From a ridge along Silverton Mountain, skiers have long eyed a steep swath of powdery lines between trees.

“They’ve always looked across that valley and said, ‘I’d like to ski that,'” said Aaron Brill, founder of the ski area with a backcountry feel in southwest Colorado. “Over the years, we’ve hiked (customers) over there, some have taken the helicopter. But everyone has said, ‘How great would it be to have a lift over there?'”

They might soon find out.

Brill recently announced plans to build Silverton Mountain’s second chairlift. The exact type has yet to be determined, but he said construction could start as early as summer.

The lift will access “some of our best terrain,” Brill said. “And for Silverton, that’s saying a lot.”

The ski area launched in 2000 as an extreme, remote outpost for guided and unguided outings — and, yes, helicopter drops. Locals like to think of Silverton as a Telluride foil in the region, and the mountain has stayed true with slow development.

The second chairlift, Brill said, represented “a pretty major milestone.” It comes as he’s seen more kids and seniors join the clientele, more than just adrenaline seekers in their prime.

“With advances in equipment, Silverton has definitely become more diverse in our skier demographics,” Brill said.

In its original permit, San Juan County approved three lifts on the private land, along with a base lodge and 10 overnight chalets. The ski area has indicated it is looking for “serious investors with a deep passion for skiing” to realize some of those other visions.

“It took us 20 years to get to this point,” Brill said. “Once we get down this road, we’ll consider future options.”