Silverton Mountain

Terrain:

This resort is not for the faint of heart or those just getting on skis or board. Catering only to expert (black) terrain, a beacon, shovel and probe are a must or you will not be allowed on the mountain. With one lift and endless exploring, Silverton is a powder enthusiast’s favorite place to be. Although I went at the end of the season, when most runs were not accessible and conditions weren’t great, I loved every second I was there from open to close. 

I got the unguided season pass, which came with a cheap heli drop. There were end of the season conditions so icey in the morning and slushy in the afternoon. Using my knowledge of snow conditions and the great advice from the patrollers that hang out at the top, my friends and I would start on the back side (east face) and warm up with runs like waterfall and cabin. The sun was on this side of the mountain first so the snow was the warmest. At the ends of these runs and the east face, there is a cat track called the exit road that takes everyone to the bus stop. This bus takes you down the rest of the mountain back to the lift. The buses come once every fifteen to twenty minutes and are a lot of fun. Everyone is talking about the line they just hit, where the best snow is and where they want to go next. You’re basically on a school bus for excited ski bums.

When getting to this exit road at the end of the season, you have to cross a river. On runs like Rope Dee Dope you can ski down to the exit road but on Waterfall and Riff Raff there is a small bridge you can ski down to, over and hold enough speed to make it to the road. For Cabin, you have to ski over a bridge, take off your skis and hike up to the road which takes about five minutes. Finally for runs like Colorado you actually have to cross the river and hike up to the road where the bus will pick you up. All these exit routes add a bit of adventure to your run, so make sure you are ready to hike at the end of your run when needed. None of these hikes are long either.

Once the sun hits the west face by the afternoon, the east face is closed and the bus only picks up on the west side. At the end of the day these runs had to be my favorite. I love slushy spring laps and that is what we got. Tiger 1-4 made for great playful end of the day laps, with tons of side hits, jibs and slushy moguls to cruise down. Due to high numbers and changing snow conditions the resort actually had moguls this season. On a normal season most of the resort does not have moguls, only steep terrain. Much like the east face, when the west face runs end. You have to take off your skis and hike to the road to get picked up by the bus. Again just a short hike, about ten to fifteen feet up, depending on the snow pack and a river crossing over a bridge.

A huge thing to note is that you will be hiking to almost every run once you get off the lift. No hike exceeds thirty minutes, but you are at high elevation and depending on snow conditions can get tired out easily, especially when you are hiking lap after lap on top of end of lap hikes as well. On a good day my group and I would get in about five or six laps because of hiking time, waiting for the bus, stopping at the car for snacks and taking the lift up the mountain. There are runs right off the lift that you can simply drop in and go which are the Tiger runs, RMYF and Dolores. These runs tend to get skied out the most, but since this resort is a backcountry resort, everyone hikes and gets spread out among the runs.

Since the Heli drop was so cheap and such a  great deal, naturally it was one of the things my friends and I were the most excited about and a highlight of the entire trip. None of us had ever done a heli drop and most of us had never even been in a Helicopter. The snow conditions were not great, but riding in the Helicopter was well worth it. The Helicopter picks you up at the top near the lift. And yes all the Vietnam movies portray the ride accurately. You huddle around your gear with your comrades and wait for the heli to land. After throwing your gear in and shuffling into the chopper, you buckle up, give some high fives and try to contain your grin while the heli takes off. Although brief, the aerial view of the very mountain you’ve been riding all day is outstanding. I recommend planning your trip around the helidrop and have a few days to explore the mountain beforehand.

Even though the conditions were end of season conditions, Silverton Mountain quickly became one of my favorite resorts. I vowed to go back during the guided season to get the full effect of the resort and let an experienced guide show us the mountain through their eyes and skis.

Base Elevation – 10,400 ft

Peak Elevation – 13,487 ft

Number of Lifts – 1

Number of Trails – 69

Total Terrain – 26,819 acres

Expert Terrain (Double Blacks) – 100%

Resort Hours – 9am-3pm Daily

Atmosphere and Locals:

Silverton is like going into the backcountry with a hundred of your stoked friends. Everyone is friendly and excited to get those powdery face shots and knee deep runs. The mountain guides and patrollers are happy to help and discuss the mountain conditions for the day. With the unguided passes they can point you in the right direction to which runs will be the best and at what time. For those with the guided pass, they are your new best riding buddy for the day. They know all the good hits, cliffs, gullies and tree runs you can hope for.

After a good day on the mountain, many people like to chill and hangout with their parking lot neighbor, guide or on hill friends. Even though I would recommend doing this trip with your usual backcountry squad, it is not hard to find new backcountry people to ride with and enjoy the day if you’re riding solo or being guided. The bus ride from the hill back to the base is another great way to meet people, talk about which runs are the best to hit and where to go next.

Accessibility and Parking: 

There is parking at the base of the lift, but it is limited. Getting there early to check in and park is helpful so you can secure your spot on the mountain. This is especially important for those with season passes. On powder days people can be turned away. A four wheel drive car is a must here. The road leading to the mountain from the town of Silverton is a dirt road with no street lights. This road is well maintained, but the last thing you want is to get stuck on the road going to get fresh lines or heading home for the day. 

The town of Silverton is tucked away in the San Juan Mountain range and is not easily accessible. It is about an hour from Durango and a half hour drive from Ouray, Colorado (roughly seven hours from Denver). Although the views are outstanding and unforgettable during the drive, it can be easy to get distracted on these small mountain roads, so as always be careful, take your time driving and stay updated on weather and road conditions.

Pricing $$:

Lift Tickets – 

Guided Skiing: $876 (4 days), $1,244 (4 days + 2 Heli), $657 (3 days), $1,025 (3 days +2 Heli), $438 (2 days), $806 (2 days + 2 Heli), $219 (1 day), $587 (1 day + 2 Heli)

Unguided Skiing: $99 (Mid March-end of season; Wednesdays-Sundays only) $199 (Spring Season Pass +$39 Heli Run with pass)

Heli Skiing (Need additional lift ticket): $1,190 (6 run day), $10,990 (Private heli), $552 (3 run Heli), $184 (1 run/early season heli)

Associated Season Pass – None

Lessons – Silverton does not provide Lessons.

Rentals – 

Ski/Board: $64

Beacon, Shovel & Probe: $59-$85 (Must have to ski/board here)

For more information visit https://silvertonmountain.com/