My fellow Ripper and I recently spent a long weekend in Silverton, Colorado, a throw-back mountain mining town in southwest Colorado, not far from Durango, Montrose and Telluride, but in a bit of a timewarp. It is best known today for its historic railroad that travels from Durango to Silverton each summer. The town basically empties out in the winter, due to the harsh and snowy climate. The year-round population of Silverton is roughly 700, down for a historic high of 2,000 during the peak of its mining business in the late 19th century.
But the hidden gem of Silverton, hidden at least from the people who wouldn’t visit in winter if their life depended on it, is Silverton Mountain, a ski area unlike any I have ever visited.
The mountain only offers one double chairlift, that rises over 2,000 vertical feet to a treeless alpine peak. Oh, and no safety bar. From there, one must hike to the starting point to ski. The terrain is vast, and avalanche danger is real, so during the high season, one’s lift ticket includes guides to help navigate the options. Unguided skiing is available from mid-March to the end of the season, but you won’t catch me without a guide!
The skiing was epic. Light, fluffy powder above our knees, down steep slopes. No beginner or intermediate runs are available at Silverton. But with the hikes, and pushing through the snow, it was exhausting. After one run, I soldiered on, and ventured up the lift for a second go. But after that, I was toast. Nothing left. I dropped into a cushy chair in the base yurt (they have no lodge), asked them to stoke the wood stove, ate lunch and recovered enough to make the 20 minute drive back into town. It was a humbling experience, but one I would do again in a heartbeat.
But this post is not meant to be about our ski weekend. It is meant to celebrate the mission and accomplishments of SOS Outreach, an organization founded in 1993 in the Vail Valley to provide adult mentorship through outdoor adventures in ski communities across the country, including in Park City, to young people who might not otherwise be exposed to these experiences. Yes, SOS is about skiing and outdoor skills, but skiing is primarily used as a vehicle to instill the core values of courage, discipline, integrity, wisdom, compassion and humility to help develop critical life skills necessary to success both now and in adulthood.
Mentorship is a huge aspect of the program, and leads to peer mentoring as the participants progress through the curriculum. The results speak for themselves. 96% of SOS youth plan to attend college; 61% of SOS graduates return to mentor peers, and the program has served over 70,000 kids over its history.
The enthusiasm and dedication of the SOS staff, board and volunteers are an inspiration. Gail and I will stay involved after what we observed, and you should consider the same!
Keep moving, stay safe, have fun.
all photos courtesy of Alex Mager
I devoured the latest Rippsh with relish and gusto from the comforts of my Happy Valley study easy chair. Almost charlie horsed and gasped from reading about the lifeless powder skiing. Cool pics. And learning about SOS and the good deeds in the Rockies was warming. Looking forward to your next destination tales.
So impressed with SOS Outreach! Thank you for your overview.
Thanks for the post Larry. It’s great to hear about SOS and the work they’re doing and Silverton sounds like a blast. I’ve been through their a few times and often wondered about skiing there. Skied Purgatory once and then headed back to Denver via Ouray, so I’ve been through in the winter but I dig winter in a way most people don’t. Glad you went. Always fun to read about your adventures. Stay thirsty, my friend.
I love seeing the SOS team in Silverton year after year. It’s an incredible group of people making a positive contribution and having fun in the process.
It was wonderful meeting you Larry and I appreciate you putting together a great write up about the experience!!
See you next year!