Powder Compass

Atlas · Colorado · CO

Steamboat

10,568′ summit · 3,668′ vert · 3,741 acres · avg 336″/yr

Strong bet — Jan 1–15

Delivered 24″+ in 8 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 12 of 20 · typical 32", most land 12"–41"

Before you book

This bet missed 2 of the last 10.

None of the last 10 came in under 8″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.

Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.

The season, window by window

The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.

Steamboat · the shape of a typical winter

Typical new snow, window by window

The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.

0 20 40 60" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 6 of 10 · 4 busts Solid odds 22" 55" 2018 2" 2016
Nov 16–30 24″+ 7 of 10 · 1 bust Solid odds 24" 43" 2018 0" 2012
Dec 1–15 24″+ 6 of 10 Solid odds 26" 61" 2022 9" 2011
Dec 16–31 30″+ 7 of 10 Solid odds 36" 62" 2022 8" 2011
Jan 1–15 24″+ 8 of 10 Strong bet 32" 76" 2017 8" 2012
Jan 16–31 30″+ 3 of 10 · 1 bust Long shot 25" 65" 2023 8" 2022
Feb 1–15 24″+ 7 of 10 · 1 bust Solid odds 24" 77" 2021 3" 2022
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 6 of 10 Solid odds 26" 47" 2024 10" 2016
Mar 1–15 24″+ 7 of 10 Solid odds 23" 94" 2019 8" 2012
Mar 16–31 30″+ 5 of 10 · 1 bust Coin flip 26" 53" 2023 1" 2026
Apr 1–15 24″+ 5 of 10 Coin flip 26" 47" 2010 8" 2015
Apr 16–30 24″+ 6 of 10 Solid odds 26" 57" 2011 10" 2014

Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.

At the snow sensor

Reading the snow sensor…

Field notes

Champagne-powder trademark and some of the best tree skiing anywhere — the aspens off Sundown and Sunshine are the mountain's soul, more than the modest-pitched open runs suggest. A storm-cycle week here is as good as lift-served glade skiing gets.

It's far from everything, which keeps it saner than Summit County. Town is a real ranching town with a genuine main street, ten minutes from the base. Plan trips around northwest-flow storms; between storms it's a groomer hill with great hot springs.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Steamboat's odds move on the Jan 1–15 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.

Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.

These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.