Safe Silverton backcountry, ridges/trees/etc.

Any suggestions? I've skied up by the hairpin on Hwy550 on the west side of the road, in trees near peak 12669 (perhaps its called the Imogene area). Up in t Brown's Gulch area, and on the west facing Peak 12537 drainages(opposite side of Hwy 550 from the Middle Fork of Mineral). Up at the pass a bit. And several lines along the ski area road, like the Ohio Peak and Georgia Gulch (across from Tiger) areas. Looking for other options, like perhaps in Mineral Creek or Eureka area. I don't know the names of any of the lines I've done, and have only backcountry skied 8 or 9 days in the Silverton area.

I've skied in both low risk and higher risk conditions there, so could do the same lines I've done, but am hoping to expand my knowledge of the area.

Thanks.

Not too much good skiing around Silverton right now. The snowpack is really thin and trapdoor below treeline and unstable in steep wind affected areas above tl. S.min and eureka don't have much going on yet. North facing trees or areas less than 30 degrees above treeline probably will have the best snow and be safer. Overall this is turning out to be a typical early season Colorado snowpack- thin, variable, weak, and spooky.

The BC skiing in SW Colorado sucks right now. Better to stick to your typical October sports instead like mountain biking, rock climbing and bouldering. The ice is decent though.

If you gotta ask, you shouldn't be riding around there

Don't you find the goods by driving up the highway until you see a parking lot with more than 3 cars, and blindly following a skin track until you happen upon a group of people who actually know where they are, and then ask, where's the good skiing around here?

NEVER go skiing around Silverton, especially now. It sucks!

Sounds like you've done a little exploring already. Keep exploring. That's the only fair way to expand your knowledge of an area, unless you want to hire a guide. I'd tell you all about my favorite stashes but then you'd be skiing my favorite stashes. You know how it works. Just think about aspect and good terrain choices and the options are virtually limitless around here. And assume that the snowpack is a total shit sandwich, so be conservative. There's more ski lines in the San Juans than you could complete in three lifetimes. Maybe four...

I agree the skiing around Silverton sucks.

But just to make sure of the truth of this statement, I'm going back up there this weekend. I'll be the middle aged grumpy guy drinking beer at Pride of the West.