Silverton Conditions...

[bovine]

Anyone ski Silverton Ski Area today (12/26/15)?

We got up at o'dark-thirty in hopes that the pass would be open from the Ourey side, but last I checked w/CDOT, still closed.

I heard they rolled the lower part of Tiger-main because of massive slide debris.

Anyone have any first-hand accounts on today's madness?

Hoping to get over there tomorrow...

[Gman]

Powtron got blocked out too

[Alpinord]

The best December in years is the word.

[Alpinord]

It sounds like Red Mountain will still be closed at least early on Sunday. Molas sounds like a likely delay today.

It'll take 4 hours to go around from Ridgway via Telluride, Dolores, Mancos, Durango.

Skiing Telluride ought to be good.

[Mudfoot]

Red Mt. Pass is closed and Molas will close at 7:30 today for avi work. They are bombing from a heli and opening depends on how much snow comes down and how long it takes to clear it.

Talked to two different people who skied SM yesterday. Only the runs from Colorado through Tiger Main on the front side were open, but skiing was excellent. Lots of wind effected snow. Possible opening of Waterfall, Riff, Raff, and Cabin today, and maybe Rope-de-Dope, but no guarantees.

[BP Pow]

Bumping to gain some insight into next weekend (1/1 to 1/3). Any reason to think they will still have issues mitigating the backside slopes, i.e. cabin >>> dope chute?

I'm hoping that terrain will be skiing really well after not being touched for some time and getting a few inches this week, but not if it remains high consequence or has debris all over the place.

[PowTron]

I was denied on 12/26 but did make it for 12/27...some good stuff to still be found and DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP in the trees. Like stupid deep. They did roll the bottom of Tiger Main (which strangely made my inner racer dork happy to ski a groomer at Mach 10 at Silverton?).

Lots of wind affected chop but also many stashes of untouched. I do believe they opened more as the day went on and should have a lot more open by next weekend (however, the deep instability is real this year and many things were going NATURAL to the ground). Scary shit.

We went around from Ouray via Telluride then Durango and then into Silverton. Then drove home yesterday via Durango and South Fork. Holy FUCK was that a lot of driving for a good day at Silverton.

[bovine]

We were hoping to ski this past Saturday and Sunday, but got denied both days. Kind of a bummer because we bought $69 Sunday passes. We'll ski Sunday, Jan 3rd-getting in 2/3 days in of non-guided- still a good deal.
Hopefully they'll have some of the upper hikable stuff pealing into Velocity...

[BP Pow]

I was denied on 12/26 but did make it for 12/27...some good stuff to still be found and DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP in the trees. Like stupid deep. They did roll the bottom of Tiger Main (which strangely made my inner racer dork happy to ski a groomer at Mach 10 at Silverton?).

Lots of wind affected chop but also many stashes of untouched. I do believe they opened more as the day went on and should have a lot more open by next weekend (however, the deep instability is real this year and many things were going NATURAL to the ground). Scary shit.

We went around from Ouray via Telluride then Durango and then into Silverton. Then drove home yesterday via Durango and South Fork. Holy FUCK was that a lot of driving for a good day at Silverton.

That is a haul. I know two others that did the same thing Saturday/Sunday. Looks like the Avi conditions are improving, if tomorrow's rating stays at Moderate below treeline. Hopefully things stay pretty nice with these cold temps and light accumulations through the week, and their mitigation over the next couple days will allow for safe openings on the untouched stuff.

[Mudfoot]

After Highway Dept. avi control finished they opened Molas Pass at 9:15 on Sunday. There was a line of about 30 cars waiting. I don't think Red Mt. Pass ever opened. Since patrol bombing had made the face above the Tiger Chutes slide all the way to the creek by the shuttle pick up (thus the 1/3 mile of grooming on the gully run out) they decided not to bomb any of the backside. According to the patrolman I talked to they are hoping it settles enough to hold on when they finally do avi control, and not all slide off. I believe the plan is to open some backside terrain next weekend, but it depends on how the snow behaves.

[Danno]

We went around from Ouray via Telluride then Durango and then into Silverton. Then drove home yesterday via Durango and South Fork. Holy FUCK was that a lot of driving for a good day at Silverton.

damn

[Mudfoot]

Here is the latest teaser post on Silverton Mt's website:

"The entire backside of mountain is untracked, has not been skied yet, and will start to open on Friday, 1/1/16."

[durangobrad]

Was there on Saturday. Best day I have ever had there. Although all tree skiing. First 6 runs didn't cross a track top to bottom... It was all time. Brutal cold on the lift.

I will be interested to see what this weekend brings. The view from the top was avalanches everywhere. If they do open that stuff it will likely be avi debris....

[FiveLarge]

If anyone wants to head down for a last minute trip yet this weekend, had to cancel my reservation at Lola's Place due to illness, so there's a great place in town available. Call 970.387.5705 ask for Patty or Tommy.