Everyone that starts to ski or snowboard will be catergorized as a beginner. Being a beginner should not be something to be ashamed of nor should a beginner be touted by an expert. All should remember that beginners are the reason that ski resorts exist. Taking a lesson at any resort can advance the learning curve and raise the confidence of a beginner to advance to the blue runs. From there it is those black runs, single diamond, then double black diamond. Why do ski runs not top out in difficulty in gold runs? The answer, the top run to master is, silver.
O% of this resort is dedicated to beginner. Silverton, CO., is a mountain where experts get touted by master experts. Lodge, hmm, a large tent with a woodburning stove. Bathrooms, a real outhouse with a real outhouse smell. Safe steps, not, just walk up those steps cut in the snow. The single chair to the top is more difficult to get off of then most blacks at other resorts. Never been here before, hire a guide. Must have a shovel, probe, and an avalanche beacon or no lift ticket. Not serious on safety, forget it. Silverton’s staff will not tolerate fools that think they ski/board great.
How to describe this experiance. We had a cool guide named Mark, alias 88. He was right when he mentioned a fall will mean a slide of a thousand feet or more. One of our group fell, lost a ski, lost the second, tried to stop, went over a small rock cropping, stood-up, slid again, knocked his partner down, and twisted his knee. Day over. No refund. This is Silverton. Wanna play here, be ready to pay here.
The San Juan Mountains are rugged and extreme.
Helicopter drop in at Silverton for $50? On it. A special deal and a no brainer to take advantage of. An experience of serious safety manners, procedures, no mistakes allowed. The pilot landed the five of us on a peak ten feet square. Hanging on the side of a two thousand foot drop, with the copter pads two feet away, snow/ice blowing in your face from the draft of the rotors, and the sound of the takeoff. One mistake by the pilot and he could have knocked over all five of us off the peak and we would have had a nice two thousand foot ride down the steep mountain face. Can I do it again?
Silverton Mountain's ski storage bus with Aloha
Silverton is a mountain for the best of the best. If your local black runs scares you, right, forget Silverton. Short of breath. Go to the beach, it is at sea level. Scared of heights? Call your mommy and have her hold your hand. Wanna tell your friends you skied Silverton for boasting rights? Stupid people like this are the ones the guides have to rescue. Sometimes in pieces. If you have the right ability and more the right mindset, Silverton has the Gold runs, the max ski resort, for the max skiers/snowboarders.
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