Often described as one of the affordable places to ski and snowboard in Colorado, the historic Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs has long been a great place to learn the skills before headed to bigger resorts.

First opening in 1915, Howelsen Hill takes pride in having produced close to 100 Winter Olympians throughout its existence, also being a favorite after-work spot among local residents.

While Howelsen Hill is one of the smaller ski areas in the state of Colorado at about 50 skiable acres with a vertical gain of about 440 feet, the spot does offer a program called ‘Ski Free Sunday,’ in which guests can ski for free without strings attached. This is a great deal considering that a standard adult lift ticket typically costs $52.

This year, Howelsen Hill is expected to be open from November 29 through March 29, conditions permitting. Weekday hours of operation are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with weekend operations being from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Reservations aren’t required, but skiers do need to grab a lift ticket from the Ticket Office prior to hitting the slopes. There may be some blackout dates, find additional details here.

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