Steamboat Lake Marina

No… I’m not a videographer, but here’s a simple look at what you can expect from our comfortable Camper Cabins…

Quite an exciting weekend the 4^th turned out to be.  I’m here to report that one of the most uncommon events I’ve ever witnessed took place over the past few days… the sinking of a vintage ski boat just yards from the no-wake buoys at the marina entrance. 

Now this wasn’t an intentional sinking of any kind.  You know, the way the Navy might intentionally sink a machine boat or retired ship to create a diving attraction.  No, the theory on this sinking was simply a loose plug which allowed an overwhelming amount of water to flow into the back end of the craft.  With more water on board than the boat could handle, the vessel sank faster than it takes to microwave a burrito.

Luckily, all the passengers on the boat were able to quickly swim from danger and nobody was harmed in the accident.  The trouble then became finding the boat and hiring a salvage crew to remove the craft from the bottom of the lake.  Choppy waves created by a busy 4^th of July made it difficult.

Finally on Monday the 6^th, certified divers found the sunken vessel and were able to secure it to air-filled buoys.  Giving the boat a slight lift off the bottom, salvage divers were able to handily guide it to the boat ramp and the owners of the boat were able to get it secured to their trailer.

Miraculously, the boat suffered very little structural damage and the owners are fully intending to get it back on the water very soon.  The entire salvage process caught the interest of both boaters and visitors to the park alike. 

Now that the boat has been safely retrieved, one has to beg the question… what will do for excitement around here?

Steamboat Flyfisher, Steamboat’s year-round flyfishing-only store, located in downtown Steamboat by the river at Fifth and Yampa streets, has recently opened a second location. The newest flyfishing experience can now be accessed at the new store located in our very own North Routt County area.  Within Steamboat Lake Outfitters, the new Steamboat Flyfisher is just minutes to Steamboat Lake, Pearl Lake, Hahn’s Peak Lake and the upper Elk River (all excellent fishing spots).

Owner Tim Kirkpatrick announced that the new location is open 7 days a week and stocks gear specifically chosen for North Routt County fishing conditions and wildlife.  Having such a longstanding outfit now located in the Steamboat Lake area can only benefit anglers of all types, and we at the Marina are happy to call them neighbors.

You can contact the store and manager Keith Hale at 970-819-1385. The store is scheduled to be open through September.  The store’s downtown Steamboat Springs location can be contacted at 970-879-6552 or SteamboatFlyfisher.com.

Continental Divide Running

The Steamboat Lake Marina wants to cordially welcome one of the area’s newest activity vendors… Epic Running Adventures (www.EpicRunningAdventures.com).  Epic Running Adventures offers cross-country running camps through the single track trails of the Rocky Mountains.

Their next “Adventure Camp” is scheduled for August 5-8 with both overnight and day clinic options.  For the out of town guests, these adventure camps lodge at the beautiful Dutch Creek Guest Ranch which is located directly across from Steamboat Lake.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

Afternoon Hiking

Designed for runners of all abilities, runners can expect daily provisions, transportation and coaching as part of the overall experience.

You’ll run sections of the Continental Divide along with other gorgeous North Routt trails.  Then, relax at the end of the day with horseback riding, canoeing, fishing or a massage!

The Steamboat Lake Marina welcomes our newest neighbor, Epic Running Adventures, and we wish you success in the years to come.

A big congratulations goes out to the Reverend Gina Jackson of Oklahoma for landing this lunker of a Rainbow!  Having fished for several hours, Gina caught a couple of “keepers” but this one in particular made the rest look small.

21-inch Rainbow

This fish measured a whopping 21-inches which made it a great fight as she was trying to get it into the boat.  In fact, Gina reported that her reel actually broke when landing the fish and she had to reel it in using the old “hand over hand” method of pulling the line.  What a great story! 

This beauty was caught just off Placer Cove using an articulating rainbow pattern Rapala lure.  Not a bad choice of bait considering the results.  Since Gina is an ordained minister, her husband Chuck Jackson wanted it in the records that “It wasn’t caught on a Sunday.”   Hey Chuck, I think the congregation would understand in this case!  Besides, some holy being must have been on your side that day since these larger fish can be hard to come by.

And lastly, a special note from Gina to Ron… “Wish you were here!”  (sounds like Ron couldn’t make the trip this year)

Walking into work yesterday, I suddenly felt the need to wear a hard hat.  Watch as one of the area’s dead trees gets a helping hand from the Rocky Mountain Youth Corp.  On a positive note… our lake view just got a whole lot better!

If you’ve already visited Steamboat Lake this summer (or Steamboat Springs for that matter) you’ve probably noticed something missing… some of our beautiful trees!  For those that have taken interest in the recent Bark Beedle Epidemic hitting Colorado, here’s your chance to help.

This Saturday, June 26th, the ReTree Colorado initiative is setting out to plant 14,000 trees in Routt County in just one day!  Speaking with park rangers at Steamboat Lake, close to 5,000 of those trees will be planted on and around Bridge Island alone.

Volunteers are needed!  This is a tremendous opportunity to help with a fantastic project organized to re-tree our park and our area.  You can meet at the Meadows Parking Lot in Steamboat Springs and hop on the free transportation provided to escort you to the planting sites.  Or… if you’re already planning to be at Steamboat Lake, simply head over to Bridge Island and join the fun.  Parking within the State Park will be free this day if you are volunteering your time for this cause.  Best of all, food and music entertainment will be provided after the event back at the Meadows Parking Lot in Steamboat.

What to bring:

1. Gloves
2. Spade or Shovel
3. Water Bottle (drink LOTS of water!)
4. Sunscreen

Visit www.retreecolorado.com for to register and we’ll see you there!

Stop Our Park From Looking Like This!

To all the father’s out there, it’s YOUR day today.  Your love and guidance put you in a club whereby the only membership fee is your devotion to family.  With that said, let today be a day to reflect on the many memories you’ve collected over the years and to create a few new ones as well. 

And kids… I know that it can often be a challenge to find that special way to tell dad just how important he is to you.  Personally, I always found it impossible to sum up my appreciation for my father with a simple card or gift.  I often struggled to come up with different ways to take a break with dad and just have fun.  So in an effort to make today’s planning a bit easier on you, here’s a quick list of some ways you can spend time with your ’old man’ here at the lake:

• Go fishing!
• Rent a pontoon boat and grill up some lunch
• Better yet, rent a canoe and promise to do all the paddling!
• Take a nature hike on the many surrounding trails
• Have a picnic at the swim beach
• Treat dad to some delicious homemade fudge!!!

As a father myself, there’s nothing I love more than spending time with family and friends on the lake.  Here are a few photos that sum up my love for this place more than words can say.  Be sure to check out our frequently updated “Daily Photos” for a photo timeline of how much this place evolves.  As famed skier/videographer Warren Miller likes to say:  If you can’t make it to Steamboat Lake this summer, you’ll just be another year older when you do (or something like that!):

http://bit.ly/280A8S

Here’s a hi-speed look at the scenic drive into the Steamboat Lake Marina and the lake’s edge.  Just think… if you visited the lake this summer, this view could be ALL YOURS!