Visiting Silverton Inn of the Rockies (aka The Alma House) is like a visiting a friend's house...if…read moresaid friend owned a beautiful, painstakingly restored historic boarding house haunted by three spirits. Innkeepers Albert and Betty make The Alma House feel like your home away from home in the mountains.
Before I delve into what's so great about this place (and the ghosts therein), please indulge me in some history. Bridget Hughes opened The Alma House in 1902 as a boarding house for local miners. Many mining towns died in the early 20th century, but Silverton survived, as did The Alma House, which has operated continually ever since. Current owners Albert and Betty purchased the property in the late 1980s, restoring it to its original glory.
The interior is brimming with Victorian elegance, all polished mahogany, period fixtures (lamps, armoires, vanities), and antiques. Every nook features some vintage artifact, some cool story that Albert and Betty are eager to tell. I could have spent a week here and still not seen everything.
The amenities are the best of both worlds: vintage Victorian and modern. For every quaint touch (old-school physical door keys, narrow, vertigo-inducing staircases), you'll find something modern and convenient, such as WiFi and renovated bathrooms with shower heads tall enough for non-midget boarders.
Every morning, Albert will whip up a delightful complimentary breakfast that could include just about anything. On the day I visited, my breakfast consisted of perfectly scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, a mini biscuit topped with mushroom gravy, a "breakfast slaw" of cabbage, strawberries, apples, feta, and poppyseed dressing, and a mini waffle sandwich with whipped cream and blueberry compote. You won't find a breakfast of this caliber at a chain hotel.
Oh, you want to hear about the ghosts? I thought you'd never ask! The moment I crossed the threshold, I sensed the presence of three spirits. I said nothing to Betty and Albert, as I feared they would take me for a loon. As an investigator of all things paranormal, though, I had to know if my clairsentience was accurate. That evening, I broke out my instrumental trans-communication equipment and conducted a session in my room.
Within minutes, I reached a male spirit identifying himself as "Mark." He revealed himself to me mentally as a man decked out in late 19th-century military garb, but his face was blurry. "Mark" spoke the names "Albert" and "Elizabeth" (Betty) and said that he chose to remain there.
I was still hesitant to broach the subject of spooks and specters with the innkeepers, but I screwed up my courage and went downstairs to discuss my findings with Betty. She smiled warmly and confided in me that the Alma House is indeed haunted by three spirits, one of whom (an older man nicknamed "The General") has been seen/felt/heard in my room (#3, The Alamosa Room) and the room next door (#5, The Silver Vista). The other two spirits, she continued, are those of Bridget Hughes and a portly woman nicknamed "The Schoolmarm."
Later that night, I meditated and called upon Mrs. Hughes. For this session, I decided to use only my new EMF detector, The Rook. I had already done a baseline sweep of the room and found no EMF readings. I did this to rule out any false positives. I asked Mrs. Hughes to step forward and make The Rook flash once for "yes" and twice for "no." To my surprise, she (or whomever was in the room) obliged, setting off The Rook only when asked a yes/no question. I learned that she approved of the current innkeepers, disliked The General, and considered my Nickelodeon pajama bottoms tacky.
The next time you visit Silverton, skip the overpriced, overhyped Wyman and Grand Imperial and book a room at The Alma House. Back in its storied history, relax, and make two new friends...and maybe three new dead friends.
