stephanie powell :: articles :: under the pale moonlight

Under the Pale Moonlight

Experience glittering snowscapes and a bit of romance in Steamboat Springs.

You’ve already done the ski weekend complete with condo and hot tub. The spa package was last year. And the dinner-and-a-movie combo is getting way old. This year, mix up your romance routine by taking your sweetie on a moonlight stroll on snowshoes.

“When most people come to the mountains, they don’t think about going out at night unless it’s to a restaurant or bar, but nighttime is a totally different way to experience the mountains,” says Ken Schomaker, manager and head guide for Rocky Mountain Ventures, a tour company based in Steamboat Springs. “At night, the snow provides a huge reflective surface for the moon and there’s no one else around. It’s quiet. It’s beautiful.”

Beyond the solitude and striking scenery, another benefit of nighttime tours is that guides aren’t rushing back for the next outing, as they often are during day trips. And because groups are small you can go at your own pace—making snow angels, stealing a smooch, taking in the setting. Schomaker has even taken out people who’ve set up tripods and shot time-lapse photos.

From December through March, Schomaker leads groups on guided moonlight treks during the week of the full moon. For $75 per person, you can book a tour along private trails on Blacktail Mountain. Trips typically last three hours, with two hours of actual snowshoeing plus pick-up and drop-off at your accommodations. (Hint: Guides are not permitted to supply alcohol; however, you’re free to tote along a thermos of hot Irish coffee.)

Full moons fall within the weeks of January 30 to February 5, March 1 to 7 and March 31 to April 6 this season. For more info, call 970-870-8440 or visit www.verticalgrip.com.

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