Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — A moderate amount of howling was heard over the weekend as the Steamboat Springs Alpine Slide opened for business Saturday for its first full season.

The slide, named "The Howler," saw an estimated 200 to 300 patrons Saturday, and similar numbers were expected Sunday and today, said slide attendant Laura Bruns.

"It's a good mixture of locals and tourists," she said.

Though a few hundred visitors to the slide each day of the weekend may sound like a lot of people, slide attendant Laurie Westenberg said that is actually less than she expected.

"I expect that we will get busier when the word gets out more that we are open," she said.

The slide first opened for business Aug. 12 last summer. Since then, Bruns said the busiest time for the slide was during Triple Crown baseball and softball tournaments.

"When those kids were finished with their games, they were ready to go," she said. "As long as Triple Crown is here, we will stay busy."

On a busy day, Bruns said the slide can have more than 900 people pay the $8, or use a season pass, to take a ride.

Sixteen-year-old Brittany Hollter of Fort Collins was one of the first people to ride the slide this summer.

"It was fun," she said. "I rode the slide in Winter Park and now rode this one a couple times and I think this one is faster."

The price of single-ride tickets is $8 for adults (ages 13 and up) and $7 for youngsters (ages 7 through 12). An all-day pass is $20 for adults and $17 for youths.

Season passes are also available. Youth passes are $150 until June 17, when they go up to $175. Adult season passes are $175 until June 17, then they go up to $200.

Children ages 3 through 6 may ride free with a parent or guardian. Children 2 and younger are not permitted on the slide.

The hours of operation for the slide are 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., but the slide operators will frequently push the closing time back to 7 p.m. or even 8 p.m. if demand warrants.

After today, the slide will close during the week, reopening Saturday and Sunday, then running daily beginning June 9 and continuing until Aug. 26. The weekend schedule will resume through Sept. 30.