Silverton
Silverton is an adventure, and the adventure begins on the drive there. We enjoyed dry roads all the way to town, but the journey still scared the hell out of us. In many instances there is barely enough room for two cars to pass each other and the guardrail hasn't been accepted as a necessity in these parts. We finally arrived in town very late and very relieved to have survived the experience.
We awoke to new snow in an old town. Like many mining towns, its heyday has long since past and during the winter season many of the buildings on Main Street are deserted. The new ski hill has given the area a new energy and economic boost however, and all of the locals seem fully stoked. The three hotels are full of skiers and this morning we enjoy breakfast amongst those who share the anticipation of 20 new inches that haven't been touched since Monday. The mountain closes for three days until it reopens on Thursday and today is Thursday. As we eat, powder hounds prepare their backcountry gear in the parking lot outside. This morning is all about getting to the mountain.
After having visited the biggest and best resorts in the state, it' s a refreshing change to pull up to a double chair and a makeshift lodge/tent constructed out of aluminum tubes and a plastic wrap. An old wood stove keeps all of the participants cozy as we anxiously await for the slow pokes to finish signing their release forms so the safety briefing can begin. As we wait, we are pleasantly surprised to see Jamie Burge and Jessica Sobolowski enter the lodge. Not only are these girls amazing skiers, they both have smiles that light up the room. They are a very welcome addition to an environment that has a ghastly girl to guy ratio. As the groups are formed and we all set out to dive in to the deep, we are relieved at the relaxed attitude. Having a lift accessed mountain full of powder, yet knowing you don't have to rush around like a damn idiot just to get first tracks is a nice change of pace. Everything we ski that day is deep and untracked. You see, sharing 1600 acres with only 40 other skiers will do that for you. Our guides lead us to cliffs, and let us decide what to do from there. Naturally, we point it, score deep landings, and return the next day ready for more.