While skiers and riders are happy to be gliding on Steamboat’s bountiful early season snowfall, a regional TV show recently came to town to film an episode centered around what happens when that snow melts.

When Rocky Mountain PBS airs its “Hittin’ the Road” television show this winter and spring, one segment of the 13-episode series will feature a longtime local discussing the Yampa River and the history of rafting.

Producer Rocky Mountain Adventure Quest traveled to Steamboat Springs in December to interview Eugene Buchanan, former editor and publisher of Paddler magazine and current magazines editor for the Steamboat Pilot & Today, for a segment on the history of whitewater rafting. PBS will be using the interview as part of a storyline detailing how rafts are made and the sport’s history. Included in the episode will be footage of former Denver Bronco wide receiver Justin Armour rafting the Arkansas River outside Canon City.

“It’s an educational show designed to educate and motivate,” said show’s Executive Producer Donna Vessey. “Our aim is to present topics in a fun and informative way. Each show delves into the history and current state of the chosen subject, and takes the viewer on a journey of discovery and exploration.”

Each episode, she added, covers a different subject, many of which have their roots in the West. Show topics range from dinosaurs of the Rocky Mountains and wines of the Rockies to gold mining past and present, honey bees, the making of olive oil and more.

The show will begin airing Sundays, Dec. 28, at 11:30 a.m. on Rocky Mountain PBS. The rafting episode is expected to air in March.

“We had a great time coming up to Steamboat for our rafting episode,” Vessey said. “With the Yampa River in its backyard, the region boasts some of the best whitewater rafting in the Rockies. Our host gave us a great look back at the history of the sport and how it has evolved over the years.”