Check this out!

[bumpyride]

This might be our number 1 destination this year. Anybody been?

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/travel/14silverton.html

[RDY_2_Carve]

Silverton is included in my daily snow report since it's only about 5.5 hours drive from ABQ. I've driven through there a couple times and it's a really neat looking town right in the middle of nowhere. Personally I think I'll wait another season or two before I try it out, and if I did it would be guided. They started unguided last season and continued it this season but your chance for that is almost gone:

Silverton Mountain: NR New. 36 Storm. 36 New This Week. 70 Inch Base. P/PP surface conditions. 1/1 lift running. Open Thursday through Sunday for unguided skiing and boarding. You must have avalanche beacon, shovel and probe to ride (rentals available at mtn). Guided only skiing and boarding from January 18 through April 1. Remember, only 80 allowed per day and reservations are required. Tickets right now are $49 for unguided skiing and boarding. Once guided season starts (January 18 - April 1), rates are $119.

$49 is incredible for what you are getting though. From what I understand most people can only last 4-5 runs anyhow.

[Thor VonRippington]

I've done quite a bit of back country ridding in that area. The terain is sick. The only trouble is sometimes they get too much snow and you have to wait for everthing to get bombed out before you can ride. Watching them bomb the chutes from a helecopter is very cool though.