Wild and Wonderful: The 97th Annual Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival

From the "Who are these people?" category: Winter Carnival's "Shovel Race"

Question: What do you get when you combine a love of skiing and snowsports  with western heritage and a lot of snow? Answer: The Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival- five days of crazy outdoor events, some of which you will never see anywhere else.

The longest running winter carnival west of the Mississippi was conceived almost 100 years ago to distract the locals from the harsh winter. As one would expect, many of the events  revolve around the town’s skiing tradition with events such as ski racing and ski jumping. Then there a few other traditions which to say the least, evoke a feeling of astonishment if not beg the question, “What the heck?!”

My Top Five Favorite Winter Carnival Wonders:

Another Winter Carnival Tradition, this year's carnival button

5. From the “Any other day of the year, this would be illegal” category: Legitimately getting off school to build a snow sculpture sounds like a dream (and living the dream is the theme this year) to most teenagers. In Steamboat this is a reality, if not a grade requirement for high school kids selected to enter the snow sculpture contest that lines Lincoln Avenue during Winter Carnival week.  It’s not playing hookey, it’s art!

As if getting out of class to play with snow is not in itself a cool prize (pun intended), the top three teams will win gift certificates to chamber businesses.

4. From the “What season is it anyway?” category: It was only a matter of time before a Steamboat summer past time, mountain biking, made its way into the Winter Carnival lineup. Just like ski racing in the winter, bike racing is a significant part of our summer scene, and in the interest of not missing out on the chance to participate in the Winter Carnival, hardcore bike enthusiasts added the Dual Slalom Bicycle Race. The race takes place on the face of Howelsen Hill, which would be a pretty gnarly feat for mountain bikers without the snow. Add in the element of slippery conditions and you have the making of yet another crazy competition.

"Skijoring" during the Winter Carnival street events

3. From the “Who are these people?” category: I can understand being pulled behind a horse on skis, but being pulled at top speed on a on a shovel? Are they crazy?! Getting pulled on skis, or skijoring, is a Winter Carnival tradition dating back to the second winter carnival.  This sport combines the town’s love of skiing with its western heritage. In fact, for some locals back in the day, skijoring was a way to get the kids to school in the wintertime.

On Saturday and Sunday morning, Steamboat’s main street shuts down and public works dumps six inches of snow on seven blocks to allow for the skijoring events,  Shovel Race and several other entertaining on-snow competitions. Practically the entire town comes down to cheer on the participants, especially those who attempt to keep a shovel between their body and the snow-covered street behind a galloping horse.

2. From the “Come on baby, light my fire” category: Of all the events at the Winter Carnival, the Night Show Extravaganza is a crowd favorite. It’s an Olympic games opening ceremony feel combined with small town charm. Every kid in town who is part of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, participates in this culminating event. That’s over 1,000 kids! Spectators gather at the bottom of Howelsen Hill to watch these young athletes (ages 6 and up) as they show off what they’ve learned in their sport of choice: snowboarding, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, moguls, aerials, halfpipe or slopestyle. What is more impressive is that they do this at night, lighting up the slopes with glow sticks and torches. Quite the spectacle!

As if this were not enough, a firey hoop is lit at the top of Howelsen Hill’s 90-meter jump, and local ski patrollers fly through the hoop and into the air while wildly waving torches high above the crowd. As a finale, the last patroller launches himself through the blazing ring of fire while pulling a toboggan also lit on fire. Don’t ask me why.

The one and only Lighted Man

1. From the “World’s one and only” category: By far, the most awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, laughter-inducing, crowd-pleasing moment of the week, perhaps even the entire year, is the Lighted Man.

At the beginning of the Night Show Extravaganza, after all 1,000+ Winter Sports Club athletes are in their places, the lights at Howelsen Hill are shut down. And then, after a few moments of dramatic pause, a figure appears on the middle of  the ski slope, lit from head to toe, from tip to tail on his skis and top to bottom of his poles. As the Lighted Man makes his way down the slope’s face, a custom-designed backpack shoots fireworks into the sky.

The only thing more remarkable than the sight of the Lighted Man, is the fact that this is a family tradition since 1936. Claudius Banks, an engineer from Vernal, Utah  was enjoying the 1935 Winter Carnival night show with his family when he got the bright idea (yes, another intended pun). Today, his son Jon carries on the tradition, and this year he will add the latest in LED technology for the most spectacular light show in the 75-year tradition.

So, are you ready? Find your warmest clothes and boots and get ready for another Winter Carnival, the most wild and wonderful week of the year in Steamboat since 1914.