I live in Pitkin and we did have 36 inches in 24 hours here back on December 5-6. I woke up on December 6 to 2 ft. of snow and then it kept on going all day...but that was BEFORE we had all this other snow, so it wasn't quite as overwhelming back then! This is an AMAZING snow year for all of us in southwestern Colorado! And I think this is your FIRST winter up here...I don't know about Silverton but I know OURS here in Pitkin (26 miles north & east of Gunnison, elev. 9242) are not ALWAYS this crazy. I hope we have more crazy ones, though, because I am LOVING it! I've been here 12 years...