WTF Silverton?

[ACH]

The heli proposal excludes all the skiing down to County Road 2. We dropped that from the proposal after listening to feedback. We also have a standing written commitment to avoid touring skiers and relocate to other zones if encountered.

Solid
#Respect

[goldenboy]

The heli proposal excludes all the skiing down to County Road 2. We dropped that from the proposal after listening to feedback. We also have a standing written commitment to avoid touring skiers and relocate to other zones if encountered.

Got a map with the current proposal?

[JaytaeMoney]

My anecdotal experience is that the unguided skiing at Silverton is not worth the time/effort/cost to get down there, every time I have done it the really exciting areas have been roped off and the available terrain was fine but definitely not worth a special trip.

As far as I can tell, by far the best way to ski Silverton is with a strong hand-picked group right after a storm during the guided season.

[Bruce Springskiin]

@ Silverton MT
Much respect for all of the hard work you have done and your vision. At the end of my day there, I was wishing there were more places with the same vision. I will keep coming back whenever in the area.

[summit]

I appreciate Silverton Mt's replies in this thread. I'll remember fondly the days I spent skiing there. I'll be back, but it will be rare.

[adrenalated]

Most of the douchy behavior I've seen at Silverton is the the "fast skier/fast hiker" groups. I could right a "how to Silverton" thread but I'm sure nobody cares. I will say this, your guide will be keying in on your group dynamic from moment one. You need to help and encourage each other. Any animosity will be viewed as a threat to the group's safety which is the primary concern. If you get all pissy, your group will be on a short leash. If you work well as a team and can be trusted, you'll be guided into some more premium terrain. The guides all but tell you this. If you don't have the patience for the system, Silverton ain't for you.

This is pretty much guided skiing 101, wherever you are.

Also appreciate SilvertonMt's replies in this thread.

[Lindahl]

We could camp.

Thats what real skiers would do.

[raisingarizona13]

Thats what real skiers would do.

Fuck that, put me in with the wannabe crowd then. After a big day of skiing I want a hot shower and a warm place to sleep!

[ACH]

Fuck that, put me in with the wannabe crowd then. After a big day of skiing I want a hot shower and a warm place to sleep!

I hear that...
Not to mention room to stretch, dry gear out, etc.
Besides, it can get pretty cold at Silverton overnight.

[Lindahl]

Fuck that, put me in with the wannabe crowd then. After a big day of skiing I want a hot shower and a warm place to sleep!

I question your commitment to skiing

[TAFKALVS]

I hear that...
Not to mention room to stretch, dry gear out, etc.
Besides, it can get pretty cold at Silverton overnight.

So we bring the campers. Big Steve, You, Me, Norsey all can go full Convoy on the route down.

[Kinnikinnick]

Just an idea Silverton MT, but what if you found some middle ground? Charge more than $49 - $79? for self-guided.

I've been a few times for Guided, while we booked weeks in advance, we were thrown into a large group of 10+. Guide was meh and took us too many times into easterly terrain that was crusting up and our voices to hit the westerly shady stuff was ignored in the din of a large group. Was slow with such a group and inevitably had someone who ate shit and lost a ski and us the time to tag the last run. I woudn't do guided again with the chances of another experience. I know the terrain well enough to hit the 6-7 runs I'd want in Unguided.

[raisingarizona13]

I question your commitment to skiing

I'm 41 with nuthin to prove! It's a nice place to be actually.

[Foggy_Goggles]

I'm not sure if there article is before or after the change is application but it is a start

http://www.durangoherald.com/article...d-heli-skiing#

[skier666]

Silverton is unique place and the skiing is right in line with most of the skiers on this forum. It makes financial sense to limit the unguided if the guided can fill the resort.

I've done the unguided, guided and heli (if the conditions and weather cooperate). With 3 kids, I usually plan for a Thursday and cross my fingers. Regardless, it has some best consistent fall-line skiing in Colorado. Of course, some runs are better than others. And yes, the law of nature will eventually pair you up with a group that has that 'one' skier that holds everyone up, but you meet new people and become instant friends because we all like the same thing.

Most of the time I roll up solo, just jump in the fast hike, fast skier group and see what happens. As a group, the norm is to take turns on first tracks and ultimately you'll get the goods even if hasn't snowed in a while. At their altitude, the beer at the end of the day tastes better than anywhere else.

And yes, I run into Buster 90% of the time.

[digitaldeath]

Silverton is unique place and the skiing is right in line with most of the skiers on this forum. It makes financial sense to limit the unguided if the guided can fill the resort.

I've done the unguided, guided and heli (if the conditions and weather cooperate). With 3 kids, I usually plan for a Thursday and cross my fingers. Regardless, it has some best consistent fall-line skiing in Colorado. Of course, some runs are better than others. And yes, the law of nature will eventually pair you up with a group that has that 'one' skier that holds everyone up, but you meet new people and become instant friends because we all like the same thing.

Most of the time I roll up solo, just jump in the fast hike, fast skier group and see what happens. As a group, the norm is to take turns on first tracks and ultimately you'll get the goods even if hasn't snowed in a while. At their altitude, the beer at the end of the day tastes better than anywhere else.

And yes, I run into Buster 90% of the time.

better than at the Anheuser-Busch brewery? Better than at Busch Gardens?

[goldenboy]

I'm not sure if there article is before or after the change is application but it is a start

http://www.durangoherald.com/article...d-heli-skiing#

I think that's old based on the date and the map shows areas that go to cty rd 2. I found another map that seemed newer, but it also seemed to go to 2. Even if it includes areas like Cunningham that are accessed from 2, it's still an overall bummer for bc skiers. The best thing about the Silverton BC is that those crazy miners built roads everywhere, so everything is pretty accessible- including the areas that are proposed for heli expansion. (As far as I know)

[NW_SKIER]

Is real skier status similar to local status? Available for purchase?

[Foggy_Goggles]

Agreed about the mining roads. You find road signs in the middle of the backcounty in San Juan County. If you can even semi-reasonably tour there in a day, I don't think that is an appropriate location for heli skiing. I need to go ski McMillian again.

[digitaldeath]

Just an idea Silverton MT, but what if you found some middle ground? Charge more than $49 - $79? for self-guided.

I've been a few times for Guided, while we booked weeks in advance, we were thrown into a large group of 10+. Guide was meh and took us too many times into easterly terrain that was crusting up and our voices to hit the westerly shady stuff was ignored in the din of a large group. Was slow with such a group and inevitably had someone who ate shit and lost a ski and us the time to tag the last run. I woudn't do guided again with the chances of another experience. I know the terrain well enough to hit the 6-7 runs I'd want in Unguided.

you a shrill for vail?

you shrilling for vail for sure

[adrenalated]

I think that's old based on the date and the map shows areas that go to cty rd 2. I found another map that seemed newer, but it also seemed to go to 2. Even if it includes areas like Cunningham that are accessed from 2, it's still an overall bummer for bc skiers. The best thing about the Silverton BC is that those crazy miners built roads everywhere, so everything is pretty accessible- including the areas that are proposed for heli expansion. (As far as I know)

This is the information on the BLM's website. No idea if there is something in the works that is newer than this.
https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-...rojectId=48993

(I know nothing about the BC ski terrain in the area so can't comment on that. I found the letter from Brill requesting the change to be interesting, however.)

[goldenboy]

This is the information on the BLM's website. No idea if there is something in the works that is newer than this.
https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-...rojectId=48993

(I know nothing about the BC ski terrain in the area so can't comment on that. I found the letter from Brill requesting the change to be interesting, however.)

Perfect. That's the map that I also saw. After reading the letter, it basically means that they would be using cty rd 2 ski terrain- at least what's accessed off of it, like cunningham, minnie, and maggie. The terrain that they are proposing to give up is N of the ski area. It's harder to get to and not nearly as good as what they're trying to use closer to 2.

FB group: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofsilvertonsmountains/

[PNWbrit]

you a shrill for vail?

you shrilling for vail for sure

The word is shill....

noun
1. an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others.

verb
1. act or work as a shill.

[Silverton Mt]

As you can see by my whopping post count I normally get in and out quickly, but will try to reply to all as best as possible (sorry in advance for anyone I missed). This is a busy time of year.

Kinnikinnick, we normally ski in groups of 8 or less and only do more if the group asks to ski in a large posse. However it does happen 1-2 times a year that the plague rolls through Silverton and 3 guides are sick and physically unable to work. We can handle 2 down guides but if we get 3 sick guides we make a couple of larger groups to get everyone out (and toss in a aspiring guide as a tail gunner with the lead guide to handle the larger group). See the blog post for the answer on ticket pricing.

However, we want all the guests to have a great time so email us via the Silverton Mt website and I will get a comp guided day to you for this season to use so you can have the proper experience. I still read every incoming email and will reply.

To the person who inquired about the map, the BLM will be releasing it with their Draft EA on their site. Their maps were incorrect to start which wasn't all that helpful as the BLM included in their maps all the terrain Telluride Helitrax previously had in their permit before the permit was granted to us years ago. We never asked or applied for the stuff near Red Mt, Prospect or Minehaha and its not included. Long story made short, the boundaries of the pods had already been drawn by the BLM for Helitrax so we weren't able to draw boundaries. But as the process went on we cut a large portion of terrain from the project on our own volition. I am not going to get into a back and forth, but this is Silverton not the Wasatch and large areas of terrain are not skied until March or April each year as access is dangerous even if it seems within reach. Even then, these aren't the prime zones as the east county gets less snow and there is better skiing with shorter approaches just about everywhere else in the county. We selected these areas as they are the least used in the county and have winter long user studies to back that up.

To those who inquired about guided groupings, we go out of our way to make the best groupings each day but it is the primary weak link about any guided skiing. Private guides are options for hard chargers, bring some buddies to fill a group, or enjoy the day for what it is and isn't.. We really do try to get solid matches so let your guide know early in the day if its not ideal and we will try to shift you to a different group. Its one of the reasons why our AK op is very popular as we require pre-screening interviews so that no group gets hosed by one weak link, and if we don't have a good match we don't take your money in AK (its not feasible to pre screen Silverton Mt guided guests for obvious reasons). We get it, one slow guy can ruin the day for the whole posse.

I have skied with many of the posters including Foggy, Summit (didn't you get to ski the elusive Pequeno 3 with Shocklee one day), Skier 666 (I think we skied the Gnar one day), and even juggled plungers with Buster in the parking lot (actual plunger juggling not some sexual reference) and I try to get to know all of our guests and make sure they have the best possible experience.

I will close with this, Vail Resorts has a popular product that many enjoy. But keep in mind even if Silverton Mt, or Bridger Bowl, Wolf Creek or your local family owned ski area isn't your cup of tea, they have an important place in the industry. Nobody should be allowed to run roughshod and expand as they please without review including us, but when the small guys ask for modest growth plans the anti crowd should think about the ramifications of what that means to the little guys or all we will have for skiing in the future are the polished resorts and what that entails.

Getting people into the mountains is what counts as unless people get out of the cities they won't experience or respect nature. From the little guy's perspective I can't tell you how many people will write countless letters of opposition to a small ski area expansion, while they ignore the fracking down the road or the coal fired power plants up wind from them.

Cheers.

-Aaron

[digitaldeath]

The word is shill....

noun
1. an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others.

verb
1. act or work as a shill.

you're shrill ok, dad

and extremely easy to bait

you just wasted your time googling shill LOL