San Juan Range · Colorado 13er · No. 223 of the 13ers
East Ridge from San Joaquin Ridge
Silver Mountain, 13,473'
Loose traverse; access may be closed
The ridge to Silver Mountain crosses loose, steep rock and a boulder bench that can hold snow. The old road to the Carbonero Mine crosses private mining claims, and access may not be allowed; respect any signs. This page is an outline, not a move-by-move guide.
DifficultyClass 2+
Round trip5 mi
Elevation gain4,000'
TrailheadOphir Pass road (Carbonero Mine)
Trailhead elevation10,300'
Less traffic, less margin
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.
Silver Mountain stands west of San Joaquin Ridge above Ophir, with a fine view down to the Alta Lakes. It is usually done as a ridge walk with San Joaquin Ridge.
After San Joaquin Ridge, you go back over Point 13,446 and down the west ridge on loose rock, contour the north side, and drop to a boulder bench below Point 13,463. A steep, unstable climb leads to the saddle west of that point, and an easy scramble finishes it. It is Class 2+. The descent goes down a scree ridge and across Spring Gulch to the mine.
The loop is about 5 miles with about 4,000 feet of gain if you walk from the road. The traverse from San Joaquin Ridge is about 1.3 miles. Mileage and gain are our estimates.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on San Joaquin Ridge by 10:30 a.m.
Crux
The loose slopes and boulder bench below Point 13,463.
Route-finding
Moderate. Use the bench below Point 13,463 unless you are sure the other options go.
Water
Little on the route. Carry plenty.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,473'…
—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
—Freezing level
Today
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Tomorrow
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Day three
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Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
From Society Junction, about 4 miles west of Telluride, go south on Highway 145 and turn off for Ophir. Drive east to the town, then keep east on Forest Road 630, the Ophir Pass road. Passenger cars can reach the trailhead area.
An old mining road climbs in switchbacks through the trees; it ends at the Carbonero Mine, near 11,450 feet. Maps disagree on where it runs, so check current maps before you go. Another 4WD track leaves Forest Road 630 a little past the Swamp Canyon turnoff and once reached the mine, but it may now be closed to vehicles.
The mine sits on a large block of private mining claims, and access to it may now be closed. Other ways up: an old road that runs north from Ophir up to the Gertrude Mine, then the ridge on the east side of Straatsburg Basin to the Silver-San Joaquin ridge; or trail 508.1A, starting about half a mile east of the Swamp Canyon turnoff, which crosses the ridge just east of Point 13,432 into the head of Bridal Veil Basin. There are no campgrounds near Ophir, only a few primitive sites, and lots of private property. Sunshine Campground is about two miles north of the Ophir turnoff on 145.
Trail in the treesTalus and screeRidgeTundraScramblingExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Ophir Pass road 10,300' · 0 mi
Find the old road heading northeast through the trees and follow its switchbacks up the slope.
Watch for: Private mining claims; respect any closures.
2
Carbonero Mine 11,450' · 1 mi
The road goes a little higher, but soon you may as well leave it and climb straight up the steep ridge, on grass and scattered trees at first and then on tundra.
3
Point 13,446 13,446' · 1.7 mi
The tundra turns to scree and rock. Work through small cliff bands below the point, where it gets even steeper. This is a false summit.
Watch for: Steep and loose near the top.
4
San Joaquin Ridge 13,480' · 2 mi
Walk east along the crest about a third of a mile, losing about 250 feet and gaining it back. Break through one more small cliff band near the top.
5
Back over Point 13,446 13,446' · 2.35 mi
Walk back west, losing and regaining about 250 feet.
6
North side slopes 13,150' · 2.8 mi
Go down the west ridge on small broken rock. Lower down you get pushed onto loose slopes on the north side, with a few awkward drops. Keep contouring west toward the saddle east of Point 13,463.
Watch for: Loose rock; move one at a time.
7
Boulder bench 13,000' · 3.1 mi
Drop about 100 feet on the north side to a bench of large boulders, often with snow, and contour west below Point 13,463. Climbing straight up the point by a couloir, or contouring at saddle level under the cliffs, may also go, but they are unknown.
Watch for: Snow may linger here.
8
West saddle 13,250' · 3.35 mi
Climb a steep, rocky, unstable slope to the saddle west of Point 13,463.
Watch for: Unstable rock.
9
Silver Mountain 13,473' · 3.5 mi
Scramble easily up to the rocky top.
Getting down
Go back east to the saddle and drop south on small, loose rock; some stretches are good for scree skiing. Follow the rounded ridge into Spring Gulch and contour at about 11,800 feet to trees and the next ridge east. Cross one more easy gully and go down to the Carbonero Mine and the old road.
If things go wrong
From the saddle east of Point 13,463, the scree ridge to the south leads down toward Spring Gulch.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above the old mine road the route is trailless. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
Other routes
Every way up Silver Mountain we list, with its class.
Silver Mountain East Ridge Approachthis routeClass 2+ 5 mi