Silverton TR

[JaytaeMoney]

Some background on the buyers: https://www.aspendailynews.com/news/...578152d92.html

[durangobrad]

I could write a lengthy post about what I think Silverton 2.0 should look like, but it's not my money.
A little polish would go a long way. Actual bathrooms, running water, couches that are cleaned more than once a decade, etc.

I think that's the opposite of what most of us would like to see.

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[Foggy_Goggles]

Obviously, there is much that none of us know. I'm assuming there will be a new permit issued to the new owner. For better or worse, there could also be a change in requirements.

Public Health and Safety are probably at the top of the list. I wonder the realities of well and septic on the required scale at that location? More likely a bathroom set up with composting toilets and trucked in water.

Anyone, why no play the "the is what I want Silverton to be!" game? I say either keep it exactly the same with some upgraded sanitation or just blow it out and put lifts everywhere.

[doebedoe]

The lift and base area are all on private land. Surrounded by BLM, so I suspect not your typical FS-managed ski area special permit. Wonder how those arrangements work with transfer of ownership. Presumably Brills sold the land along with the operation and improvements.

I've got good money we'll still get the patented "skiing pow in Oct" shot of a guide risking their legs milking a turn over sharks perfectly framed to not show its a single blown in pocket.

[adrenalated]

Anyone, why no play the "the is what I want Silverton to be!" game? I say either keep it exactly the same with some upgraded sanitation or just blow it out and put lifts everywhere.

Upgraded sanitation, unguided days available all season long with a reasonably priced season pass, everything else the same and I'm in.

[hatchgreenchile]

I think that's the opposite of what most of us would like to see.

When you choose to play the $1,300+ heli + lift ticket game, expectations change.

[Buster Highmen]

Given the new owners foothold in the lux vacation market with $1800/night condos at Whistler or Aspen or heli op lodges, all of those levers are gilded with the poshness of nice restaurants, shopping, fancy bars and entertainment.

Given Silvertons current coffee, beer and pizza town culture, not to mention the atv/ohv fans, it's doesn't seem to fit. Plus, the wealthy to super wealthy market is sparsely populated by skiers of Billboard or Tiger Claw hiking desire and skiing capability. The lack of an unguided seasons pass is what preserved the town and kept it affordable.

So either the vision is for some massive investment that would transform Silverton into a much tonier locale, possibly with a bunch more lifts and infrastructure or the plan is to rely on the heli market, possibly shuttling people from Telluride, Aspen, CB or some reasonably close locus of wealth. The latter vision may allow the chairlift to decay.

For my changed nickel, I know that change is inevitable, but I'll miss the rawness of the place and the charming if sometimes maddening chaos and abrupt but clever redirections. It was a ski area I felt connected to in a unique and personal way. For many things Silverton, I'm just flat out fucking grateful and hope that the coming changes provide a fertile, varied ecology for the next generation of Silverton Mountain.

[Buster Highmen]

Rasta Stevie Wisdom

Power upgrade in Cement Creek by San Miguel power is telling.

[goldenboy]

Silverton (the town) is one of my favorite places on the planet. As is the local backcountry. The ski area, not so much. I'm firmly in the hater camp for a host of reasons and it's hard to imagine new ownership isn't a good thing. Hard to say though, looking at that website which certainly seems to cater to luxury and Silverton doesn't fit that at all, as noted above. Fingers crossed, I'd love to love that place with new ownership.

[pfluffenmeister]

Unguided passes still honored this season?

[grskier]

The shuttle was already happening and I think they'll likely build on that market. You could leave Aspen in the am and be skiing there in just an hour or so I'm guessing.

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

So either the vision is for some massive investment that would transform Silverton into a much tonier locale, possibly with a bunch more lifts and infrastructure or the plan is to rely on the heli market, possibly shuttling people from Telluride, Aspen, CB or some reasonably close locus of wealth. The latter vision may allow the chairlift to decay.

It will be interesting to see. They say they don't want to change anything but the article says the deal included land in Silverton which they are thinking of using for a lodge and possible employee housing. There is already a fly-fishing guide service here that helicopters people from Aspen to Bar ZX Ranch in Somerset to fish for pellet-heads in the summer, so heli-ing from the Montrose or Junction airports to your heli-ski lodge in Silverton doesn't sound so far-fetched these days, sadly .

[goldenboy]

There is already a fly-fishing guide service here that helicopters people from Aspen to Bar ZX Ranch in Somerset to fish for pellet-heads in the summer, so heli-ing from the Montrose or Junction airports to your heli-ski lodge in Silverton doesn't sound so far-fetched these days, sadly .

Even back in the late 70s/ early 80s the Crested Butte Heliski op was shuttling passengers from Aspen. Then they moved the base to Marble since it was slightly closer to the $$.

[snowaddict91]

The Cimarron club advertises that its only 10 minutes from Montrose (by helicopter). I'm just going to start thumbing from the airport.

[Foggy_Goggles]

"Silverton Mountain is a Polarizing Topic"

I'm guessing the true value is in the heli permit. That said [day ticket price x estimated skier days] is not an insignificant sum of number. More skiing is always better and if I had the cheddar I'd be heli skiing there.

[ASmileyFace]

Unguided passes still honored this season?

100%

Might be the last year... might not be... hard to say right now.

Lots of interesting speculation in here right now. I will be curious to see what the new owners say their plan is and then see what actually happens. As someone with a vested interest in how this plays out I am trying to keep my personal speculation out of this thread.

Also Buster, the San Miguel upgrades in Cement Creek have as much to do with grid redundancy as anything else. Power delivery into Silverton has been teetering on the verge of collapse the past few seasons. We are one mistake or avalanche'd transmission line away from a complete grid collapse for weeks right now.

[Name Redacted]

I hope they keep, or even expand, unguided season. I probably won't go there much if it disappears. Definitely the best deal in skiing.

I could care less about the facilities, but I think cattle cars would be far better for skier transport that the busses, but whatever.

I don't see how the new owners couldn't at least somewhat improve the organization of the place, but who knows, maybe they'll find a way to fuck it up worse.

[byates1]

Like buster said, it doesn't fit. They are some glam marketing wealthy bullshit. They are saying the right things in thier puff piece,

Time will tell. I'm going w private high dollar reservation only.

[skiracer88_00]

Silverton (the town) is one of my favorite places on the planet. As is the local backcountry. The ski area, not so much. I'm firmly in the hater camp for a host of reasons and it's hard to imagine new ownership isn't a good thing. Hard to say though, looking at that website which certainly seems to cater to luxury and Silverton doesn't fit that at all, as noted above. Fingers crossed, I'd love to love that place with new ownership.

I totally get what you mean with the management of the place, but in my experience the snow is often good and the terrain is unique for inbounds anyway (2000'+ sustained avalanche gullies). It is definitely not gnar like CB, but the skiing is good and the vert is long and sustained to the valley floor. Unguided on a day with fresh snow is a hoot!

Guided there has left much to be desired for my taste. The "we are so much radder than everyone else" attitude also is kind of odd, especially considering telluride is right down the road.

Here's to hoping that the new owners improve on the things that are lacking and leave the positive aspects of the place alone.

[Name Redacted]

Guided there has left much to be desired for my taste. The "we are so much radder than everyone else" attitude also is kind of odd, especially considering telluride is right down the road.

Yeah, never got that 'tude there either. It is just skiing man, get over yourselves.

[grskier]

I totally get what you mean with the management of the place, but in my experience the snow is often good and the terrain is unique for inbounds anyway (2000'+ sustained avalanche gullies). It is definitely not gnar like CB, but the skiing is good and the vert is long and sustained to the valley floor. Unguided on a day with fresh snow is a hoot!

Guided there has left much to be desired for my taste. The "we are so much radder than everyone else" attitude also is kind of odd, especially considering telluride is right down the road.

Here's to hoping that the new owners improve on the things that are lacking and leave the positive aspects of the place alone.

Back in the day we'd book John S. as a guide and fill out our own group, so it was a little different. The other guided day we had there was similar. They liked to throw some Aspen jokes around like we could afford to live in town.. But the skiing was good enough we still enjoyed.

[hatchgreenchile]

I've had guided days that were worth every penny, and then some. Tight group, big lines, awesome snow, elation all around, truly 10/10 riding. It's an amazing mountain, and their premier lines in mid-winter conditions are as good as it fucking gets.

A few times things have gotten weird. Taking the heli to some deadfall choked trees where you couldn't buy a turn, then getting attitude because we got separated? No thanks. Over the top coaching on Tiger #s during a 2 week dry spell? No thanks. There is plenty of terrain on the map that never seems to open, even in the best of conditions, and you'll often hike right past them to ride some sharky, frozen dogshit.

More times than not, I've found guided worth the squeeze. YMMV.

[skaredshtles]

Back in the day we'd book John S. as a guide and fill out our own group, so it was a little different. The other guided day we had there was similar. They liked to throw some Aspen jokes around like we could afford to live in town.. But the skiing was good enough we still enjoyed.

Ahhh... John S. Good times...

[Buster Highmen]

2008, good times past, the day my 7 year old son was the youngest to ski off the chair (younger have done it since).


Some of the auld guard:
l2r: Lemon Boy, PNWBrit, guide (Adrian?), Foggy Goggles, Makers Telemark, Yossarian and me with my kids. My son was busting buttons proud.

Then
l2r: Me, son, PNWbrit, Lemon Boy, Foggy, Yossarian.

Somehow, over the years, I missed the over the top attitude. Just good vibes and good skiing.

[PNWbrit]

Good times indeed.

2008! fuck... where did the years go!