Steamboat Springs has long claimed to have produced more winter Olympians than any other town in the United States – a key reason behind the town’s nickname of “Ski Town, USA.”

Granted, there’s no official Olympic committee ranking listing every U.S. Olympian’s birthplace or training location in one place, so you won’t find any confirmation of the title.

That said, Steamboat’s claim is widely supported and reinforced by its nearly century-long tradition of winter sports coaching and facilities, as well as local tracking made available by tourism and sports organizations. The media also references the claim frequently during Olympics seasons.

According to Steamboat Ski Resort, it all started in the early 1900s when Carl Howelsen showed up and demonstrated that “skis could be used for fun as well as work,” at what is now known as Howelsen Hill. Today, Steamboat reports that they’ve produced more than 100 Olympians having won 19 medals and represented 12 countries. In the 2022 Olympic games, 13 competitors had ties to Steamboat Springs.

Steamboat counts its Olympians as individuals who have trained/worked in the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC), lived in Steamboat during their Olympic career, called Steamboat home for more than five years or currently reside in Routt County. Another stat that Steamboat Resort notes is that one in 136 residents is an Olympian.

As well as being to home to the largest number of Olympians, Steamboat has also served as the home and training ground of some incredibly prominent athletes. Todd Lodwick, a six-time Olympian and World Champion and the most successful U.S. Nordic combined skier, first stepped into his skis at age seven at Howelsen Hill.

Johnny Spillane, World Champion and four-time Olympian, trained at Howelsen as well, and went on to make history by becoming the first American to win a medal in Nordic combined at the Winter Games and World Championships. The Werners, “Steamboat’s first family of skiing,” also started out learning how to ski after school in Steamboat.

As an authentic ski town with plenty of historic charm, Steamboat offers a unique Colorado ski experience.

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