SKI Magazine recognized Steamboat as the #8 Resort in North America in its annual Top Resort Guide, Oct. 2011. For a decade and half, Steamboat has been featured as one of the premier destinations by the readers and editors this industry barometer. Steamboat´s overall top-ten ranking was a combination of reader´s scores across a number of categories including family (#6), snow (#8), lifts (#8), lodging (#9), off-hill activities (#9), service (#10), après-ski (#10), dining (#11), character (#12), on-mountain food (#13), digital presence (#13), grooming (#14) and terrain parks (#15) . The resort has earned a reputation in the industry as the leader in family programs with the original Kids Ski Free and Kids Fly Free programs and dedicated children´s center with day and evening programs, Steamboat MountainWatch location system and kids´ specific terrain and lifts.