Mount Silverheels

Mount Silverheels is just east of two 14ers: Mount Bross and Mount Lincoln.
Named for Silverheels, a dance hall girl in the nearby mining camp of Buckskin Joe. She was nicknamed "Silverheels" because of the silver shoes she wore in the dance halls. Legend has it that in 1861 a smallpox epidemic hit the small camp. Most of the miners stayed for fear of claim jumpers. Most of the women and children fled to Denver, but Silverheels stayed. She nursed her friends and neighbors through the disease. Soon, she caught the disease and managed to struggle through. But the small pox scarred her beautiful face and she ran into her cabin located at the base of Mount Silverheels. Once the epidemic was over, the miners that survived raised money for her as thanks. They soon had raised $5,000. Upon taking it to her cabin, the miners discovered that she was no longer there. Her cabin appeared deserted. Many believed that she had hidden because the smallpox had left her so scarred. The money was returned to the miners, but many still wanted to show thanks, so the nearby mountain was named after her. Several years later when Buckskin Joe was run down and the gold rush over, someone claimed to have seen a black veiled woman placing flowers on the graves of those who died in the 1861 smallpox epidemic. Even today, people claim to see a black veiled woman wandering around Buckskin Joe cemetery.

Named for Silverheels, a dance hall girl in the nearby mining camp of Buckskin Joe. She was nicknamed "Silverheels" because of the silver shoes she wore in the dance halls. Legend has it that in 1861 a smallpox epidemic hit the small camp. Most of the miners stayed for fear of claim jumpers. Most of the women and children fled to Denver, but Silverheels stayed. She nursed her friends and neighbors through the disease. Soon, she caught the disease and managed to struggle through. But the small pox scarred her beautiful face and she ran into her cabin located at the base of Mount Silverheels. Once the epidemic was over, the miners that survived raised money for her as thanks. They soon had raised $5,000. Upon taking it to her cabin, the miners discovered that she was no longer there. Her cabin appeared deserted. Many believed that she had hidden because the smallpox had left her so scarred. The money was returned to the miners, but many still wanted to show thanks, so the nearby mountain was named after her. Several years later when Buckskin Joe was run down and the gold rush over, someone claimed to have seen a black veiled woman placing flowers on the graves of those who died in the 1861 smallpox epidemic. Even today, people claim to see a black veiled woman wandering around Buckskin Joe cemetery.

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Routes

South Ridge

3 climbs • 9.6 mi • 3,135 ft gain

Hoosier Pass

1 climb • 8.8 mi • 3,011 ft gain • 5 hr 57 min

Latest climbs

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"12/14/25: Perfect “warm” mid-December climb. From Hoosier Pass, Jenna and I made our way up the Divide ridge through easy, mostly solid snow pack. We separated briefly just below Peak 12814 while she bagged it and Pt. 12953 and I reconnoitered the south slopes for some glissade ops on the return. We rendezvoused just off the south slope of 12953 and proceeded along the ridge to Peak 12580. After a brief break, we started up the faint trail of the northwest rib of the large and imposing face of Silverheels. The track became more obvious on the way up and was mixed with hard pack snow and soft gravel. We soon gained the upper, short west ridge and strolled to the summit. The views up the Tenmile and down the Mosquitoes are fantastic of course and we were rewarded with totally calm conditions too boot! After a nice longish break we descended down the northwest slopes to a shallow ice field that runs down to the main gully to practice some self-arresting. The hike out was uneventful but not so pleasant climbing back up the Divide ridge and the points en route back to the Pass. Always great to be back on the Divide! (9.5/3350)" — LoneWolf • Dec 14, 2025

"Big day that started with Silverheels, meanwhile catching glimpses of a dry Quandary as I trudged through snow drifts. Felt like I had enough energy for a scouting trip up Fletcher afterward so I made a quick detour that turned into a long detour and the second summit of the day. https://youtu.be/ePpSnSW579s" — cheeseishappiness • Oct 25, 2025

"Attempted Silverheels to start pecking at the centennials and got turned back by deep snow and poor route finding. Hopped over to repeat Quandary to at least get some hiking in. East Ridge well traveled and well packed." — cheeseishappiness • May 27, 2023