Spend enough time in Steamboat Springs and you quickly realize that skiing here is about much more than Steamboat Resort. Across the Yampa River from downtown sits Howelsen Hill, a small but incredibly important piece of the town’s history.
Howelsen Hill has been part of Steamboat’s ski culture for more than a century. Skiing began here in 1915, making it North America’s oldest operating ski area. Today, it is still owned and operated by the City of Steamboat Springs.
Where Steamboat’s Skiing History Began
The hill gets its name from Carl Howelsen, a Norwegian ski jumper who helped introduce recreational skiing and ski jumping to the area in the early 1900s.
Howelsen built the first ski jump on the hill and helped establish the ski club that would eventually become the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. What started as a local ski hill grew into one of the most important training grounds for winter athletes in the country.
Over the years, Howelsen Hill has trained 100 Olympians and generations of Steamboat athletes. Its ski jumping complex remains one of the most recognizable parts of the hill and a reminder of just how deeply winter sports are connected to the town.
More Than a Piece of History
Howelsen Hill isn’t just something to look at from downtown. It remains an active ski area and a favorite among locals.
The mountain offers alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski jumping and other winter activities, with terrain that gives visitors a completely different experience from the larger Steamboat Resort nearby. It is also home to the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, where young athletes continue a tradition that has been part of the community for generations.
One of the best parts about visiting Howelsen Hill is its location. You can explore downtown Steamboat Springs and then look across the Yampa River and see the ski jumps rising above town. Few ski destinations have their history quite this visible.
A Different Side of Steamboat Springs
For visitors, Howelsen Hill offers a chance to experience a side of Steamboat that can easily be missed if you spend your entire trip at the resort.
You don’t have to be a ski history expert to appreciate it. Stop by to ski, watch athletes train, explore the area or simply see one of the places that helped Steamboat Springs become the ski town it is today.
After more than 100 years, Howelsen Hill is still very much part of everyday life in Steamboat Springs. And that may be the best reason to visit.
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