In Steamboat Springs, the local icon is the skiing cowboy. He captures the essence of this town in northwest Colorado — the past, present and future symbolized by those jeans,
People enjoy an evening at Mountain Tap Brewery earlier this week. (Photo by John F. Russell)
Over the past several years, Steamboat Springs and Colorado’s other mountain towns have found themselves in a dilemma: relying on tourism to sustain their economies while also preserving community character, protecting natural resources and ensuring longtime locals and employees can still afford to live in town and do their jobs.
“It’s definitely a balancing act between preserving town character and the environment that attracts these people and a city’s tourism-based economy,” said Margaret Bowes, executive director of the Colorado Association of Ski Towns. “Our communities absolutely need to protect the things that have made them a destination in the first place.”
Wildcat Canyon, Near Cheesman Reservoir On May 15, the conservation group Wild Connections was planning to hike eight miles to a remote section of the South Platte River, but rain, snow and dangerous trail conditions forced the group to push back its event. The area is upstream of Cheesman Reservoir, and is endangered by illegal motorized vehicles tearing the landscape apart. The eight-mile hike includes 1,200 feet of elevation gain, and the event will be limited to ten people. If you re interested in details and participating, contact Jim Lockhart at 719-385-0045 or jlock@datawest.net.
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, Storm Peak Brewing Co. makes its beer in a 4,600-square-foot facility with 20 taps and garage doors that open to a large patio with fire pit. Mainstays include Maestro IPA and Mad Creek Kolsch, but the brewery also experiments with everything from coffee-infused beers to kettle-soured ales. “We’re focused on our tap room and great atmosphere,” says co-founder Wyatt Patterson, adding a new 20-barrel brewing system triples production. “We’re proud to call Steamboat home and love sharing our passion for beer.” stormpeakbrewing.com
Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill
Located in the heart of downtown on 5
th Street and Lincoln Avenue, Mahogany Ridge offers more than 20 varieties of craft-brewed beers, with seven on tap at any given time. Locals’ favorites include Alpenglow and Charlie’s Cherry Ale, brewed with 264 pounds of cherries; as well as its “dipping menu,” with 20 unique sauces. “It’s not your typical brewpub fare,” says owner Charlie Noble, touting its
With cold winter weather on the horizon and ever-changing local COVID-19 rules limiting indoor dining, Wendy and Rich Tucciarone began worrying about the fate of their Steamboat Springs, Colorado, craft brewery and restaurant last fall.