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Monarch Mountain

Monarch, CO

Monarch Mountain, located in South Central Colorado, has two strong attributes:  abundant natural snow (350+ inches) and friendly people!  You can walk from your car right to the lifts, prices are reasonable, and the runs flow naturally back to the base area. At Monarch you’ll lose the crowds but not your friends.

This locally-owned area has everything you’ll need to have an unbelievable alpine experience. Monarch is a family favorite offering daycare, lessons, rentals, and economical ski & stay packages.

Area improvements include the addition of backcountry terrain in Mirkwood Basin for the advanced and putting in two conveyor lifts for less experienced guests. Monarch is not about real estate developments and shopping.  You will find friendly employees wanting to share their mountain with you.

At the base of Monarch Pass lies the sunny Arkansas River Valley, with everything you need to make your visit complete. The towns of Salida, Poncha Springs, and Buena Vista have great restaurants, galleries, shops, and a variety of accommodations.

Monarch Mountain - Mountain Statistics

# of trails

54

% Beginner

14%

% Intermediate

28%

% Advanced

27%

% Expert

31%

Longest Run

1 mile

Chairlifts/Conveyor

1 fixed quad, 4 fixed double chairs

Uphill Capacity

6,100 skiers per hour

Lift Hours

9am to 4pm daily


800 acres along the Continental Divide in the Sawatch Range. Monarch operates within the San Isabel National Forest under permit of the US Forest Service.

Ski Season:

Mid November - Early April

Annual Snowfall:

Approximately 350+ inches 100% natural snowfall

Operated Since:

1939

Elevation Base:

10,790 ft.

Summit:

11,961 ft.

Vertical Drop:

1,170 ft.

Skiable Acres:

800

Monarch Mountain's Hours of Operation are as follows:

Winter Hours (To Be Determined)
9:00am-4:00pm Lifts are in operation
8:00am-5:30pm Main Lodge is open
During the ski season Monarch is open 7 days a week!
Summer Hours (April 10, 2007 - Opening Day November 2007)
8:30am-4:00pm Administrative Offices are open
During the summer season Monarch is open Monday through Friday.

Mirkwood Basin

Skiers and snowboarders now have access to 130 additional acres opened for skiing and riding in  Mirkwood Basin. Accessible via the Breezeway lift and a 15-minute hike along a cat-track, the new terrain will offer about 1,100 vertical feet of extreme skiing/riding. This expansion allows skiers/boarders to access steep expert chutes and glades, rock cliffs, and excellent tree skiing previously accessible only via Monarch's Snowcat Tours.

Long known for its all-natural champagne powder, short lift lines and small-town friendly crew, Monarch adds another dimension with Mirkwood Basin. Come see why so many people are headed back to Monarch for a new black-diamond experience. Guided Mirkwood tours are available and are a great way to explore this unique area. Tours begin at the Lesson Center at 10:30 and last two hours. These tours are for ages 13 and up and cost $112 for one to six people.

Info:

  • It is a 10-15 minute hike to make the 300 vertical foot climb (1200 linear feet) to the top of the basin.
  • There is roughly 130 skiable acres OR 650 vertical feet that encompass the Mirkwood Basin.
  • EXTREME Terrain means: any place within the ski area boundary that contains cliffs with a minimum twenty-foot rise over a fifteen-foot run, and slopes with a minimum fifty-degree average pitch over a one-hundred-foot run. You may also encounter the following: open bowls, cliffs, glades, chutes, rocks and trees. Only for the experienced skier/rider.
  • An egress road will bring you back to a run called Slo Motion which ends up at the main base lodge.

Any other specific questions about this area should be directed to the Monarch Ski Patrol. Now get out there and have some fun!