The Silverton Social

Redefining Wild Through Community & Connection in a Colorado Mountain Town

BY TI EVERSOLE

On a breezy June evening, whale sounds echoed down onto the streets of Silverton, Colorado, from the rooftop of The Den — the new after-hours après bar. Full Metal Nutsack was playing rock covers, and had started out with a mellow vibe with a couple of whale calls thrown into the mix, before launching The Den’s bar patrons into a full-on funk frenzy.

Several weeks earlier, I was in the throes of planning my first Wild Rye ladies mountain bike meetup in Southwest Colorado. After much deliberation on which trail to ride, I locked in a Saturday afternoon at Baker’s Park. In planning this ride, I had also wanted to make sure I found a way to support other rad women doing good work within the community. Queue Happy Hour at The Den.

Coffee & Cocktails

The Den had previously operated as a winter-only après bar since 2022, but received its official title this year and now serves as a year-round après bar complete with live music, a scenic rooftop hangout spot, refreshing cocktails & mocktails, cold beer, and hot dogs. Dance parties are a common occurrence for locals and visitors alike.

During the daytime, The Den is better known as the Coffee Bear, and it’s my favorite place to stop and have carrot cake for breakfast (yes, you read that right) anytime I’m in Silverton and heading out on my next adventure. The east-facing windows bathe the cozy space in early morning light, as locals congregate on the couches to share in conversation with a cup of hot coffee in hand.

“It’s really fun to see the duality of the space and how it comes alive in such different ways,” said Holly Huebner, owner of both the Coffee Bear & The Den.

Holly and I had first met in Durango, where we worked together at a local brewery before she headed north to the tiny town of Silverton (population: ~782) that boasts year-round mountain access. Outside of work, Holly finds joy in exploring the outdoors — either snowboarding, running, biking, or hanging with her fluffy pack of dogs: Sandwich, Beans, Rito, and Rooster.

As I weaved through the crowd to grab a drink from the downstairs bar, stopping to chat with friends along the way, I couldn’t help but think about how this little downtown hangout provided a fun space for locals and visitors alike to unwind after a day spent in the mountains. Striking up conversations with other patrons, I got to hear about what they had been up to that day: the places they visited, their favorite moments, and the people they got to share them with. And now here we were, unwinding together as the sun went down in the San Juan Mountains.

“Growing up, I was taught that family isn’t always just who and what you’re born into,” explained Holly. “Family forms and grows from shared experiences and a deep care for one another. I’m honored to have a space that (allows) strangers to become pals, friends that turn into family. And that’s the vision… to bring people together!”

Hot Lap Honeys

Earlier that day, I met up with several ladies for a group ride at Baker’s Park — Silverton’s newest trail system. Currently, the park offers a 7-mile intermediate loop that is arguably the best downhill flow trail in the area. Once complete, the trail system will boast 30 miles of multi-use trails.

Although most of the ladies were local to the Silverton area, a few of us had traveled from Durango in search of cooler temps and a change of scenery. One rider had even driven up from Albuquerque to join the ride. After a quick round of introductions, we began the steep and punchy ascent up a series of tight switchbacks.

The singletrack trail weaves through aspen groves and pine trees before topping out to breathtaking vistas of the San Juan Mountains and the cozy little mountain town of Silverton below. On the way up, we laughed, cheered, and supported each other while navigating one techy turn after another. We shared snapshots of our current lives with one another in between breaths, and offered words of encouragement to those chasing dreams, planning their next adventure, or recovering from an injury. At the top, we reconvened and attempted multiple jump shot photos before giving up and having an impromptu dance party instead.

The downhill is where Baker’s Park truly shines, and where our group certainly had the most fun. Tall trees blurred by as we hauled ass on the long straightaways, the hoots & hollers of the gals reverberating through the forest as we descended back towards the parking lot. In a fast-paced world, it was nice to go fast on our own terms and find our wild while playfully chasing one another around smooth berms and off rock jumps.

Back at the parking lot, we debriefed over sodas and snacks, and said a few goodbyes before the rest of us made our way to The Den, where we continued the conversation and made plans to ride together again soon.

This first meetup showed me the importance of connecting with other badass women through our love of mountain biking. Over the course of a Saturday afternoon/ evening, I caught up with friends I hadn’t seen in a long time and danced with new friends at The Den. Witnessing my own community grow while being able to support local trails and businesses is what truly brings me joy.