by Michael Constantine
All content © San Juan Publishing Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FOR MUCH OF ITS HISTORIC HEYDAY, Silverton boasted a population ten times that of today’s. With the devastating closure of the last significant mine in 1991, many of the town’s businesses and homes stood empty with boarded windows and doors. Winter tourism and recreation drew little interest, and services were practically nonexistent. But, oh, how things can change in a few short years. Formerly down on its luck,  Silverton has recently carved out the fastest growing and most unique winter economy in Colorado.

The first-of-its-kind Silverton Mountain Ski Area provided the spark which brought life back to this almost-ghost town. For advanced through expert skiers and snow-boarders only, Silverton Mountain is a one-chairlift anti-resort for those who consider groomed runs, ski-in/ski-out villages, and extensive on-mountain development a distraction from the real reason they’re there: steep powder, and lots of it! Currently, the area is restricted to eighty clients a day with a guide, but preliminary approval has been given to allow almost 500 unescorted skiers a day on the mountain’s 1600-plus acres of double black diamond chutes, bowls and glades. Reservations are currently recommended. For  more information, please visit www.silvertonmountain.com.

For the far less extreme, Kendall Mountain Recreation Area in downtown Silverton has a 400 vertical foot rope tow, forty acres of beginner through advanced runs, new terrain features each year and unheard of $6 lift tickets. The happy medium for most snow riders however is Durango Mountain Resort (a.k.a. Purgatory) located thirty-five minutes south of Silverton. With 1100 acres of mostly blue runs, breathtaking scenery and nonexistent lift lines, Purgatory is perhaps the finest intermediate level ski resort in Colorado. With three very different ski areas to choose from, Silverton offers something for every type of skier or boarder and one of the last authentic Rocky Mountain towns to boot.

Silverton’s unusually rugged backcountry attracted skiers long before lifts arrived here. Now, with the advent of safer equipment and programs like the Silverton Avalanche School (the oldest in North America), ski and snowboard mountaineering is more popular than ever. Snowcat skiing is available at Molas Lake and Purgatory. But for those who don’t mind hiking a little for their turns, the St. Paul Ski Lodge above Red Mountain Pass provides meals, rooms, guides and a purist powder experience in a dramatic setting. For skiers wanting to avoid the steep, slide-prone stuff, the Silverton Snowmobile Club grooms nearly 100 miles of trails suitable for cross-country ski touring and skate skiing.

Winter fun in Silverton isn’t just for skiers. Snowmobiling, especially on the open rolling snowfields of Molas Pass, has always been a recreational mainstay here, with two tour companies located at stunning Molas Lake. The sport of climbing frozen waterfalls and icy chutes has exploded in recent years. As many climbers tire of the notoriety and popularity of the park climbing scene in nearby Ouray, they’ve discovered the true essence of wilderness ice climbing around Silverton. For a classic Victorian experience, rent a pair of ice skates at Kendall Mountain Recreation Area and glide under the moonlight on one of the largest outdoor skating rinks in the Rocky Mountains. Do you prefer walking to sliding, gliding and falling? Snowshoeing is a great way for anyone to experience the amazing scenery surrounding Silverton.

There are even diversions for the truly sedate: take a self-guided tour of Silverton’s National Historic District or the Mayflower Mill National Historic Landmark just outside of town. At Scotty Bob’s Ski Factory you can learn how handcrafted telemark skis are made, from Scotty Bob himself! Revive your childhood spirit with a visit to Mountain Boy Sledworks and demo one of their handmade “sparking” kicksleds. Or study alpine anthropology at one of several distinctive coffeehouses and watering holes. Just enjoy winter in Silverton now, because the secret is about to get out.