October 23, 2007…..It is official. On October 10, 2007 the BLM signed and issued a Land Use Lease authorizing Silverton Mountain to operate North America’s lone “all expert” Ski Area for a period of 40 years. The Lease allows Silverton Mountain to use 1,300 acres of Bureau of Land Management Land for commercial use alongside the private land owned by Silverton Mountain. The total combined acreage is 1,819 acres which makes Silverton Mountain one of the largest ski areas in Colorado (larger than Telluride). Silverton Mountain previously operated under annually renewed permits on the same BLM land.
BLM Durango Area Manager Mark Stiles signed the Lease after a lengthy and thorough review by the BLM which started in 1999 (with Marks predecessor at the BLM Calvin Joyner). Aaron Brill who founded Silverton Mountain was quoted as saying “This is a real triumph for us being able to accomplish something nobody else has been able to do in the ski industry in more than 20 years. Since we are tiny Mom and Pop area it’s nice to be able to succeed where the big corporations could not. ” He jokingly added “The bright side of the BLM process taking so long, is our 40 year term starts today instead of 7 years ago giving us essentially a 47 year term. ”.
Silverton Mountain is the first ski area to be issued a Land Use Lease by the Federal Government since Colorado’s Beaver Creek Resort in the mid 1980’s. Several highly funded large corporations had attempted to build new ski areas on USFS public land in Colorado (including Adam’s Rib Ski Area near Rifle and Stagecoach Ski Area near Steamboat Springs) after Beaver Creek but failed to get the necessary Federal authorizations.
Silverton Mountain’s Winter 2007-8
Bootpacking
Dec 1, 2, & 8, 9
Earn free days of unguided skiing
The Beating
An Amateur Ski and Snowboard Film Festival
Films are due by Dec 15, CASH & PRIZES
Screening/Judging Jan 4th
Hosted by Freeskier & Snowboard Magazine
Avalanche Level I
December 15 – 17
$279
Avalanche Level II
December 7 – 9
$325
High School Big Mountain Freeride Camp
Dec 21-23 2007 & Jan 18-20 2008
Or create a date for your team!
$425 includes lodging & 2 days of coaching
Backcountry 101
January 4-6
A practical hands-on alternative to Avalanche Level II
$299
Sister in the Steeps Weekend
Jan 19-20
$349 includes lodging & 2 days of coaching
Mountain Man Camp
Jan 26-27
$425 includes lodging, free drinks & 2 days of coaching
Sisters in the Steeps
Industry Roundtables in the Mountains
April 26-27
Starts at $150 includes lodging & 2 days unguided skiing
Unguided Student Package Deal
$150-$180 includes lodging & 2 days unguided skiing
