Colorado is a paradise for anyone in search of winter adventures. The ski resorts may be world-class, but the true adventure comes in the form of backcountry skiing. With over 3,000 square miles of national forest and 1,000 square miles of wilderness areas, the rugged San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado have some of the best terrain and deepest powder in the world. In addition to seemingly endless terrain, there are very few visitors.

So, where to start this adventure? Silverton, Colorado! This epic mountain town is the epicenter of backcountry adventures in Colorado. Please keep in mind that these surrounding peaks are some of the most dangerous in the world with high avalanche danger, consequential terrain, and fast-moving weather. Make sure you have the training, partner, avalanche safety equipment, and the forecast from CAIC (Colorado Avalanche Information Center).

Route-finding in these mountains is easiest by using mobile apps (I use Rakkup, Gaia GPS, and FatMaps), but this blog will help inform you which zone is right for you.

The Rakkup app is perfect for finding more information and routes near Silverton:

https://rakkup.com/guidebooks/backcountry-skiing-silverton/

These are some of the best zones for backcountry skiing in the San Juan Mountains:

- Red Mountain Pass

- Anvil Mountain

- Paradise Chutes

- Prospect Gulch

The west side of the pass is usually more sun effected but accesses some amazing terrain. In just a few hours, you can actually drop into the Bear Creek drainage into the town of Telluride. If you are moving quick, you can probably ski there faster than driving! If you are looking for bigger lines, head to the summit of Three Needles (13,500’). This peak is viewable from the road and can be accessed in a few hours. The north side of this peak has a rowdy couloir that named Muddy Lake Couloir that drops towards Telluride. This line requires commitment and a long day with stable snow, but if conditions line up, you’re in for a treat!

Anvil Mountain: From Silverton, drive 10 minutes to the parking lot off the Ophir Pass Road turnout. Throw skins on and head up the peak from the east side of the highway. After a few hours, you will top out at around 12,500’ and can drop on several aspects. The large avalanche chutes on the north face have the best skiing/riding. This is a physically demanding ski day, as you are gaining close to 3,000 feet of vert for each full run. Directly across from the highway is Battleship Mountain which offers similar skiing on big, committing lines.

Paradise Chutes: Just like the name says, this place is a true paradise for skiers/boarders. The chutes are extremely steep and offer protected north-facing snow. From Silverton, drive to the Ophir Pass Road turnout. You can follow the drainage (or road) up to the skin track about 1 mile from the highway. The skin track will gain about 1,300 feet until you top out on the chutes. Using Gaia or Rakkup is highly recommended as you will not be able to see the lines very well from the top. If the snow is deep and avalanche danger is low, I would recommend lapping these chutes all day long! Here is a video dropping one of the best lines of my life!

Prospect Gulch: From Silverton, drive towards Silverton Mountain on County Road 110. After 10 minutes, park on the road right before you reach the chair lift at the mountain. Skin up the ride above the drainage of Prospect gulch and top out around 12,000 feet. There are numerous lines down through trees or chutes. Keep in mind the consequential terrain trap at the bottom of your run (the entry to the drainage is very steep). These runs are quite steep, and you should assess the days conditions before heading out.

For additional information, please utilize route finding books or apps for the area. Like I mentioned above, Rakkup is a great resource. Beacon Guidebooks published a book with all the same routes and information that can be found on the app:

https://beaconguidebooks.com/product/silverton/

The San Juan Mountains have some of the most accessible world-class backcountry ski terrain in the world. They also have some of the most dangerous terrain with constantly changing weather and snow, so make sure to check the forecast at the CAIC before heading out. Be safe out there, and enjoy your time in Colorado’s San Juans!