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'Silverton Mountain is for experts only," our guide, Stan, told us in the Colorado resort's lift line. "The nearest hospital is three hours away. We highly recommend you do not stray from the guide as this may be hazardous to your health. Does everyone clearly understand what has been explained here this morning?" Stan waits for us to nod while we test our avalanche beacons.

Having just noticed that Silverton's logo is a skier tumbling off a cliff, my friend Vince and I are now wondering what we've got ourselves into. Silverton Mountain, the newest resort in Colorado at only three years old, is located in the San Juan Mountains about two hours by car from Telluride Ski Resort and about 90 minutes from Montrose Regional Airport.

The sleepy town of Silverton is about as small-town-U.S.A. as you can get, with just 500 residents, one bar, one main street, one school, and of course the most important part of town, its one ski resort (with one double chairlift).

The resort was founded and is owned and operated by locals Aaron Brill and Jen Ader Brill, who thrive on the fact that the mountain is run by skiers for skiers and snowboarders, and not by a large golf or real-estate corporation.

The big draw is the unique lift-serviced backcountry skiing. Avalanche beacons, shovels and probes are mandatory on the entire mountain (and are available to rent), and visitors must ski with a guide to minimize environmental impact, to keep them out of the path of avalanches, and to help them make the most of their ski days. Previous avalanche-survival training, however, is not necessary. Runs are patrolled and avalanche-control measures are taken, but because of the unusually steep slopes and backcountry approach, the precautions promote skier safety.

Aaron and Jen are usually on the mountain when it is open (Thursdays to Sundays only), acting as guides, patrolling the slopes and manning the lift. Having only one lift might make Silverton seem small, but in fact this one lift services nearly a vertical kilometre of terrain (including short hikes above the lift). The only thing that's small is the number of people on the hill, which is limited to 80 a day.

After Stan and the other guides get the go-ahead from the ski patrol, the 11 groups waiting at the bottom head up the chair. Visitors range from twentysomething snowboarders sporting motor-cross helmets to a few extremely fit sixtysomething telemarkers. The fact that it is Super Bowl Sunday has not been mentioned by any of the Americans in the parking lot, presumably because they are focused on the snow waiting up top. The depth of the white stuff is heralded by school-bus-high snow banks on both sides of the nine-kilometre road from the town to the resort.

Our group of five starts its first run with a two-minute traverse to a wide-open powder field. Stan leads the group, and then myself, Vince and the three others follow, savouring every turn through the fluffy San Juan powder. We ski through some woods and past the lift area at the bottom, ending up on the side of a nearby road. Luckily, there is a small shuttle bus waiting for us, and a few minutes later another group joins us for the ride back to the lift.

Our next run is a challenging glade run, giving us the option to drop off some small cliffs. The powder here is knee deep, with a constant steep pitch. Another road, another shuttle -- this time with no driver, but hey, Stan has a key and gets us back to the lift. Over the course of the day we ski five runs, all of which are very rewarding and well worth the short hikes required.

We save the best for last. After hiking about halfway up a peak known as "The Billboard," two of the skiers in our group refuse to ski down. And who can blame them? The precipitous chute isn't exactly beginner material. Stan tactfully reminds them of his "experts-only" spiel, and tries to show them an easy route. But still they refuse. So he very politely and professionally walks them back down. It is definitely their loss, as Vince and I carve our way down the chute until it opens up into a powder field.

Back at the parking lot, we meet up with Stan and thank him for a great day, and head off for a few cold cans of PBR après-ski-style in the makeshift Silverton bar. Here, again, no one mentions the Super Bowl. The super skiing, however, is a hot topic.

Pack your bags

GETTING THERE

Most international visitors reach Silverton via rental car from Montrose airport (http://www.co.montrose.co.us). Regional flights from Denver and other U.S. cities service the air hub.

WHERE TO STAY

There are no on-hill accommodations, but there are several options in the town of Silverton.

The Triangle Motel: 970-387-5780; trianglemotel.com. Featured in Powder Magazine as "the" place to stay in Silverton. Winter rates start at about $36.

The Teller House: 1-800-342-4338; http://www.tellerhousehotel.com. A historic Victorian hotel with 10 spacious rooms offering mountain views. Rates range from $77 to $107 a night.

THE RESORT

Silverton could be open until June this year owing to the abundance of snow. Daily lift tickets, including guide services, cost about $120 in December and April, and $143 January through March. Reservations are required. Avalanche gear rentals are $36 a day. For more information and to make reservations, call 970-387-5706 or visit silvertonmountain.com.