What I’ve Learned from One Year in Steamboat Springs.
View of Steamboat Springs from Emerald Mountain
One year ago on Thanksgiving Day I started heading west to Steamboat Springs, driving all the way back to Colorado from Florida. I had spent six months working remotely at my childhood home back in Florida while I recovered from a knee surgery I got from skiing and two months traveling throughout South America on my solo trip I’d saved for for years. A couple days into the drive, my Dad and I made a pit stop in Denver to get my stuff out of storage, and then drove my car and a U-haul van northwest on I-70 through a snow storm we didn’t expect. When we got to Steamboat, there were already mounds of snow which was both a tad overwhelming and incredibly exciting.
Fast forward one year later and I’ve not only set roots by purchasing my own condo, with the support of my amazing parents, but I’ve also built a friend group and community here through my work with the Steamboat Springs Chamber and by simply being open to new experiences and connections. I’ve met people with incredibly varying backgrounds and I cherish all the memories I’ve made with them so far.
This last year in northwest Colorado has been a journey full of new challenges and lessons, gaining new perspectives, embracing a new culture, and of course, enjoying the mountain lifestyle at every chance I could get. One of the most valuable aspects of living in the mountains that I wasn’t expecting was being able to share the beauty and charm of it with close friends and family who visit. Allowing people to discover and get to know this awesome valley has brought me so much joy. My intention for each person’s visit is that they leave with the same sense of peace and inspiration I feel every time I get out and enjoy the mountains, admire the river, or congregate with this community downtown.
The other most impactful aspect of living in Steamboat Springs has been my new job with the Steamboat Springs Chamber. I took a huge leap just a few months after I moved here, leaving a remote, well-paying job with a larger company for a small, local non-profit. Why? My remote job was no longer serving me in the way I wanted it to and moving to a community like this meant more to me than just being able to enjoy the mountains - my intention was to immerse myself in the community and hopefully make a positive difference in doing so.
What I’ve learned so far from my experience is that smaller communities like Steamboat Springs require much more trust building and juggling when it comes to earning respect at work and in the community. As the Communications AND Administrative Manager at the Chamber, I quickly learned I would be wearing many hats and working to problem-solve on issues that feel a lot bigger than our small but mighty team could tackle.
The Chamber is tasked with not only supporting the member business community of the entire county, but also with responding to the broader community’s needs through advocacy, destination stewardship, educational and networking opportunities, and more. We are the catalyst for business growth. We convene leaders and influencers. We champion for a thriving community. Not to mention, we have a fairly small budget to work with.
We may still be working hard on trying to earn the respect of our community leaders and old-timers but what keeps me going back to work every day is that I know we are very much in line with our mission and vision. I also understand how important the work we are doing is for not only protecting the Steamboat Springs we have today, but ensuring it lasts for generations to come. Our team may be small, but we truly are mighty and we work hard to adjust to the ever-changing currents to support the best interests of this incredible place and community.
The Steamboat Springs Chamber team
The greatest lesson I think I’ve learned in my first year here is how much more there is to a mountain town than the ski resort and the cute shops and restaurants people like to visit on the weekends. There is a whole working class of people behind that resort, those restaurants and shops, and the town’s western charm. There are many decades of families who worked hard building a foundation through their ranches, businesses, and visions for this valley. There are servers and bartenders working long hours at the restaurants and bars so they can make rent to stay here. There are young entrepreneurs taking a chance at their ideas and dreams, hoping to make the world just a little better through their product or service. There are also leaders and aspiring leaders taking several hours out of their personal lives to meet, plan, and discuss solutions for the community’s existing problems and working tirelessly to try and create a better future.
People aren’t perfect and no place is perfect but I gotta say, Steamboat Springs comes close. It’s greatest concern? Making it affordable and accessible enough to have a diverse economy and people to sustain it. And from my perspective, that issue only exists because it is so desirable to so many. We are so fortunate to have places this special still and while there will always be challenges and ways to improve, having it even exist is something to be grateful for. It takes a community to keep it going. So let’s all do our part.
