The City of Steamboat Springs is a

home rule municipality Devolution is the statutory delegation of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to govern at a subnational level, such as a regional or local level. It is a form of administrative decentralization. Devolved territories ...

that is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

and the most populous municipality of

Routt County Routt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,829. The county seat is Steamboat Springs. Routt County comprises the Steamboat Springs, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. History P ...

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. Steamboat Springs is the principal city of the Steamboat Springs, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. According to 2019 census data, the city had an estimated population of 13,214. The city is a winter ski resort destination, including the

Steamboat Ski Resort Steamboat Resort is a major ski area in the western United States, located in northwestern Colorado at Steamboat Springs. Operated by the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, it is located on Mount Werner, a mountain in the Park Range in the R ...

Mount Werner Mount Werner is a mountain summit in the Park Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The peak is located in Routt National Forest, east-southeast ( bearing 107°) of the City of Steamboat Springs in Routt County, Colorado, United ...

in the Park Range just east of the town and the much smaller

Howelsen Hill Ski Area Howelsen Hill Ski Area is a small ski area located on Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It is not a typical alpine ski area, as it includes a series of ski jumps, the largest with HS127. History The ski area has produced 89 Olymp ...

. Steamboat Springs has produced more athletes for the

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were h ...

than any other town in North America. Steamboat Springsknown colloquially as "The 'Boat"is located in the upper valley of the

Yampa River The Yampa River flows through northwestern Colorado in the United States. Rising in the Rocky Mountains, it is a tributary of the Green River and a major part of the Colorado River system. The Yampa is one of the few free-flowing rivers in the ...

, along U.S. Highway 40, just west of the Continental Divide and Rabbit Ears Pass. It is located approximately three hours northwest of

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

by car, and sits near the

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the s ...

border. It is served by Steamboat Springs Airport (general aviation) and commercial service at nearby

Yampa Valley Airport Yampa Valley Regional Airport is in Routt County, Colorado, United States, serving the communities of Steamboat Springs, Hayden, and Craig, Colorado. The airport is two miles southeast of Hayden, about 20 miles east of Craig and about west of ...

History

Routt County Courthouse, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

The area surrounding Steamboat Springs was originally inhabited by the Yampatika band of the Utes, who hunted in the valley during the summer. Trappers began to move through the area during the first decades of the 19th century. James Harvey Crawford, the founder of Steamboat Springs, first arrived in the spring of 1874. The Crawford family moved there in 1876, and for the first five years were the sole permanent white residents of the town. The native Utes were forcibly removed from the area to a reservation in

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

by the U.S. Army starting in 1879. Milestones in the development of the pioneer town included the first sawmill in 1873, incorporation of the town in 1900, and the arrival of the railroad in 1909. The economy of the region was originally based on ranching and mining, which still have a large presence in the county. Steamboat is home to natural hot springs that are located throughout the area (see Geography). Upon first hearing a chugging sound, early trappers believed that a steamboat was coming down the river. When the trappers saw that there was no steamboat, and that the sound was coming from a hot spring, they decided to name the spring Steamboat Spring. Originally,

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

was the only method of transportation during harsh and snowy Rocky Mountain winters. In turn, the popularity of skiing as a winter pastime catalyzed development of the town and other communities all over the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

. In 1913, Carl Howelsen, a Norwegian, moved to town and introduced ski jumping. Howelsen built the first jump on Howelsen Hill, now part of the

Howelsen Ski Area Howelsen Hill Ski Area is a small ski area located on Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It is not a typical alpine ski area, as it includes a series of ski jumps, the largest with HS127. History The ski area has produced 89 Olympi ...

. He also founded the annual Winter Carnival, a celebration still held each winter. The festival includes ski racing and jumping, dog sledding, and chariot events down Lincoln Avenue, the city's main street. Light shows on both Mount Werner and Howelsen Hill are highlights. Howelsen also founded the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and built the town's first ski jumps. The oldest continually operating ski area in North America, Howelsen Hill, now bears his name and is one of just three complete ski jumping complexes in the United States. The Steamboat Ski Resort was largely established by two local men, Jim Temple and John Fetcher. Temple led the effort to develop the area. Fetcher, a local rancher, was the main designer and builder. The resort opened on what was then called Storm Mountain in 1963. Winter Carnival in Steamboat Springs

In 1974, The Industrial Company (TIC) was started in Steamboat Springs and has since grown into one of the largest industrial construction companies in the United States with revenues of approximately $2 billion in 2007. The company is one of the largest employers in Routt County and has more than 9,000 employees worldwide. TIC - The Industrial Company was acquired by Kiewit Engineering and all operations except the Training Center moved elsewhere (Denver, etc.). The main TIC complex on Routt County Road 129 has been acquired by Yampa Valley Electric Association as their new headquarters, with extensive renovation. This property provides ample areas for offices, vehicle maintenance, and construction laydown activities. In 1993, the City Council of Steamboat Springs, Colorado conducted a poll of its residents to choose a new name for the bridge that crossed the Yampa River on Shield Drive. With 7,717 votes, the winning name was "James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge". The bridge was officially dedicated in September 1993, and James Brown appeared at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the event.

Historic buildings

Historic buildings in Steamboat Springs include: * Christian Science Society, at 7th and Oak, was built of logs in 1934 and is now listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. * The Crawford House, at 12th and Crawford, was built of local stone in 1894 by the founder of Steamboat, James Harvey Crawford, and is now listed on the

Geography and climate

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land except for the Yampa River. The Yampa Valley and surrounding area contain several geothermal hot springs. The city is named after the Steamboat Spring, located near the present-day library and the old train depot. The spring itself was so named because its bubbling sounded like a steamboat to early settlers. Unfortunately, the construction of the railroad, which passes right next to the Steamboat Spring, silenced the chugging sound in 1908. Locals take pride in the name of their town, as evidenced by the humorously named Steamboat Yacht Club, a local restaurant formerly located on the Yampa River, but has since been closed. It was later reopened under a different name. Though there are no steamboats in the town, except for an allegorical "steamboat" playground in West Lincoln Park which was designed to resemble a steamboat and has since been mostly torn down, the area does offer two hot springs that are open to the public. The largest is at the Old Town Hot Springs, with multiple pools and two slides. Located in the hills a few miles out of town is Strawberry Park Hot Springs, with two pools, lodging (camping and cabins), spa and natural rock features. There is a fee to enter Strawberry Park, cash or check only. Strawberry Park Hot Springs offers excellent stargazing opportunities due to the lack of ambient light. The Yampa River flows through the middle of town, with several tributary creeks joining in town – Fish Creek, Spring Creek, Soda Creek, and more.

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Steamboat Springs has a

warm-summer humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Steamboat Springs was on June 29, 1990, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 7, 1913.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 12,088 people, 5,201 households, and 2,275 families residing in the city. There were 9,966 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 94%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.6%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.8%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.4% Native American, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.7% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.5% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 8.5% of the population. There were 4,201 households, out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.6% were non-families. Additionally, 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age of Steamboat's population was 36.5 years. By sex, the population was 54.2 percent male, 45.8 percent female. The median income for a household in the city was $54,647, and the median income for a family was $65,685. Males had a median income of $35,536 versus $28,244 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $31,695. About 2.7% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Sports

Steamboat Springs offers excellent skiing opportunities (also see

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

section) and has been the locale of world-class skiing competitions, including competitions for the

1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxon Valdez oil tanker runs ...

and 1990 Alpine Skiing World Cup. The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has brought forth many successful skiers, and the

attracts a large number of visiting snow aficionados. The Yampa river is a popular conduit for water sports like fishing, rafting, tubing, and kayaking (

playboating Canoe freestyle (also known as playboating) is a discipline of whitewater kayaking or canoeing where people perform various technical moves in one place (a playspot), as opposed to downriver whitewater canoeing or kayaking where the objective is ...

). The grade II-III whitewater run through town ends with two surfable

holes A hole is an opening in or through a particular medium, usually a solid body. Holes occur through natural and artificial processes, and may be useful for various purposes, or may represent a problem needing to be addressed in many fields of en ...

. One is called ''D-Hole''; the other one—near the library, close to the Steamboat Spring—is named ''Charlie's Hole'' or ''C-Hole'' for short, after local kayaker Charlie Beavers (1981–2002). Beavers started kayaking at age 12, was the first to explore a number of rivers ("first descents"), and successfully contended in playboating competitions. He died in a non-boating accident in 2002. The hole and some kayaking events were dedicated to him. Steamboat Springs C-Hole

Every year on the first weekend of June, Steamboat Springs organizes the ''Yampa River Festival''. It includes a kayak rodeo (i.e., a playboating competition) which attracts national and international world class playboaters. Additional events include but are not limited to a downriver race which is Colorado's only upstream slalom race, and the Crazy River Dog Contest, in which dogs retrieve sticks from the river and may pass a whitewater section. The defunct ski area Stagecoach is about twenty miles (32 km) south of Steamboat. It lasted two ski seasons, closing in 1974.

Notable people

Debbie Armstrong Debra Rae "Debbie" Armstrong (born December 6, 1963) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Seattle, Washington. She was the first gold medalist from the U.S. in women's alpine skiing in 12 years, winning the giant slalom at the 1984 Wint ...

(born 1963), alpine skier and Olympic gold medalist; lives in Steamboat Springs * Chris Baumann (born 1987), rugby union player, prop for Leicester Tigers and

USA Eagles The United States men's national rugby union team represents the United States in men's international rugby union. Nicknamed the Eagles, it is controlled by USA Rugby, the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United Stat ...

Nelson Carmichael Nelson Carmichael (born November 19, 1965, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado) is an American mogul skier. He won a bronze medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics. – ''databaseOlympics.com'' (Retrieved on August 20, 2008) He was with the U.S. team fr ...

(born 1965), mogul skier and Olympic bronze medalist; born in Steamboat Springs * James Harvey Crawford (1845–1930), founder of Steamboat Springs; soldier, farmer, pioneer, cattleman, miner, land developer, and politician * Shannon Dunn-Downing (born 1972), freestyle snowboarder, Olympic bronze medalist and 4-time Winter

X-Games The X Games are an annual extreme sports event organized, produced and broadcast by ESPN. Coverage is also shown on ESPN's sister network, ABC. The inaugural X Games were held during the summer of 1995 in Providence and Newport, Rhode Island ...

medalist; raised in Steamboat Springs * Taylor Fletcher (born 1990), Nordic combined skier; competed in his first Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010 * Arielle Gold (born 1996), Olympic bronze medalist and World Champion snowboarder; born in Steamboat Springs *

Taylor Gold Taylor Gold (born November 17, 1993) is an American Olympian snowboarder. He competes in the halfpipe. He is a two-time U.S. Revolution Tour champion, 2013 Copper Mountain Grand Prix/World Cup champion, 2014 Burton US Open champion, and 2014 ...

(born 1993), Olympian snowboarder; born in Steamboat Springs *

Carroll Hardy Carroll William Hardy (May 18, 1933 – August 9, 2020) was an American professional athlete who played in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers (1955) and in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians (1958–1960), Bost ...

(born 1933), Major League Basesball player; resides in Steamboat Springs *

Billy Kidd {{Infobox alpine ski racer , name = Billy Kidd , image = Billy Kidd skier 1970.jpg , image_size = 220 , caption = Kidd after winning the world title in 1970 , birth_date = {{birth date and ag ...

(born 1943), alpine skier and Olympic silver medalist; moved to Steamboat Springs in 1970 and serves as Director of Skiing for Steamboat Ski Resort *

Caroline Lalive Caroline Lalive (born August 10, 1979) is an American former alpine skier who competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics and 2002 Winter Olympics. She was born in Truckee, California Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, ...

(born 1979), alpine skier and two-time Olympian; attended Lowell Whiteman School and lives in Steamboat Springs * Todd Lodwick (born 1976), Nordic combined skier, Olympic silver medalist and two-time World champion; born in Steamboat Springs *

Verne Lundquist Merton Laverne Lundquist Jr. (born July 17, 1940) is an American sportscaster. Biography Early life and career Lundquist was born in Duluth, Minnesota. He graduated from Austin High School in Austin, Texas, before attending Texas Lutheran U ...

(born 1940), television sportscaster; resides in Steamboat Springs *

Travis Mayer Travis Mayer (born February 22, 1982, in Buffalo, New York) is an Olympic-level freestyle skier. He won the silver medal in the moguls competition at the 2002 Winter Olympics and also competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics. Travis grew up skii ...

(born 1982), freestyle skier and Olympic silver medalist; moved to Steamboat Springs to attend the Lowell Whiteman School * Carey McWilliams (1905–1980), author, editor, lawyer known for progressive ideas; born in Steamboat Springs *

Robin Olds Robin Olds (July 14, 1922 – June 14, 2007) was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the United States Air Force (USAF). He was a " triple ace", with a combined total of 17 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. ...

(1922–2007), ace fighter pilot and WWII/Vietnam fighter group commander; retired in Steamboat * Ryan Max Riley (born 1979), freestyle skier and humorist; attended Lowell Whiteman School in Steamboat *

Reese Roper Michael Reese Roper (born June 30, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter, best known as lead singer for the Denver, Colorado-based Christian ska punk band Five Iron Frenzy, as well as fronting the rock bands Brave Saint Saturn and Roper. Pers ...

(born 1973), singer and songwriter; born in Steamboat Springs *

Ryan Serhant Ryan Matthew Serhant (born July 2, 1984) is an American real estate broker, author, and reality television actor. He currently stars on Bravo's television series ''Million Dollar Listing New York'' and its spin-off ''Sell it Like Serhant.'' Se ...

Archived a
Ghostarchive
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Wayback Machine
*

Andrew Sisco Andrew Frank Sisco (born January 13, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox, in the Korean Professional Baseball League for the KT Wiz, ...

(born 1983), baseball player; born in Steamboat Springs *

Johnny Spillane Johnny Spillane (born November 24, 1980) is an American athlete who competes in Nordic combined, a combination event consisting of ski jumping and cross-country skiing. Spillane is a world champion and three-time Olympic silver medalist. He ann ...

(born 1980), Nordic combined skier, three-time Olympic silver medalist and World champion; born in Steamboat Springs * Steven Ray Swanson (born 1960), engineer and a NASA astronaut *

Alvin P. Wegeman Alvin Paul Wegeman (March 1, 1927 – May 30, 2015) was an American nordic combined skier. While on leave from the United States Navy, U.S. Navy, he competed in the Nordic combined event at the Nordic skiing at the 1952 Winter Olympics, 1952 Winte ...

(1927–2015), Nordic combined skier; helped to develop Steamboat Springs area for skiing *

Buddy Werner Wallace Jerold "Buddy" Werner (February 26, 1936 – April 12, 1964) was an American alpine ski racer in the 1950s and early 1960s. Early years Born and raised in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Werner was the middle child of Ed "Pop" and Hazel ...

(1936–1964), Olympic alpine skier who had Mount Werner named in his honor in 1965, following his death in an avalanche; born and raised in Steamboat Springs *

Gordon Wren Gordon L. Wren (January 5, 1919 – November 25, 1999) was an American ski jumper who competed in the 1940s. He finished fifth in the individual large hill event at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. Wren was born in Steamboat Springs, Col ...

(1919–1999), ski jumper; last lived and died in Steamboat Springs *

Trey Parker Randolph Severn "Trey" Parker III (born October 19, 1969) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, and composer. He is known for co-creating ''South Park'' (since 1997) and '' The Book of Mormon'' (2011) with his creative partner Matt Stone. ...

(born 1969), award-winning American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, and composer. He is most known for co-creating the animated television show '' South Park.'' Owns property to which he frequently vacations. * Joan Donham (born 1950s), Physician Assistant to multiple orthopedic surgeons. Moved to Steamboat Springs with her husband Jim Linville in 1980 and started Sports Med Physical Therapy. She has won dance competitions, was a pioneer of mountain biking, and known through town.

Sister cities

Saas-Fee Saas-Fee () is the main village in the Saastal, or the Saas Valley, and is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. The village is situated on a high mountain plateau at 1,800 meters (5,900 feet), surrounded ...

Valais Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...

, Switzerland *

San Martín de los Andes San Martín de los Andes is a city in the south-west of the , serving as the administration centre of the Lácar Department. Lying at the foot of the Andes, on the Lácar lake, it is considered one of the main tourism destinations in the province. ...

Neuquén Neuquén (; arn, Nehuenken) is the capital city of the Argentine province of Neuquén and of the Confluencia Department, located in the east of the province. It occupies a strip of land west of the confluence of the Limay and Neuquén river ...

, Argentina

References

External links

*
City of Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs Chamber of Commerce
*
Strawberry Park Hot Springs Photographs

Tread of Pioneers Museum
{{Authority control Cities in Routt County, Colorado

Cities in Colorado {{Parent cat , child_level=county , type= , metacategory =Cities in Colorado by county , commonscat=Cities in Colorado , geogroup=y , seealso=Colorado ‎‎ , main=List of cities in Colorado , child_no_parent=21452707 , parent_no_child=21452710 ...

County seats in Colorado Hot springs of Colorado Bodies of water of Routt County, Colorado