option_ride
New member
Pre-ride: I took off from Galisteo about 10:30am Saturday after calling the mountain all morning to see if I could move my reservation to next week. I was really wasted after a long 2 weeks at work and the knee I've been nursing and trying to strengthen all summer was aching this week so I was pretty weary about doing a lot of hiking. Since I
couldn't reach anyone I figured it was a go. So I packed my gear in the jeep and headed out. I knew all was going to be good when I stopped in Bernalillo to get some oil for the old leaky bastard. After topping her off I dropped into subway for brunch and for some odd reason they let me have my food for free. I knew then the karma and vibes were good and this was the right decision.
Three hours after departing Bernalillo I arrived in Durango and hit up wild mountain outfitters to replace my most beloved mid layer that has disappeared. I bought a nice mont-bell light down vest right off the sales guys back as it was the last of the summer stock. Discounts in December: another good sign! I then cruised over to inferno board shop and they hooked me up with a quick tune while I went to pick up food for the trip. More good karma points spent. I was really happy to have sharp edges not knowing what snow conditions I would encounter.
So it was off to Silverton at 4:30 and I dropped down into the valley at dusk. It was a great welcome to see the town lights sparkling down in the valley surrounded by towering peaks and the setting cold dark.
I drove around downtown for a few hours, desperately searching for my hotel while taking too many right turns. Finally I found the Triangle Motel just a few blocks into town on the main street. I checked in, unloaded and headed up the street about 6 to The Pride of the West bar for a quick burger and a beer. It was nice to see shops and
restaurants open with small smattering of human life. In my previous jaunts through Silverton in the winter you would be lucky to get gas and find a dog roaming the main street. This place really is the last of a dying breed of small mining towns. You can still get a nice motel for 35 bucks and a big fat greasy burger for $5. The bar was sparsely
crowded with a handful of ski bums and a few locals. I had a few beers and struck up some good conversation with my fellow travelers. I was planning on hitting the sack early, but was held by my curiosity of the seven-piece band that was meticulously setting up their gear from 6-8. Glad I stuck around to hear the band "Last to Know" who were up from Taos to rock this sleepy little town. The music and conversation kept this prematurely aging 30 something well entertained until 10:30.
Ride: After checking and double-checking all my gear I headed the six miles up the canyon to the base of Silverton Mountain. If it weren't for the lift you would think you just happened on a group of BC skiers gearing up for a long climb into heaven. No amenities here, just a lift and a large canvas tent heated by a makeshift wood-burning beast
cranking the little heat to be found. Note to self: the outhouse is around the back if you need to pee. I stepped inside and was greeted warmly. They asked me to fill out a waiver and never even checked if I was who I said I was. Guess the ugly mug speaks for itself. There were 8 people there to hunt powder and another dozen taking an avy course with San Juan Mountain School. We headed down to the lift and they split us into two groups. Fast hikers over here, and medium fast hikers over there. I jokingly asked were the slow hikers stand, but just got funny looks and no laughs. Ok, fine. I guess I'm a medium fast hiker? We then paired up with our guide Alex and got a quick safety and procedure talk. We then checked our beacons and climbed on the lift. Our group consisted of 2 other 2plankers besides Alex and my knuckle dragging self. The lift is a very cozy little 2 seater, but is surprisingly fast. This may be due to recent upgrades to the power supply. The snow cover looked just adequate enough to ski and cover all the hidden gems waiting to surprise. I rode up with Andrew from Denver who had skied here April 1st last year and was commenting on the trees up top that were completely buried then.
The lift takes you up the west face and we did all of our skiing off the east face of the mountain. The mountain really is 'straight up, straight down'. You won't find any rollers here. Our warm up run (trial by fire) was a little ridgeline named Riff separating two bowls. Alex, our guide, laid down the opening line and we followed one at a time to different pullouts. We hugged the trees tight to farm our share of the pow and dropped down through some nice gullies mid mountain to the steep bottom third of the mountain. At the bottom we crossed a small creek that was still exposed and running. Then it's a short hike up to the ¼ mile traverse back to the shuttle. Boarders, be happy, all the traverses a very snowboard friendly. No un-strapping and skate styling it back to base.
For our second descent we rode Raff, a great little bowl just to the right of Riff. The snow was set up perfect and I surfed effortlessly carving the sweetest powder lines of my short season. Andrew became victim to a hidden obstacle on this one and did some pretty serious damage to his edge under the binding. He didn't seem too bummed as
some things are worth the price. Too bad though as it was his last run before heading back to Denver. We then farmed a nice little ridgeline and dropped back down to the creek. Alex was doing a fine job of keeping it exciting. Overall the top half of the east face consists of moderately steep, open bowls that close down into little chutes and
gullies. These give way to a pretty steep bottom third of the mountain.
It's now about 10:30 and we head back via shuttle for our 3rd run. For number three we followed a short traverse around the back (west) side of the ridgeline and climbed a short 15 minutes back to the east face to hit a bowl and run-out called Cabin. After riding the bowl on Cabin we dropped into a tight chute faced on both sides by 10-foot cliffs.
The channel was barely wider than my board, but the pitch was mellow so some nice jump turns were in order. A lot of these chutes and gullies apparently don't exist later in the season after a few avalanches run. I won't tell you how this one got its name, but if the guide doesn't tell you be sure to ask. Very interesting story.
Alex and Dean at the top of Cabin. (sorry for the light quality, I'll try and touch this up later today)
Me at the top of Cabin.
At this point I'm feeling my lack of conditioning and decide to sit one out and take a long lunch. Alex and Dean headed out and did another short hike and returned for a quick lunch. Warning: the lunches won't satisfy your whole days appetite so pack a few goodies to keep your energy up.
After lunch (1:00ish) we headed back out for Deans declared last run. No hiking this time. We dropped straight off the back from the lift into a great, steep bowl that closed down into the coolest natural half-pipe I've ridden. The snow in the bowl was a bit windblown and crusty on top but it broke through nicely and made for great turns.
The gully was incredible. If I had more conditioning I think I would have ignored Alex's advice here and pulled some spins. Then it was time for one of the hairiest lines I've ridden in a long time. Alex warned us to be in control over the next lip as we came out of the gully onto the right hand ridge. The gully closed down into the tightest waterfall chute I've seen faced by good 30-50 feet craggy rock cliffs. We hugged the trees next to the cliff and dropped the steepest crappy line I've ever seen. I stupidly tried to make a jump turn at the top to get myself into position and had to self arrest into a tree with the base of my board after sliding a good 15 feet. Alex, in his calm, cool demeanor checked if I was OK and reminded my to take it easy through here. This was obviously the only way out, but whether or not it was skiable could be debated. Alex and Dean both took a good core shot in here. No complaints though. The price was paid in full, and my little Option was still sitting pretty and holding strong.
I called it a day after that run, figuring I had spent my karma points and not wanting to push myself too hard this early. I did 4 great runs while my group did 5. It was only 2:30 when we called it, so we could have easily done 6 runs today if not 7 or 8 had we pushed it. Next time. I was well satisfied with my day and completely enjoyed the great vibe and unique experience. Silverton is truly a gem and a unique experience.
Obviously if your in a larger group your going to do a lot more waiting. So if you're a hard charger you might be more satisfied when they introduce un-guided skiing. But if your newer to the BC or just like the experience and aren't worried about maximizing turns I think a guided experience at Silverton will really fit the bill. There are still a lot of questions as to how un-guided skiing will operate, even amongst the guides and staff. But regardless, I would suggest a guided experience first for new comers. The terrain is intense in sections and you could easily get yourself into trouble if you don't know the layout of this mountain. Sorry for the lack of pics, I had my camera, but I always forget to pull it out when I'm having fun. Cheers.
edited: descent != decent... oh god, I have an english degree. :shock:
couldn't reach anyone I figured it was a go. So I packed my gear in the jeep and headed out. I knew all was going to be good when I stopped in Bernalillo to get some oil for the old leaky bastard. After topping her off I dropped into subway for brunch and for some odd reason they let me have my food for free. I knew then the karma and vibes were good and this was the right decision.
Three hours after departing Bernalillo I arrived in Durango and hit up wild mountain outfitters to replace my most beloved mid layer that has disappeared. I bought a nice mont-bell light down vest right off the sales guys back as it was the last of the summer stock. Discounts in December: another good sign! I then cruised over to inferno board shop and they hooked me up with a quick tune while I went to pick up food for the trip. More good karma points spent. I was really happy to have sharp edges not knowing what snow conditions I would encounter.
So it was off to Silverton at 4:30 and I dropped down into the valley at dusk. It was a great welcome to see the town lights sparkling down in the valley surrounded by towering peaks and the setting cold dark.
I drove around downtown for a few hours, desperately searching for my hotel while taking too many right turns. Finally I found the Triangle Motel just a few blocks into town on the main street. I checked in, unloaded and headed up the street about 6 to The Pride of the West bar for a quick burger and a beer. It was nice to see shops and
restaurants open with small smattering of human life. In my previous jaunts through Silverton in the winter you would be lucky to get gas and find a dog roaming the main street. This place really is the last of a dying breed of small mining towns. You can still get a nice motel for 35 bucks and a big fat greasy burger for $5. The bar was sparsely
crowded with a handful of ski bums and a few locals. I had a few beers and struck up some good conversation with my fellow travelers. I was planning on hitting the sack early, but was held by my curiosity of the seven-piece band that was meticulously setting up their gear from 6-8. Glad I stuck around to hear the band "Last to Know" who were up from Taos to rock this sleepy little town. The music and conversation kept this prematurely aging 30 something well entertained until 10:30.
Ride: After checking and double-checking all my gear I headed the six miles up the canyon to the base of Silverton Mountain. If it weren't for the lift you would think you just happened on a group of BC skiers gearing up for a long climb into heaven. No amenities here, just a lift and a large canvas tent heated by a makeshift wood-burning beast
cranking the little heat to be found. Note to self: the outhouse is around the back if you need to pee. I stepped inside and was greeted warmly. They asked me to fill out a waiver and never even checked if I was who I said I was. Guess the ugly mug speaks for itself. There were 8 people there to hunt powder and another dozen taking an avy course with San Juan Mountain School. We headed down to the lift and they split us into two groups. Fast hikers over here, and medium fast hikers over there. I jokingly asked were the slow hikers stand, but just got funny looks and no laughs. Ok, fine. I guess I'm a medium fast hiker? We then paired up with our guide Alex and got a quick safety and procedure talk. We then checked our beacons and climbed on the lift. Our group consisted of 2 other 2plankers besides Alex and my knuckle dragging self. The lift is a very cozy little 2 seater, but is surprisingly fast. This may be due to recent upgrades to the power supply. The snow cover looked just adequate enough to ski and cover all the hidden gems waiting to surprise. I rode up with Andrew from Denver who had skied here April 1st last year and was commenting on the trees up top that were completely buried then.
The lift takes you up the west face and we did all of our skiing off the east face of the mountain. The mountain really is 'straight up, straight down'. You won't find any rollers here. Our warm up run (trial by fire) was a little ridgeline named Riff separating two bowls. Alex, our guide, laid down the opening line and we followed one at a time to different pullouts. We hugged the trees tight to farm our share of the pow and dropped down through some nice gullies mid mountain to the steep bottom third of the mountain. At the bottom we crossed a small creek that was still exposed and running. Then it's a short hike up to the ¼ mile traverse back to the shuttle. Boarders, be happy, all the traverses a very snowboard friendly. No un-strapping and skate styling it back to base.
For our second descent we rode Raff, a great little bowl just to the right of Riff. The snow was set up perfect and I surfed effortlessly carving the sweetest powder lines of my short season. Andrew became victim to a hidden obstacle on this one and did some pretty serious damage to his edge under the binding. He didn't seem too bummed as
some things are worth the price. Too bad though as it was his last run before heading back to Denver. We then farmed a nice little ridgeline and dropped back down to the creek. Alex was doing a fine job of keeping it exciting. Overall the top half of the east face consists of moderately steep, open bowls that close down into little chutes and
gullies. These give way to a pretty steep bottom third of the mountain.
It's now about 10:30 and we head back via shuttle for our 3rd run. For number three we followed a short traverse around the back (west) side of the ridgeline and climbed a short 15 minutes back to the east face to hit a bowl and run-out called Cabin. After riding the bowl on Cabin we dropped into a tight chute faced on both sides by 10-foot cliffs.
The channel was barely wider than my board, but the pitch was mellow so some nice jump turns were in order. A lot of these chutes and gullies apparently don't exist later in the season after a few avalanches run. I won't tell you how this one got its name, but if the guide doesn't tell you be sure to ask. Very interesting story.
Alex and Dean at the top of Cabin. (sorry for the light quality, I'll try and touch this up later today)
Me at the top of Cabin.
At this point I'm feeling my lack of conditioning and decide to sit one out and take a long lunch. Alex and Dean headed out and did another short hike and returned for a quick lunch. Warning: the lunches won't satisfy your whole days appetite so pack a few goodies to keep your energy up.
After lunch (1:00ish) we headed back out for Deans declared last run. No hiking this time. We dropped straight off the back from the lift into a great, steep bowl that closed down into the coolest natural half-pipe I've ridden. The snow in the bowl was a bit windblown and crusty on top but it broke through nicely and made for great turns.
The gully was incredible. If I had more conditioning I think I would have ignored Alex's advice here and pulled some spins. Then it was time for one of the hairiest lines I've ridden in a long time. Alex warned us to be in control over the next lip as we came out of the gully onto the right hand ridge. The gully closed down into the tightest waterfall chute I've seen faced by good 30-50 feet craggy rock cliffs. We hugged the trees next to the cliff and dropped the steepest crappy line I've ever seen. I stupidly tried to make a jump turn at the top to get myself into position and had to self arrest into a tree with the base of my board after sliding a good 15 feet. Alex, in his calm, cool demeanor checked if I was OK and reminded my to take it easy through here. This was obviously the only way out, but whether or not it was skiable could be debated. Alex and Dean both took a good core shot in here. No complaints though. The price was paid in full, and my little Option was still sitting pretty and holding strong.
I called it a day after that run, figuring I had spent my karma points and not wanting to push myself too hard this early. I did 4 great runs while my group did 5. It was only 2:30 when we called it, so we could have easily done 6 runs today if not 7 or 8 had we pushed it. Next time. I was well satisfied with my day and completely enjoyed the great vibe and unique experience. Silverton is truly a gem and a unique experience.
Obviously if your in a larger group your going to do a lot more waiting. So if you're a hard charger you might be more satisfied when they introduce un-guided skiing. But if your newer to the BC or just like the experience and aren't worried about maximizing turns I think a guided experience at Silverton will really fit the bill. There are still a lot of questions as to how un-guided skiing will operate, even amongst the guides and staff. But regardless, I would suggest a guided experience first for new comers. The terrain is intense in sections and you could easily get yourself into trouble if you don't know the layout of this mountain. Sorry for the lack of pics, I had my camera, but I always forget to pull it out when I'm having fun. Cheers.
edited: descent != decent... oh god, I have an english degree. :shock:
