snowboard Archives

El Niño brings November Pow to Silverton Mountain

Steady October snowstorms and cold temps have blanketed Silverton Mountain in an early indicator of what looks like a strong El Niño 2018-19 winter! El Niño typically pounds the southwest with huge storms and several El Niño winters have dumped record snowfall, so the 2018-19 season could be a good one. So far this season Silverton Mountain has seen 246% of average snowfall for October! What’s more- Silverton will be open with single run and 6 run heli skiing/boarding starting November 24th this year. The lift fires up on 12/27, but the chairlift is available for rent* also starting on 11/24. There’s no better way to get your ski legs ready than to break out your gear for some holiday heli laps.

Request your heli reservation TODAY by emailing the office with your group size, preferred dates, and contact information.

And in light of the increasingly awesome conditions at Silverton Mountain, both chairlift accessed and heli skiing spaces are filling at a record pace this year. Be sure to grab one of the prime dates for 2018/19 while you can.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR GUIDED TRIP TODAY, BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!

Interested in renting the chairlift before the official opening in December?

You can do it for as little as $9,900 per day.

Private Mountain rental is a unique and exciting venue choice for charity fundraisers, photo shoots, product testing/R&D, bachelor and bachelorette parties, or corporate events. If you bring 40 people that’s only $250 a person to have exclusive access to the Silverton guided chairlift terrain.

The pricing varies depending on the time of season, day of the week, and how many people you have. Rates are normally based on a max of 40 people, but requests for larger groups can be accommodated. Private mountain rental is available starting 11/24 of each season which makes it a great option for your company holiday party.

From 12/27 -4/14 private mountain rentals are normally limited to Mon-Weds (Thurs-Sun if you book well in advance). Prior to 12/27 and after 4/14 the mountain can be available 7 days a week. The private mountain is most commonly rented for charity/non-profit fundraisers and a great way to give and have a great day at the same time!

Powder Skiing and Snowboarding October 8 at Silverton Mountain!!

Winter is here with great snow at Silverton Mountain, Colorado this week! The most recent winter storm over the past few days continues to dump snow on the high elevation slopes and some excited Silverton Mountain ski and snowboard patrollers made the first turns of the ski season. As the patrollers rode up the chairlift today they were surprised to find such great conditions and celebrated the start of winter season at Silverton Mountain. The fun factor was off the charts as the first lift served turns of the Colorado 2018/19 ski season were made at Colorado’s highest elevation ski area.

Snow is in the forecast the next 4 days which may allow Silverton Mountain to open some upper mountain terrain in the coming days. Silverton Mountain is the highest ski area in North America with a peak elevation of 13,487’ and also provides heli skiing on adjacent terrain up to 13,552 feet high. This uniquely allows Silverton Mountain to provide skiing and snowboarding on all natural snow as early as August in previous years.

THIS IS NOT A JOKE, this is not photoshop, the photos are from Monday, October 8, 2018.

For the first time ever Silverton Mountain will open for heli skiing starting in November 24, 2018 reservations required. The chairlift is slated to open 12/27/2018 but that could change.

The Clauson Classic 2017

“Be Like John” is a motto at Silverton Mountain. John Clauson was our Assistant Snow Safety director, guide and friend. No mission was too hard, no load was too much, and nothing couldn’t be done without a smile and a humble admiration for the beauty of the San Juan Mountains.

In honor of John’s legacy, Silverton Mountain is hosting the annual Clauson Classic endurance race! From the top of the chairlift, see how many laps you can hike up the ridge while you raise funds for the kids in the Silverton Winter Sports Club. The further you go and the more laps you get, the more points you will earn to win some awesome donated prizes. Points will be earned throughout the day in other fun ways as well.

This is a true Silverton-style day, not a super competitive SkiMo race. This is a fun event to work hard with a smile, do more than you’re asked to do, and celebrate the life of one of the hardest-working individuals you could imagine. While speed is an element of this event, working hard by adding weight to your pack and being positive towards other racers and everyone else at the mountain are more admirable and appreciated elements of this event. We will give an award to the participant who most embodies John Clauson’s positive and inspiring spirit throughout the day.

Great prizes to be given to the participant with the most points, a runner up prize, and the Spirit Award. Prizes will also be given out at random from our amazing Mountain Partners.

We will also be holding a Be the Match bone marrow drive at the event. If John had lived long enough, his only hope for survival would have been with a bone marrow transplant. You can also sign up online to be a donor.

Race Info:
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Register online or at 8 am at Silverton Mountain

Race Day:
Please check in between 8 and 8:30, even if you’ve registered ahead of time. Race starts at 9 am with first chair and ends at 2:30 pm in the base area. There will be two high points (Tiger Claw and Billboard, weather and snow condition depending). When you reach a high point, you receive a colored bracelet. These are worth points. At the end of the race, turn in your bracelets and we’ll add up your score!

Required Gear:
Like any day at Silverton Mountain, a beacon, shovel and probe are required. You must show these when you check in at the tent. You can also rent these at the mountain the day of the race.

1/2 price Silverton Mountain Unguided Lift Ticket for April 2nd
Clauson Classic Registration benefiting the Silverton Winter Sports Club
A commemorative stainless steel cup
Admission to the 15th annual Brewski Event (more info on this event coming soon)

Season pass holder? Event registration & Brewski entry can be purchased together at check-in starting at 8am on April 2nd for only $40. Includes commemorative stainless steel cup.

Spring Unguided Season Pass Returns!

We hope you are excited for the return of Unguided Season starting on March 31st! With events like the Clauson Classic, Brewski, Venture Snowboard’s Spring Fling, and the Sisters’ Meeting in the Mountains, the first two weekends of April are set to be great times for everyone!

Don’t miss any of the fun or the fantastic skiing and snowboarding by purchasing a Spring Unguided Season Pass! Silverton Mountain has decided to set the price back to the original amount of $179, which includes a minimum of 6 days of unguided skiing and riding plus an EXCLUSIVE DAY of unguided mountain access for season pass holders on March 30th.

In addition to the Exclusive Passholder’s day, Spring Unguided Season Pass holders will get special price admission to the Clauson Classic and Sisters’ Meeting in the Mountains, $2 premium draft beers in the tent every day, and $79 standby guided skiing and snowboarding before unguided season starts.

Quantities on this pass are limited, so act fast to make sure you make the most of the upcoming Spring Season Unguided dates and purchase your pass here.

Clauson Classic Returns January 3rd, 2016

Kick cancer in the snowballs and honor John’s footsteps! Join us for The Clauson Classic at Silverton Mountain on January 3rd, 2016.

“Be Like John.” That’s what is written on the whiteboard in the patrol shack at Silverton Mountain. John Clauson was our Assistant Snow Safety director, guide and ski patroller. No mission was too hard, no load was too much, and nothing couldn’t be done without a smile and a humble admiration for the beauty of the San Juan Mountains.

In honor of John’s legacy and to benefit those in need, Silverton Mountain is hosting the annual Clauson-style endurance race! See how many laps you can hike up the ridge while you raise funds for First Descents. The further you go and the more laps you get, the more points you will earn to win some awesome donated prizes. Points will be earned throughout the day at the base area as well so everyone can participate.

Registration is now open on EventBrite.

PRIZES THIS YEAR:

GRAND PRIZE FOR MEN & WOMEN’S CATEGORIES: Single Heli Drop for the 15/16 season at Silverton Mountain

RUNNER-UP: A day with Silverton Powdercats Cat Skiing & Boarding

SPIRIT AWARD: An Osprey Backpack from Pine Needle Mountaineering

PRIZES AWARDED THROUGHOUT THE DAY:

Rum from Montanya Distillers in Crested Butte, Colorado

Spirits from Wood’s High Mountain Distillery in Salida, Colorado

A night at The Benson Lodge in Silverton, Colorado

Gift Certificates to The Eureka Station and The Rum Bar in Silverton, Colorado

Plenty of Swag from Backcountry Access, K2 Skis, The North Face, Smith Optics, Fischer Bindings, Venture Snowboards, Red Bull and more!

NEW THIS YEAR AT THE CLAUSON CLASSIC: We will be holding a Bone Marrow Registry Drive at the event assisted by BE THE MATCH. If John had lived long enough, his only hope for life would have been a bone marrow transplant. It’s as easy as filling out a short form and swabbing your check with a Q-tip! We will have lots of info there for you at the event or you can sign up online to be a donor.

First Descents is a Colorado-based non-profit providing life-changing outdoor adventures across the world for young adults impacted by cancer. Camps include activities such as surfing, kayaking, rock climbing, river rafting, mountain climbing, and more.

CLAUSON CLASSIC 2016 EVENT DETAILS:

DATE: Sunday, January 3, 2016

COST: Race entry is $35 and includes a t-shirt this year! If you are registered for the event, you can buy a lift ticket the morning of the event for just $25. You must purchase a lift ticket or have a current season pass to participate in the race.

REGISTRATION: Register online until 6pm, January 2nd. You may also register at the mountain on the morning of the race beginning at 8 am. Please be checked in and registered by 8:30 am.

REQUIRED GEAR: Like any day at Silverton Mountain, you must carry beacon, shovel and probe. You must show these when you check in at the tent. This gear is available to rent at the mountain as well the day of the race. You must also sign a waiver and have a lift ticket or season pass. Registration fee for the race is $35, participants can buy a $25 lift ticket the morning of the event at the mountain.

HOW IT WORKS: Check in in the tent between 8 and 8:30 am, regardless of whether you’ve registered in advance. Race begins at 9 am when the lift starts turning and ends at 2:30 at the base area. We’ll have two “High points” for the race – one worth more points than the other. Points are weather and snow dependent. (Last year, they were Tiger Claw and Billboard.) When you reach a high point, you will receive a colored bracelet. These are worth points that equate to vertical. How many laps can you do? At the end of the day, turn in your bracelets and the racer with the most vertical wins! A few extra fun challenges will be thrown in too…

Fun giveaways for participants at the end of the day!

Don’t wait, register now and help us honor John.

Powder Skiing & Boarding at Silverton Mountain TODAY (October 6th, 2015)

El Gordo (The Big One) continues to ramp up this winter with heavy snow at Silverton Mountain, Colorado! The large low pressure system spinning over Silverton Mountain during the past couple of days continues to drop heavy powder snow on the slopes. This is the largest winter storm of the season so far and provided some lucky ski and snowboard patrollers the opportunity to jump on the chairlift today. The first ski area turns of the Colorado 2015/16 ski season were made today on a fresh blanket of snow covering Colorado’s highest elevation ski area. The smiles were huge and the fun factor was off the charts after this latest winter storm at Silverton Mountain, Colorado.

Check out the photos from today on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

El Gordo is known locally in Silverton to be a much stronger version of El Nino. While El Nino tends to impact the areas of Southwest Colorado, El Gordo tends to take it up a notch and hammer the unique weather microclimate of Silverton Mountain with major snowfall. Some of the all-time record winters in Silverton have been related to El Gordo. Locals refer to El Gordo as El Nino’s chubbier and much stronger cousin. As far back as local history records show, El Gordo has historical roots in Silverton, CO and there is no mention of El Gordo in other places of the Southwest. Previous El Gordo’s have resulted in huge winter storms that have closed winter roads and destroyed powerlines in Silverton.

The official start of the ski season is slated for December but if the snow keeps up at this pace that date could be pushed up if El Gordo continues to deliver. Silverton Mountain is the highest ski area in North America with a peak of 13,487’ and providing skiing and snowboarding on all natural snow as early as August in previous years.

Don’t wait! Make your reservations now!