At Home in the San Juans with Athlete Kjersti Gedde
There’s something special about the San Juan Mountains. If you can brave the “million dollar highway” in the throes of winter, you will be rewarded by the incredible terrain, views, quality and variety of skiing that San Juan Mountains have to offer. The quick access off of Red Mountain Pass (as well as the many surrounding county roads) make for easy and fast ascents to what feels like incredibly remote terrain. But what keeps me coming back, month after month, is the variety of skiing that the area has to offer. Here's a few of the options!
Kyle Liddick Photo
The “Breakfast Lap”
There’s no shortage of quick morning laps found in Silverton, CO. Skins on from the front door, it takes about 15 minutes to get to the local hill where you and the pooch can lap their new favorite hillside before breakfast. We recommend a lap up Shrine Hill then hitting the Coffee Bear for some breakfast and coffee. These fitness laps often deliver some sleeper pow and the Majesty Superpatrol ski is the tool for the job!
The “Afternoon Sled Bump”
The accessibility of skiing from town is second to none, and if you have a snowmobile, your opportunity for a quick “lunch lap” just got even greater. Grab your lunch burrito and hop on the sled - there’s plenty of afternoon pow to shred. This type of terrain is perfect for a mid-fat ski and the opportunities to tour mean a balance of weight and shredability are important. The 105mm underfoot Majesty Supernova will do the trick!
The “Resort”
One slow but beautiful two-seater chairlift up Silverton Mountain and you find yourself at the top of some of the most beautiful and gnarly lift-access terrain in the Juans. Going in the heart of winter, you’ll have to hire a guide to access this terrain - it’s well worth it. “Unguided” season typically starts mid March and goes until mid April. Need a heli bump? They’ve got that too. Freeride terrain needs a freeride ski like the Majesty Vadera Ti.
The “Casual Big Adventure”
With many roads cutting straight through the valleys of these incredible peaks, the only thing between you and the next county road, pass, or mountain town over, is a beautiful network of ski terrain, including some iconic couloirs. Point-to-points, adventure loops, town-to-town traverses, you name it and you can probably get it done and even as a casual half-day, if conditions allow. The Majesty Superwolf is our do-all ski mountaineering ski for the biggest adventures!
Kyle Liddick Photo
The “Hut Life”
From the essential-stocked huts to fully catered, fully serviced, cabins and yurts like the ones offered by Red Mountain Lodge (San Juan Mountain Guides), Opus, and Hayden Backcountry Lodge, it’s easy to make the San Juans feel like your home for the weekend or even a week. Book early… dates fill-up fast! The New York Times recently ran an article showing off the amazing hut life that the San Juans have to offer.
While the variety and access matches the caliber of beauty, the San Juans are a continental snowpack. If you are just getting into the backcountry, hire a guide from many of the local guide operations or take an avalanche course before entering the “San Juan Spice Cabinet”, and always check your local forecast.
Recommended Guide Services:
Rachel Lam Photo
Kjersti Gedde splits her time basing out of Silverton in the San Juans and Carbondale in the Elk Mountains. Native to Washington's Cascades, she's a freeride turned backcountry skier with a love of big mountain adventures, breakfast laps with her dog and partner, and a good espresso.