Improvements are being made to Howelsen Hill. The old Barrows double is being dismantled and the new triple will be going in. Lift manufacturer SkyTrac is doing the work. The dirt road between Sombrero Stables and the Howelsen Hill Lodge is closed this summer for staging and installation of the new chair. The area around the top of the chair is also closed. All areas will be marked. Some sections of the haul rope have been cut and you can pick those up in the Sombrero Stables parking lot. Infrastructure work is also being done in the rodeo grounds parking lot. New indoor space and locker rooms are also going in at Howelsen Ice Arena.
Here is the full press release from the City of Steamboat Springs.
Summer Brings Improvement Projects to Howelsen Park
Community Asked to Respect Construction Closures and Work Zones for Safety
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO-May 7, 2021-Howelsen Park will be getting a facelift this summer and work is underway on several upgrades and improvements across the park complex. There will be several impacts to the area throughout the next six months and the city is asking for the community’s cooperation in steering clear of work zones and respecting construction closures for everyone’s safety.
“While the facilities and experiences will improve with these investments, the downhome attitude that everyone loves about Howelsen will not change,” said Parks & Recreation Angel Cosby. “Our parks rate high with our community and we want to take steps now to ensure that these facilities are here for future generations.”
Lift manufacturer SkyTrac began mobilizing early this week in preparation for the new triple chairlift at Howelsen Hill. Crews are currently working to move and stage equipment for the installation project and have begun the initial phases of dismantling the Barrows Chairlift.
Visitors to Howelsen Hill will see several minor impacts from the chairlift project this summer and should be aware that work will be performed on both weekdays and weekends.
The dirt access road between Sombrero Stables and the Howelsen Hill Lodge is currently closed and will remain closed to all users for the duration of the summer for construction staging and installation of the new chairlift. The area around the top of the chairlift will also be closed throughout the summer and early fall for construction activities. However, the NPR trail connection behind Howelsen Hill is expected to remain open.
Both areas will be barricaded and signed, and the city asks that the public adhere to these closures for their safety, and the safety of the work crews. Bikers and hikers can also expect to see increased construction traffic along Blackmer Drive, and bikers should use caution and reduce speeds when descending the road.
For those looking to take home a piece of Howelsen Hill history, several 10-foot lengths of the haul rope have been cut and are available for pickup at the Sombrero Stables parking lot.
Additional improvements are also underway at the Howelsen Hill Rodeo Grounds. Crews are currently working to install storm drains and other underground infrastructure prior to paving the Rodeo Grounds parking lot this fall. Expect intermittent lane closures and detours throughout the summer along Howelsen Parkway and the road leading to the Sombrero Stables parking lot and Emerald Mountain trailhead.
The warm-up arena at the rodeo grounds is open now and can be accessed from the Stables parking lot. Please stay clear of construction activities in the rodeo parking lot area.
At the far end of the park, the Howelsen Ice Complex is also undergoing an expansion to the single-sheet facility that will see added indoor space for recreation programs, locker rooms and office space over the summer months.