That snowbank is approaching fast. The Toyota 4Runner is sliding right for it at an obtuse angle to its intended trajectory. Despite the excellence of the Blizzak snowtires, the icy surface has too low a coefficient of friction to allow a recovery. Poof! As if in a slow-motion dream, the left front fender buries itself in the bank, and then the truck slowly rebounds out onto the track.

The good news: no damage done as the we were only doing about 10mph and the banks are soft and fluffy, being intended for this. The better news: I was supposed to push the 4Runner past the point of no return, in order to better learn just how long weight transfer can take to affect a vehicle’s course in conditions like these. That’s the beauty of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School: it is expressly structured to teach folk of all experience level—novices to racers—how to better handle the unique and fast changing conditions we experience here as a matter of course every year.

A dedicated track and facility managed by some of the best instructors extant combine to provide students with the opportunity to learn more in a one- or two-day school than they will probably learn otherwise in a lifetime of foul weather driving. For me it was especially intriguing, as I knew some of the teachers and had heard about the school during my own years as a high performance and racing instructor decades ago. That made it thrilling to go over to the other side; looking at it from the both the perspective of a student, and a former teacher, I would judge the program to be amongst the best in the world.

To spend hours on end under scientifically designed conditions, to learn and practice techniques as basic as low-friction braking or as advanced as the ‘Scandinavian Flick’ wherein the car is intentionally unbalanced through a series of weight transfers, before gracefully sliding broadside through a 180 degree turn without touching the binders, made for some of the most informative—not to mention enjoyable—time I’ve spent behind the wheel. Highly recommended.

The school is located on the gentle slopes of the high mountain valley that is home to the historic village of Steamboat Springs. Having visited it twice this year, once in winter for the Bridgestone school, then again in late summer for a taste of its warm weather charms, I realize that I’ve been missing out on one of those Colorado staples that many of us go farther affield to find.

A relatively low altitude of 6700 feet graces it with a mild climate for a ski town; combined with a large year-round population you end up with a welcoming place without the extreme touristy feel of other mountain destinations, and a genuine openness to visitors.

Winter offers boarders and skier access to almost three thousand acres of every conceivable terrain spread over six mountain peaks. Is it any wonder the town has produced more Olympic medalists—69 so far—than anywhere else in the U.S., not to mention cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and all the other winter activities anyone could ask for. Summer plays host to fishing, biking, hiking, camping, and golf.

With its ranching roots still active, Steamboat hosts many exciting equine-based adventures in the warmer months, culminating in a championship bull-riding competition over the Labor Day weekend that will tempt you to book a chiropractic appointment in vicarious support of the riders, who rank as the forty-five best in the world.

Shaking our heads at the wonderfully absurd liberties cowboys will take with their bodies, we chose the slightly less risky exigency of exercising our tonsils at some of Steamboat’s best restaurants. Those we sampled were good enough to warrant another trip just to menu-ski. On the higher end was Antares, a chic classic of Steamboat fine dining that offers a diverse menu of excellent new American cuisine set off by an extensive wine list. For more a more laid-back experience, we tried Mazzola’s, a truly authentic Italian eatery boasting some of the freshest handmade pastas and intriguing appetizers and desserts anywhere in the Rockies.

To offset these indulgent evenings, we made sure to eat lightly—though no less well—during daylight hours. Freshies lives up to its name by offering scrumptious breakfasts and lunches that seem to have just arrived from the nearby fields and ranches. And for the carb-loading athlete (or anyone else who just likes a great sandwich) the baked goods at Back Country Provisioning are a must. We rested and recovered from out culinary adventures in the comfort of the terrific Steamboat Grand, which offers a variety of different size accommodations for all types of parties, and is located right on the slopes. Our intimate suite there was thoughtfully detailed and offered a pleasingly unique layout to set off its wonderful views.

On the drive this summer I didn’t get to practice what I’d learned at the Winter Driving School, but I did get to indulge my four wheeling fetish via the king of SUVs, the Range Rover Supercharged. The sexier and smaller Sport model (with which it shares its 400hp V8 and amazing six-speed all-wheel drive system) may be the darling of the profiling set, but I’ll take the upright stance, throne-like seating, phenomenal ride, and stupendous interior quality of the classic ‘Rangie’.

A detour up a technical, rocky trail to the peak of Mt. Williams on the return journey served to highlight the changes for 2007, such as the inclusion of the Terrain Response system that alters everything from ride height to throttle sensitivity to stability control intervention in order to suit the conditions. The rest of the time we luxuriated in new climate-controlled seats and the amazing passing power—no matter what the altitude—thanks to that blown engine, and was pleasantly surprised at a very acceptable fuel consumption of 15.3mpg. Now I just need the snow to fly to practice that Scandinavian Flick some more.

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