A member of the front desk staff and also a Steamboat ski instructor
The Porches staff is comprised of exceedingly unique individuals that all have a love for the outdoors and sharing their passion for Steamboat with each and every person they meet. While stopping by the Barn in the morning for coffee, or to soak in the hot tub at the end of a long day of skiing, be sure to stop by the front desk, you never know who you’ll meet or the stories you’ll hear.
It’s not uncommon when talking with locals about how they ended up in Steamboat to hear that they came out to visit on vacation and never left. For Erin, Steamboat has been a dream destination since she began coming here as a child. We caught up with her about what she loves about Steamboat and got the inside scoop on some of her favorite runs on the mountain.
How did you end up in Steamboat?
When I was a kid, we had some really close family friends who were in love with Steamboat and brought us along one winter. That was in 2000. We skied here off and on for the last 19 years and when I was looking to move about a year and a half ago, it was the first place that came to mind.
What do you love about Steamboat?
The people! Yes, the snow is amazing and the summers are beautiful, but the people are what make this place so special. It’s amazing when you move here how welcoming everyone is and how quickly the community wraps you up.
What activities do you do here in Steamboat?
During the winter I am a ski instructor, so most of my time is spent on snow (when I am not at The Porches). Last season I skied over 110 days!! This year I’ve already reached over 50! In the summer, I love to go horseback riding and tubing on the Yampa.
What do you love about ski instructing?
Skiing is one of my favorite hobbies of all times, but when you don’t know what you are doing it can be intimidating, frustrating, challenging or all of the above. As an instructor, I get to help students work through their personal challenges, so they can experience the same excitement I feel when I clip into my skis. There’s nothing better than hearing a student (young and old) let out a “woohoo” or burst into laughter when they feel that feeling.
What do you love about The Porches?
My team and all of our guests and owners. Everyone here really looks after each other and goes above and beyond, it definitely feels like a family.
Erin shares her favorite trails on the mountain…
For beginners: Rough Rider Basin, it was my favorite run as a kid
For intermediates: The Olympian Trees because it’s a great way to practice tree skiing while having enough time to turn. Bashor is the best first blue run to try after mastering the greens.
For advanced: Closets, Flying Z, and The Ridge are all tree runs with slightly steeper terrain. This summer a lot of the underbrush was removed from Closets so there is more spacing between the trees.
For more mountain information please reach out to The Porches concierge.