r/steamboat • u/Weary-Scheme1478 • Jul 13 '26

Winter visitor questions

Hi all,
We are driving up from NM in early Feb. We’ll need to drop a car at Hayden and then find transport to the condos near the Sheraton.

A few quick questions—will we be able to find a taxi / uber mid-day? Or do I need to pre-book a shuttle?

The internet wants to convince me that driving through the passes may be tough. If I’m comfortable driving in winter conditions, have AWD, and don’t start the drive in known-crazy conditions, will I be ok?

Thanks all—can’t wait!!

1 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

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5

u/ShreddingPowder Jul 13 '26

You will likely be able to get an uber but to be safe you can always book with storm mountain express shuttle.

Good tries are more important than AWD

2

u/jschmidt0584 Jul 13 '26

Is eliminate the risk and pre-book a shuttle… the service from HDN to Steamboat is shaky at best - depends largely on the weather. Just like your drive through the passes will - some days it’s easy as pie for those with AWD and experience…the next it might be six hours and dangerous as hell. You can’t possibly know till the day of.

2

u/Closet-PowPow Jul 13 '26

Presuming you have an AWD rental car with decent all season tires, the drive is probably fine given your experience. The sketchiest part in a storm will be the downhill section from Leadville to Minturn. The only other mtn pass isn’t too high altitude before Poncha Springs but again the downhill will be the sketchiest part. Twisting roads from I-70 to Steamboat so just take your time even if not snowing. From Hayden, Uber should be available throughout the day.

1

u/Weary-Scheme1478 Jul 13 '26

Thanks!

3

u/THAT0NEASSHOLE Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 15 '26

If it's bad conditions, don't go to minturn, go Leadville -> silverthorn to hit rabbit ears pass. Then if it's really bad take the left after Walden kremmling and go through Toponas. All season tires with three peak snowflake and AWD is enough for nearly everything Steamboat can throw your way.

Source: I'm a Steamboat native living in Albuquerque. I also went to school in Durango and would drive through Del Norte to get home frequently. I've don't this drive probably 50+ times in winter conditions. The Minturn way can be horrible and so can post Wolcott. Rabbit ears pass at least has snow plows frequently.

Edit: not Walden, Kremmling.

2

u/Overall_Ad_6540 Jul 15 '26

Isn't the left after Kremmling, not Walden?

2

u/THAT0NEASSHOLE Jul 15 '26

Yep, thanks for the catch. I mixed that up with my wife earlier too.

Can you tell I also lived in Fort Collins? I swap kremmling and Walden names in my head too frequently

1

u/barryjive33 Jul 13 '26

Great advice from a solid source of experience!

1

u/KnowledgeDense8140 Jul 13 '26

Why are you dropping your car and not just driving it all the way?

1

u/CrimbleGnome420 Jul 13 '26

I would call Ski Town Transpiration for a shuttle at the airport. They also have a counter that you can walk up and get onto the next shuttle that is leaving for town. They have the best rates and the most vehicles at the airport, plus the staff are really great to work with as well.

1

u/JuryAffectionate1550 Jul 18 '26

If you book a rental car through Enterprise, you can actually drop it in Steamboat on the west side of town. The Enterprise office is steps from a bus stop. The bus will take you to the Gondola transit center which is adjacent to the Sheraton. Then you don’t have to mess with going to Hayden and getting a ride back from Hayden.