http://www.cs.unh.edu/cit/403/work/homepages.html. My Beautiful Home Steamboat Springs, Colorado Copyright 2011, by Molly Newman 26 Sep 2011 03:50 EST mhw29@wildcats.unh.edu (Molly Newman) Mike.Gildersleeve@unh.edu (Mike Gildersleeve) http://steamboatsprings.net/ en-us http://www.pubpages.unh.edu/?1a Steamboat Springs is a peaceful little town nesteled in the heart of the Yampa Valley located in northwestern Colorado. The boat is known for its world class snow and its incredible beauty. I am lucky enough to be able to call this utopia home. http://steamboatsprings.net/come_steamboat mhw29@wildcats.unh.edu (Molly Newman) http://www.pubpages/?2a If I were to explain why I love this little town as much as I do, I would need an endless supply of paper and pens. Steamboat is unlike any other place I have experienced. The smalltown America feel is intoxicating and is good for the soul. The beauty of the mountains that surround the area in every direction are breath-taking. The fact that growing up I could expect at least one late June day to be filled with activites such as snowball fights and snowmen making, and the next day be floating down the river in a bathing suit under the warm Colorado sun, always made life interesting and always keeps you on your toes. From Howelsen Hill to the Hot Springs, from the Pro Rodeo and Wednesday night jumping the liveliness and activeness of the town is contagious. http://www.steamboatsprings.com/ mhw29@wildcats.unh.edu (Molly Newman) http://www.pubpages/?3a Howelsen Hill is one of the two ski mountains in town and is located in the heart of Old Town Steamboat. Growing up Howelsen Hill was like my second home because I was involved in the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, along with the entire town's population ranging from ages 2 to 22, and the Sports Club is located on the mountain. I have been a part of the Club since I was two years old and am still a member today. I am involved in the nordic ski program and the Winter Sports Club is a big part of why I am at UNH today. Nordic skiing has been my life as long as I can remember and I have parents that are your definition of "ski bums". I live all of two blocks away from Howelsen, which was incredibly convient seeing how I was always able to bike and walk to the Club in the summer and ski in the winter. My childhood is filled with memories of good times at Howelsen, whether it was Winter Carnival and we were watching the Lighted Man, the amazing firework show on the Fourth of July, zipping down the Alpine Slide, or just spending quality time skiing, hiking, and horeseback riding with my family and friends. http://www.coloradoskihistory.com/history/open/howelsen.html mhw29@wildcats.unh.edu (Molly Newman) http://www.pubpages/?4a Steamboat is a very unique place for many reasons. One of the reasons I find Steamboat so special is that traditional ranch life is still present, although it does have a modern twist. Growing up I always looked forward to Friday and Saturday nights in the summer time because that is when the Pro Rodeo came to town. Now that I live back East I have friends that laugh at the term "cowboy" and become hysterical when I mention the fact that I have friends at home that are in fact professional cowboys. It was a weekly tradition to go check out the enormous bulls, the buckin' broncos, the speedy barrel horses, and the giant heifers. Where I come from the "cool" kids wore the biggest belt buckles and the nicest Stetson hats. When I was not ski training I, with my sister and all of my peers, raised pigs, sheep, and if you were really motivated cows. I come from an area where its common to have a broken bone from being bucked off a horse and a torn ACL from a ski accident. The mixture between the two lifestyles of rodeo and athlete is unbeatable in my opinion and unlike anything else. http://www.steamboatprorodeo.com/ mhw29@wildcats.unh.edu (Molly Newman) http://www.pubpages/?5a The Strawberry Park Hot Springs are one of my favorite places. Steamboat is known for our many natural hot springs. They are scattered all throughout town. Some of them are not safe to swim in but the hot springs up in Strawberry Park have been made into a swim area. Growing up the Strawberry Park Hot Springs were not nearly as developed as they are today and the only way to reach them in the winter was by skiing up to them. My family and friends would take weekly ski trips up to the area and spend the day soaking in the natural springs. I went to a private ski academy called Lowell Whiteman in high school that happens to be nestled in the woods right below the springs. We spent a significant amount of time hanging out at the springs because we were so close. The hot springs are one of the things I miss most now that I live away from home. http://www.strawberryhotsprings.com/2005/ mhw29@wildcats.unh.edu (Molly Newman)