Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival
This will be a bit of a different entry for my blog. It’s not a story from out in the backcountry and it will be substantially less wordy than what I usually write as I want the focus to be on the images. This blog entry contains the best 50 or so images (out of ~4,000) I captured at Winter Carnival in Steamboat Springs in 2025. Please note that I was merely a spectator, not a volunteer, and I took these photos purely for my own enjoyment and to share my experience of attending this wonderful event. If anyone wants the images taken down (or copies of the images for themself), please reach out to me via my contact form. I have no intention of selling these images ever and will give the files away freely, especially to the participants and the host of the event.
A little about Winter Carnival; it is hosted by the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and this was the 112th edition of the storied event celebrating the rugged outdoor lifestyle of Yampa Valley. This annual festival, held in mid-February, brings together skiers, snowboarders, cowboys and cowgirls showcasing their skills with thrilling demonstrations in skijoring—a breathtaking sport that merges skiing with horseback riding. The carnival also features ski jumping, pyrotechnics, big ski races (six people shuffling 25 foot skis down mainstream), and, my personal favorite, shovel races that somehow dial up even further the insanity of being pulled on sliding objects by running horses. This was my second time attending and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who has a passion for winter sports, horses, or western life.
Let me know what you think in the comments at the end of the post!
