Powder Compass

Atlas · Colorado · CO

Silverton Mountain

13,487′ summit · 3,087′ vert · 1,819 acres · avg 400″/yr

Strong bet — Mar 16–31

Delivered 30″+ in 9 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 13 of 20 · typical 32", most land 26"–46"

Before you book

This bet missed 1 of the last 10.

1 of the last 10 came in under 10″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.

Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.

The season, window by window

The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.

Silverton Mountain · the shape of a typical winter

Typical new snow, window by window

The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.

0 20 40 60" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 3 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 18" 61" 2020 0" 2025 · 2 of 20
Nov 16–30 24″+ 7 of 10 · 1 bust Solid odds 27" 68" 2019 3" 2012
Dec 1–15 24″+ 5 of 10 · 2 busts Coin flip 30" 131" 2007 6" 2017
Dec 16–31 30″+ 4 of 10 · 2 busts Coin flip 30" 124" 2010 5" 2011
Jan 1–15 24″+ 5 of 10 · 1 bust Coin flip 21" 120" 2017 2" 2010
Jan 16–31 30″+ 4 of 10 · 1 bust Coin flip 31" 86" 2010 7" 2022
Feb 1–15 24″+ 8 of 10 Strong bet 31" 78" 2019 5" 2015
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 6 of 10 Solid odds 38" 70" 2015 8" 2025
Mar 1–15 24″+ 7 of 10 · 2 busts Solid odds 29" 137" 2019 5" 2026
Mar 16–31 30″+ 9 of 10 · 1 bust Strong bet 32" 68" 2023 8" 2026
Apr 1–15 24″+ 7 of 10 · 1 bust Solid odds 29" 70" 2009 3" 2015
Apr 16–30 24″+ 6 of 10 Solid odds 27" 75" 2016 6" 2008

Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.

At the snow sensor

Reading the snow sensor…

Field notes

One lift, a guide requirement most of the season, and thousands of feet of avalanche-terrain skiing — North America's most honest expert mountain. It's backcountry skiing with a chairlift, and the Billboard and Tiger Claw lines will recalibrate your scale.

The guided season requires reservations and avalanche gear (rentals available); the unguided late season runs looser. An hour past Durango, it pairs with Purgatory for a San Juans double. Fitness matters — everything involves hiking.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Silverton Mountain's odds move on the Mar 16–31 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.

Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.

These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.