Silverton Big Mountain Ski Area Sold to Heli Adventures

The legendary Silverton Mountain Ski Area in Colorado has been purchased by Aspen-based tourism company Heli Adventures.

Silverton was established in 2001 and is a favourite among extreme adventure tourists despite its lack of designated routes, trail markers, or trail maintenance. The terrain is challenging, and only experienced skiers and snowboarders should attempt to tackle it.

Most of Silverton's 26,819 acres are inaccessible without first trekking from the top of the two-seat chairlift and a tiny warming yurt. Another alternative is to take a helicopter to reach for the ski slope.

New owners Andy Culp and Brock Strasbourger, who purchased Heli at the end of September for an unknown price, claim that founders Jen and Aaron Brill were picky about which bidders they would accept.

The original developers of the mountain ski resort were worried that the region's rapid expansion would have a detrimental influence on the nearby residential neighbourhood.

Yet Silverton is now seen as “pure, unadulterated, underdeveloped, and preserved in its natural state. It’s a mountain experience that is different from a typical resort.”

The Silverton purchase complements Heli's Heli.Life platform, which allows users to schedule adventure vacation activities like kitesurfing and fly fishing, while positioning these activities more prominently inside the adventure market.

Silverton is a must-visit for Heli since it is one of just seven main heli-skiing locations in the lower 48 states. Approximately half of Silverton's annual income comes from heli-skiing, with the other half coming from supervised skiing and lift ticket sales.

Culp and Strasbourger both stressed the importance of community involvement and the company's commitment to a long-term, sustainable strategy for the new asset's management. The seven-person Heli Adventure crew will now work alongside Silverton's 60 permanent staff members. There will be no adjustments to the operations or crew in the following year.

 

source: skift.com