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When it comes to Steamboat, the glass is either half full or half empty. “Base area is a construction site,” laments one reader. “You can tell that some money is finally being spent on the resort,” says another. Right all around. This season marks the resort’s third year of construction since Intrawest bought it in 2007. Blame it on Steamboat Unbridled, the $20 million base village initiative. It’s finally nudging the aging infrastructure into the proper century. Top 10 scores in Lodging (No. 9) and Dining (No. 10) would indicate that they’re getting it right. One thing that doesn’t need improvement is Steamboat’s snow (No. 8) and its authentic Western ambience. “It’s a real town, not just a resort built for ski tourists,” says one reader. Grabbing the No. 1 rank in Family Programs, Steamboat treats kids like VIPs, which makes parents feel like VIPs. “My sons learned to ski at Steamboat, and we still ski there together 21 years later,” says one reader.
/ What’s New / Expanded Kids Vacation Center; additional snowmaking; new Ski School Ticket office; new gear rental fleet
/ Don’t Miss / Watch ski-jumping future Olympians on Howelsen Hill, in downtown Steamboat. 
/ Mandatory Run / The trees between Hurricane and Twister—locally referred to as Twistercane: well-spaced and plenty of snow to plunder days after a storm