This year we decided to do our trip to Steamboat Springs the couple of days before Christmas. We picked the kids up from school on Friday and drove straight to Steamboat. It was a hectic start when we realized that Emma had misplaced her snow coat. After going back to the school and looking all over the house we called the bus office and found that it was still on the bus from the day before. Luckily I was able to pick it up so we could leave for our trip. We stayed at the Trailhead Lodge again and it was just as fun as it was last year.
SATURDAY
We got up early today to get Abby to her ski lesson. The thing I like the most about ski lessons at Steamboat is not only how nice and experienced the instructors are but how well they take care of the kids. Each kid in ski lessons gets a GPS strapped to them so anytime of the day we can see where they are at. Since Abby learned how to ski the green runs with us last time at Eldora we were able to put her in level 3. She was so excited. After leaving Abby the rest of us headed up the Gondola to ski the southwest side of the mountain where the well sought after Tomahawk run was. This side of the mountain was closed last year when we skied at Thanksgiving time so we were really anxious to see what the runs were like. From the top of the Gondola we skied down Spur Run to get down to the Sundown Express lift that took us up to the highest point at Sunshine Peak. At 10,384 ft we skied towards the Tomahawk run. It was the best run ever. The first two pitches were like a normal blue and then the rest of the run was rolling and more like a green. It was just a fun run. At the bottom of the run we got on the Sunshine Express lift and made our way back up to the top. The weather was cold, overcast and it was snowing and some of our hands were a bit cold. We decided to ski down High Noon to get to the Rendevous Saddle Lodge to warm up. We got some hot chocolate and warmed up our hands and feet before heading back out again. After leaving the lodge we skied down to the Sunshine Express and headed back to the top of the mountain again. This time we skied down High Noon to lower High Noon. Lower High Noon was a very steep blue run. It was fun to be challenged. After skiing down the Tomahawk run again we headed down to the Elkhead lift to get back up to the Gondola. We made our way down the mountain via the Vagabond run. After getting back down to the bottom we did a few easy runs before picking Abby up. Abby had a great day skiing with her level 3 class. She went up the Christie Peak Express to the top and skied down the Boulevard run all the way to Giggle Gulch and down to the bottom. It was a great day for everyone.
SATURDAY
We got up early today to get Abby to her ski lesson. The thing I like the most about ski lessons at Steamboat is not only how nice and experienced the instructors are but how well they take care of the kids. Each kid in ski lessons gets a GPS strapped to them so anytime of the day we can see where they are at. Since Abby learned how to ski the green runs with us last time at Eldora we were able to put her in level 3. She was so excited. After leaving Abby the rest of us headed up the Gondola to ski the southwest side of the mountain where the well sought after Tomahawk run was. This side of the mountain was closed last year when we skied at Thanksgiving time so we were really anxious to see what the runs were like. From the top of the Gondola we skied down Spur Run to get down to the Sundown Express lift that took us up to the highest point at Sunshine Peak. At 10,384 ft we skied towards the Tomahawk run. It was the best run ever. The first two pitches were like a normal blue and then the rest of the run was rolling and more like a green. It was just a fun run. At the bottom of the run we got on the Sunshine Express lift and made our way back up to the top. The weather was cold, overcast and it was snowing and some of our hands were a bit cold. We decided to ski down High Noon to get to the Rendevous Saddle Lodge to warm up. We got some hot chocolate and warmed up our hands and feet before heading back out again. After leaving the lodge we skied down to the Sunshine Express and headed back to the top of the mountain again. This time we skied down High Noon to lower High Noon. Lower High Noon was a very steep blue run. It was fun to be challenged. After skiing down the Tomahawk run again we headed down to the Elkhead lift to get back up to the Gondola. We made our way down the mountain via the Vagabond run. After getting back down to the bottom we did a few easy runs before picking Abby up. Abby had a great day skiing with her level 3 class. She went up the Christie Peak Express to the top and skied down the Boulevard run all the way to Giggle Gulch and down to the bottom. It was a great day for everyone.
SUNDAY
Today we got up and went to church. It was a much smaller congregation than ours back in Colorado Springs. We loved the spirit that we felt there. After being uplifted we decided to get our gear on and take Abby with us up to do the Tomahawk run we had done the day before. It was a fun day just being all together and skiing some of the easy runs with Abby. We were so proud of Abby for sticking with us on the blue runs. She was such a trooper. She loved following one of us down the mountain while doing her turns. For lunch today we headed to the Rendezvous Saddle Lodge like yesterday and ate our sandwiches and oranges. We got hot chocolate and dipped our cookies in it and it was so DELICIOUS! After we did a few more runs we decided to head back down the mountain. After we got to the bottom we decided to do a few easy runs with Abby. Mike and Peter went up a little higher and attempted to do the Vogue Run. All would have been well but Mike hit a mogul after not being able to see very well out of his googles and heard a pop in his knee. The ski patrol took him down the rest of the mountain and took him to their first aid station. It was a bit of a shock for all of us. Needless to say, I was worried and showed it a little bit with anger instead of compassion.
Today we got up and went to church. It was a much smaller congregation than ours back in Colorado Springs. We loved the spirit that we felt there. After being uplifted we decided to get our gear on and take Abby with us up to do the Tomahawk run we had done the day before. It was a fun day just being all together and skiing some of the easy runs with Abby. We were so proud of Abby for sticking with us on the blue runs. She was such a trooper. She loved following one of us down the mountain while doing her turns. For lunch today we headed to the Rendezvous Saddle Lodge like yesterday and ate our sandwiches and oranges. We got hot chocolate and dipped our cookies in it and it was so DELICIOUS! After we did a few more runs we decided to head back down the mountain. After we got to the bottom we decided to do a few easy runs with Abby. Mike and Peter went up a little higher and attempted to do the Vogue Run. All would have been well but Mike hit a mogul after not being able to see very well out of his googles and heard a pop in his knee. The ski patrol took him down the rest of the mountain and took him to their first aid station. It was a bit of a shock for all of us. Needless to say, I was worried and showed it a little bit with anger instead of compassion.
MONDAY
This morning Mike went to the ER and had is knee x-rayed before meeting up with me and Andrew. It didn't look to be anything too serious but nothing would be known for sure without an MRI. Abby, Emma, and Peter took ski lessons today. Since the weather was pretty bad and some of the upper lifts were closed due to high winds and ice, Andrew and I stayed at the bottom of the mountain. We would have gone up the Gondola but the line was ridiculously long. Andrew and I skied down Vogue (blue) a few times and then we skied down See Me (black) a few times as well. We loved skiing down that black run. Mike met us halfway through the day and skied down the green runs just to be safe. Right when we were getting ready to pick up the kids from their lessons a blizzard came sweeping through. It was so bitter cold. We picked Abby up right away from her level 4 class but waited for another 20 minutes for Emma and Peter. Apparently they got stuck in the blizzard with their level 5 class as they made their way down the mountain. We were so glad to see them. We hustled back to the hotel and got our suits on so we could sit in the hot tub. The hot tub every afternoon was probably one of our favorite parts of each day. Tonight was special because Santa came to the lodge to see the kids and give them all a present. The look on Abby's face as Santa walked through the door was absolutely magical.
This morning Mike went to the ER and had is knee x-rayed before meeting up with me and Andrew. It didn't look to be anything too serious but nothing would be known for sure without an MRI. Abby, Emma, and Peter took ski lessons today. Since the weather was pretty bad and some of the upper lifts were closed due to high winds and ice, Andrew and I stayed at the bottom of the mountain. We would have gone up the Gondola but the line was ridiculously long. Andrew and I skied down Vogue (blue) a few times and then we skied down See Me (black) a few times as well. We loved skiing down that black run. Mike met us halfway through the day and skied down the green runs just to be safe. Right when we were getting ready to pick up the kids from their lessons a blizzard came sweeping through. It was so bitter cold. We picked Abby up right away from her level 4 class but waited for another 20 minutes for Emma and Peter. Apparently they got stuck in the blizzard with their level 5 class as they made their way down the mountain. We were so glad to see them. We hustled back to the hotel and got our suits on so we could sit in the hot tub. The hot tub every afternoon was probably one of our favorite parts of each day. Tonight was special because Santa came to the lodge to see the kids and give them all a present. The look on Abby's face as Santa walked through the door was absolutely magical.
TUESDAY
On our last day we all skied together and went up the Gondola to ski some of our favorite runs like Tomahawk and Baby Powder. There was so much powder it was amazing. Andrew, Peter, and Emma went with me on West Side which was a black run. It was more fun that I thought it would be. We made our way back to the Gondola and headed down the mountain. Mike and Abby took the Gondola while Andrew, Peter, Emma and I skied down Heavenly Daze. We had been dying to ski this run since we got here but the visibility was always so poor. Today we decided to ski down it and then to See Me to get to the bottom. The kids all did so well not only on Heavenly Daze but also on See Me. By the time we got to the bottom is was around 2pm. We made our way back to the hotel via the hotel Gondola to warm up in the hot tub before getting on the road. It was the perfect way to end our fabulous ski trip to Steamboat Springs.
On our last day we all skied together and went up the Gondola to ski some of our favorite runs like Tomahawk and Baby Powder. There was so much powder it was amazing. Andrew, Peter, and Emma went with me on West Side which was a black run. It was more fun that I thought it would be. We made our way back to the Gondola and headed down the mountain. Mike and Abby took the Gondola while Andrew, Peter, Emma and I skied down Heavenly Daze. We had been dying to ski this run since we got here but the visibility was always so poor. Today we decided to ski down it and then to See Me to get to the bottom. The kids all did so well not only on Heavenly Daze but also on See Me. By the time we got to the bottom is was around 2pm. We made our way back to the hotel via the hotel Gondola to warm up in the hot tub before getting on the road. It was the perfect way to end our fabulous ski trip to Steamboat Springs.
