[4] It is situated 4.5 miles south of the town of Telluride, on land managed by Uncompahgre National Forest.

Silver Mountain ranks as the 274th-highest peak in Colorado,[3] and topographic relief is significant as the south aspect rises 3,770 feet above Ophir in 1.5 mile.

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Silver Mountain is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.

[5] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer, with a dry period in late spring.

Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the San Miguel River.