In the mountains of northern Colorado is the beautiful Yampa Valley, the chief town in which is Steamboat Springs (pop. 7,000), with more than 150 hot mineral springs. In 1913 Carl Howelsen, a Norwegian, made this a center of Nordic (langlauf) skiing, and it is now one of the leading winter sports resorts in the United States. Notable sights in
the area are the Thunderhead (aerial cableway), the Fish Creek Falls and Routt National Forest.
Steamboat Springs holds a winter carnival during the first week of February, and the Rainbow Weekend arts festival in July.