big hit plays this season, and for him to return to his beloved Yampa Valley once the year’s final touchdown is scored.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SOL MOUNTAIN (SOLMOUNTAIN.COM)

De-skin and Descend: Skiers get ready to sample the Sol Mountain goods.

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ROAD TRIP

SKIING WITH

SOL Backcountry touring the Monashees’ Sol Mountain lodge Story by Eugene Buchanan

I

t didn’t take long for the group to get Corvo’d.

The verb stands for Jon Corriveau, the billy goat of our bunch who had helicoptered into British Columbia’s Sol Mountain Lodge for five days of skinning and skiing the Monashees. A trite hyper and poster boy for Ritalin, at 54, he’s climbed Mount Rainier the same number of times, power-hiked the 211-mile Muir Trail in five days and once tried to paraglide off Alaska’s Mount Fairweather.

So the afternoon we arrived, he quickly led a charge of unsuspecting saps 1,000 feet up and over Mission Ridge into the north-facing, socked-in slopes of the Twilight Zone, where his minions cringed atop cliff tops.

Knowing better and venturing elsewhere, we hear about their plight that night back in the lodge, which is reason enough to make the journey. Built in 2004, with beds for 18 and seven staff, the 3,800-square-foot chalet is a bit better thought-out than Corvo’s impulsive route choice, from hooks and cubbies in all right places to peacock artwork dotting the walls. Three showers anchor five fully plumbed bathrooms, two heated by a woodstove and one on-demand — a luxury usually reserved for higher end heli- and cat-skiing lodges. A foosball table sits next to a ski bench in the mud room downstairs, across from a desk where guides monitor weather and avalanche conditions via Wi-Fi. Lighting comes from a hydro-electric system piped from a nearby creek.

A large, fir-beam-lined living room borders an honor-system bar serving beer and $2 glasses of wine, while ceilinghigh windows afford views of namesake Sol Mountain and Mount Baldur. Two picnic-style dining room tables easily fit our group of 17, as well as a Vancouver couple putting up with us.

After sharing and chagrinning Corvo’s exploits, we sauna before indulging in sockeye salmon with wild rice prepared

by Bernie the cook. We’ll need the protein for our climb Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 127

ROAD TRIP

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZOYA LYNCH

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOL MOUNTAIN

Earning your turns Sol Mountain-style.

Toasting the day’s tracks in the 3,800-square-foot lodge.

If You Go

Unlike most other BC huts requiring longer stays, Sol Mountain caters to the working crowd, offering four-, five- and seven-day options. It books 25 trips per year, about half of which are catered and guided. The helicopter LZ is about an hour’s drive north of Kelowna, which offers direct flights from most major airports, or a seven-hour drive from Seattle. You can bring your own gear or choose from their rental packages.

Info: solmountain.com

128 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16

ROAD TRIP

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOL MOUNTAIN

We get more than 60 feet of snow a year, and ... you can tour to seven different summits and five different drainages right from the lodge.

— Owner Aaron Cooperman and ski of namesake Sol Mountain the next morning.

Homemade granola with fresh fruit and yogurt complement sausage frittatas as the sun rises, as does a bottomless vat of freshly brewed coffee. Pre-made sandwiches and make-your-own snack provisions are laid out on the bar.

Co-owner Aaron Cooperman leads the Vancouver couple to his secret stashes, while our group heads for the high country. First, we drop 800 feet and cross Bill Fraser Lake, named for a 1900s homesteader. Aaron’s red canoe is stashed above the snow in a lodgepole pine. From there, we skin up a run called Banana Belt and gain the ridge between Mount Baldur and Sol Mountain. We then turn right for a couple hour climb to the summit, where 40-mph winds spaghetti our skins into a tangled mess.

Thanks to a warm snap, the ski is a cornfilled cruise straight down the face. We have stability and visibility, two key components of any backcountry excursion. Against a backdrop of ski movie peaks, we funnel into the tight chutes of Tunnel Vision, a gully leading us back to the valley floor. The lure of sunset happy hour outside the lodge fuels our final climb, capping a 5,500-foot day. After a sauna and requisite snow plunge, we feast on Bernie’s homemade pulled pork with gnocchi and butternut squash, marveling at our alpenglow-lit tracks out the window.

In the morning, Aaron analyzes the day’s avalanche report, as well as the region’s whackiest snowpack in 10 years. “Top 30 cms have gone iso-thermal,” he says. “I’d be more concerned down below.”

So we go up, this time exploring Zone 4 behind Mission Ridge. There, we uncork runs called Chardonnay, Merlot, Malbec and Premium Red, connoisseurs of their wide-open bowls, mini-chutes and pillow-airs.

It’s exactly the type of terrain Aaron, a former forestry consultant, and previous partner Dave Flear were looking for when they brainstormed the lodge while stuck in a tent on a ski tour. After hiring helicopters for reconnaissance flights, their search ended in the Monashees. A key caveat: summer road access so they could build something with “the amenities of a cat-skiing lodge but for the backcountry crowd.”

“It’s a great location,” Aaron maintains. “We get more than 60 feet of snow a year, and it

has an endless amount of north-facing glades and high Alpine terrain. You can tour to seven different summits and five different drainages right from the lodge.”

The lodge’s permit area encompasses 30,000 acres, including 18,000 in Monashee Provincial Park (where heli operations are prohibited and they’re the only concessionaire) and 12,000 outside the park. “We wanted access for everyone, to get more people into the backcountry,” he adds. “It offers great beginner and intermediate terrain, as well as more aggressive runs.”

The easier terrain lures families. This year, more than 30 kids have come for their first taste of backcountry touring. The harder terrain fosters its backcountry bread and butter, including annual avalanche courses, splitboard weeks and guided and non-guided bookings.

While we fall into the latter, we heed their suggestions while looking at maps, especially on our last day, when we wake up to sockedin snow. It’s a day for trees instead of peaks with six inches Zamboni-ing the slate clean.

That night, the third-party Canuck couple, which has blended in admirably with our debauchery, doles out awards in an elaborate presentation. We’re called up to accept accolades for everything from Best Business Casual Dress, Biggest Flirt and Closet Stoner to Happiest Smile, Horse to the Barn and Most Enthusiastic (awarded to Dawn, who accidentally climbed into the pilot’s seat on the flight in). Mine, if you must know, is none other than Sexiest (and only) Journalist, while buff-armed Bernie takes Kitchen Porn honors.

From there, the evening progresses to beerfueled games of limbo and one-legged-picka-bag-up-with-your-teeth before everyone waltzes out to dance under the stars on the snow-packed helicopter pad.

In the morning, we notch a final quick powder lap before the whop-whop of our red Eurocopter B2 crests the ridge, and we fly back to “civilization.”

When the pilot banks a turn on the backside of Sol Mountain, I look back to the lodge and our tracks and vow to return, perhaps even with my kids in tow. At our landing pad, Aaron’s wife, Sabine, has the same idea: she’s already leading their two kids, ages 10 and 12, to the chopper for spring break.

Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 129

5 MINUTES WITH

Ski Corp Prez

Rob Perlman Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp.’s new president Rob Perlman skis in with 20 years of industry experience, from serving as Colorado Ski Country USA’s head to seven years as Steamboat’s vice president of sales and marketing. He lives the Steamboat lifestyle with his wife, Erin, and daughters, Amanda, 15, and Morgan, 13, shuttling to the slopes, dance practice, the golf course and more. Don’t be surprised to see him slide onto the chair next to you.

— Eugene Buchanan I grew up racing at Winter Park. I first visited Steamboat at age 10 for a race and remember seeing all the F.M. Light signs and racing down Vagabond in a blinding snow storm. I got my first taste of Champagne Powder® while ripping through Closets.

I love Steamboat’s snow but also its true Western feel. It’s authentic and cool. It’s one of my favorite places to ski.

I’ve worked for some of the best resorts there are, and Steamboat’s staff is hands down the best in the business. They’re passionate about this place. My job is to lead them and continue our success.

Steamboat has one of the most iconic brands in the industry. It’s more than the ski area; it’s the entire community that makes Steamboat so special.

We’re excited about our new Stevens Family training and competition venue to support our next generation of racers. Our winter air program is also the envy of other mountain communities.

I usually ski about 60 days a year. My goal this year is to surpass 70. My Rossignol Experience 100s are the perfect one-quiver ski, but if it’s a big powder day, I’ll grab my Rossi Super 7s.

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PHOTO BY JOHN F. RUSSELL

On powder days, I’m partial to Three O’ Clock. But I also like the Chutes. I also dial up m.steamboat.com for the grooming map and fresh corduroy.

Thank you to the entire Steamboat community who welcome so many guests to this special place that we call home.

Here’s to a great winter!

Steamboat.com Winter 2015-16 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | 131

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