Backcountry
Report from Sunday, April 7, 2025
Buffalo Mountain sits in the heart of Summit County, Colorado, and is one of the first peaks travelers see as they emerge from the Eisenhower Tunnel traveling west. The prominent mountain has become a staple for local backcountry skiers for several incredible ski descents, including the famous Silver Couloir. As one of the most accessible of the 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America, Silver Couloir stays on the radar for those itching to get their chance at it. This past weekend, I finally took my shot to ride the massive couloir that descends 3,000 vertical feet.
Buffalo Mountain, with a peak of 12,777 feet, is in Colorado’s rugged Gore Range and is encompassed by The Eagles Nest Wilderness. The mountain has a unique crater-like feature on the east face that many mistake for the remnants of a volcanic blast. However, the hollowed-out valley was created by a glacier on the mountain about 10,000 years ago.
Silver Couloir, or Big Elvis, as some refer to it, is a northeast-facing descent with pitches around 40 degrees. There are other couloirs on Buffalo Mountain’s north face, but Silver Couloir is the grandest. It has no significant choke point as it is pretty wide throughout the descent.
Starting the ascent around 7:30 a.m., I was joined by several others looking to get turns on Buffalo Mountain. The roughly 2.4-mile, 3,000+ foot ascent began in a burn scar from a 91-acre fire that torched the area in 2018. From there, the ascent climbs up the east face of Buffalo Mountain, rummaging through the forest until it breaks through the tree line. The hard freeze made for a slippery climb through the forest, which slowed me down much more than I expected.
Once I cleared tree line, the approach became much easier. The uphill pitch was less steep above the tree line, and the skin track was nicely set to climb the ridge to the summit. After roughly three hours, I reached the summit and celebrated with a group of three who I had been chatting with through part of the ascent.
The views were incredible. The summit presented views of several Summit County ski resorts, a glimpse into Vail Valley, and the expansive Dillon Reservoir. By 11 a.m., the snow was softening nicely on the northeast aspect. The four of us began descending, hunting untracked snow left by the several skiers who had descended the route the day before.
The width of the couloir allowed for plenty of freedom and creativity in navigating the descent. Fresh snow was heavy and made for some fun turns on the board, and the tracked-out portions in the more constricted sections of the descent had softened up under the bluebird sky.
The massive couloir lived up to the hype, and I was in awe of the incredible rock formations that lined the descent. The accessibility and incredible views from the summit will make this a yearly ski goal. Despite the couloir being heavily skied the day before, it was still incredibly fun and a fantastic experience.
The Tour by The Numbers
- Total Vertical Climbed: 3,400 feet
- Total Ascent Distance: 2.4 miles
- Descent Pitch: 30-40 degrees
- Total time: 5 hours
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