Opinion on Silverton Mountain

[ZGjethro]

I went once around 2005. It was the eve of a huge dump, there were untouched bowls, and the guide we had took us to crud slopes or had us spooning tracks in narrow lines. If the powder is not for the paying guests up there that day, who are they saving it for? I will not go back there. If you do not ski the backcountry on your own it can be a great experience i've heard.

[drengel]

skiied unguided 4 times here. never had a bad time. i don't think they are snow-farming. they are keeping you safe. the mountain is only open 3 days a week and doesnt get ridden enough to need to do that. closing down slopes as av conditions worsen is what has to be done for this place to be open. yes there are gapers, and no we don't want them dying. hence what people are calling snow farming. i don't think half the people skiing there even know how to use the beacon/probe that is required.

the four times ive skiied there (twice in 06, twice in 07) there was maybe 40 people tops on the mountain. two days of face shots, one day of incredible corn skiing, and one day of kinda crappy conditions but i was working a beer fest and skiing for free so i was fine with it.

the one bad experience i had was when it had snowed like 2-3 feet the week before, and it was the year purgatory was giving season pass holders 2 free unguided days at silverton. i showed up to a line of like 300 people. waited in line for an hour and a half to get a lift ticket, moved about halfway up the line before freaking out that the lift line would be just as long, then bailed and skiied some backcountry. that was a shitty morning and i was glad i skiied where i did. probably had better coinditions anyways.

my advice- ski it, then spend a coupkle days in the backcountry around there if the conditions are right.

[ZGjethro]

Originally Posted by drengel

skiied unguided 4 times here. never had a bad time. i don't think they are snow-farming. they are keeping you safe. the mountain is only open 3 days a week and doesnt get ridden enough to need to do that. closing down slopes as av conditions worsen is what has to be done for this place to be open. yes there are gapers, and no we don't want them dying. hence what people are calling snow farming. i don't think half the people skiing there even know how to use the beacon/probe that is required.

the four times ive skiied there (twice in 06, twice in 07) there was maybe 40 people tops on the mountain. two days of face shots, one day of incredible corn skiing, and one day of kinda crappy conditions but i was working a beer fest and skiing for free so i was fine with it.

the one bad experience i had was when it had snowed like 2-3 feet the week before, and it was the year purgatory was giving season pass holders 2 free unguided days at silverton. i showed up to a line of like 300 people. waited in line for an hour and a half to get a lift ticket, moved about halfway up the line before freaking out that the lift line would be just as long, then bailed and skiied some backcountry. that was a shitty morning and i was glad i skiied where i did. probably had better coinditions anyways.

my advice- ski it, then spend a coupkle days in the backcountry around there if the conditions are right.

Drengel, when we were there they were absolutely farming the snow. The guide would ski and tell us to stay right/left of his tracks. This is the common way guides work. The problem was he would give us about 30 yards between his track and the skied terrain and expect eight clients to spoon their turns in that space. I do not like being constrained like that. My turns alone could be 30 yards across. Conditions were stable and their were whole bowls of the same aspect left untracked while group after group sequentially tracked up turns in a few lines. I'd be ok with farming if a huge storm was not coming that same night.

Since that trip Silverton has opened their terrain to unguided skiing, which could be fun. I ski too much in the backcountry to need to go back to the Silverton resort when I have a sled for access to remote areas. I ride in, park it and start skinning.

[drengel]

word. i see what you're talking about now. never skiied with a guide anywhere ever before. had a friend that got chewed out by the guide for taking huge wide turns at silverton. i will say that i attempt to control my lines anywhere i ski thats a big open slope just to try to preserve the snow for everyone else but i have heard the guides are kinda nazi-ish about it. backcountry is where its at if you live in the san juans. wish i had a sled...

[Homerslides]

Skied a few days guided there, before the unguided option. Went with a large group of rippers, all with back country, heli and snowcat experience. We had a blast, despite mediocre conditions.
Guide was cool...we puffed tough, with no issues. Were not forced to stack turns too painfully.
Our very experienced group of rippers was able to ski a large variety of runs, with a few good pucker-factor lines.

Be sure to get in a good group of people who can hike...as stated above. If you have a good group, you will have a killer day!

And DEFINITELY plan extra days for BC or Cat options.

HIGHLY recommended

[tellutwurp]

Silverton is pretty sick if you hit it when there is good snow, but not alot of avy danger. I have done the boot packing twice, which gave guided days and the last couple of years we have done the unguided.

Unfortunately, they do snow farm. It is hard to prove it, but my personal take is that they will close runs just to preserve for guided clients. As for keeping the turns tight, I would have to say it has gotten relaxed as unguided has become more popular.

One of the last trips, we had two cars coming up in a snow storm. We made it through the gates outside Ouray while the 2nd car got turned around only 30 minutes behind. Both passes were closed for the next day and half and the skiing was epic, albeit, the mountain opened quite late.

If you do go, make sure you obey the closed runs... you will get arrested. They have a no tolerance policy and it is possible to end up on a closed run without crossing a rope so know where you are going. Lest you end up like my friends.

anyway, we do it every year. It is just awesome being up there, drinking at the VFW, and skiing some steep terrain.