January 2013 28
Edition 2A Silverton, CO
Howdy, folks! Welcome back to Travels With Eamon. This month I'm writing about a small mountain town with great recreation opportunities, fantastic scenery, and a great place to relax for a week. Driving to Silverton, Colorado is not the relaxing part; driving here involves some white-knuckle switchbacks and steep grades on US 550. One of my favorite parts of visiting Silverton is driving US 550, which has some amazing views of the beautiful mountain landscape; and I really enjoy hair-raising mountain roads. However, driving in is not your only option. The famous Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs from Durango, Colorado to Silverton, and follows a beautiful route along the Animas River. Riding the train is an
awesome experience, and
many Silverton visitors come
just for the train ride. There
are open air train cars for
experiencing the breathtaking
landscape, and historic parlor
cars for a classy journey.
Silverton is located in a beau-
tiful valley between Grand
Junction and Durango. The
Silverton Mountain Ski Area
is a nice place for advanced
skiers, featuring a single lift,
and mostly diamond-black
trails; it was ranked #1 for powder and steeps. Silverton is surrounded by public lands, so there are plenty of beautiful hiking trails easily accessible from town. Orignally, Silverton was a wild mining town with excessive drinking,
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
-Yvonne Lashmett