Summer view from the top of Turbo.
The scenic tram has seen a steady amount of ridership to start the summer. A lot of travelers seem to stop at the top of the pass to get out of the car and stretch their legs. They swing into the shop, purchase an item or two, along with a bite to eat. Many of them are in Colorado to…
Access to the ridgeline and the high alpine is opening up. We are starting to see through hikers passing by that are traveling on either the Colorado Trail or the Continental Divide Trail. These two epic trails pass through the high peaks and cross the summit of Monarch Pass. Both trails traverse directly through the ski area and the Monarch…
It’s finally looking like summer on Lower Tango with green slopes under purple mountains and a blue sky.
Our Lift Maintenance team will be replacing the haul rope on the Garfield Lift this summer. The haul rope is the large cable that spins around the bottom and top bullwheels and has the lift chairs or “carriers” attached to it with what is called a “grip”. The haul rope is not a single cable but is comprised of six…
Just to the north and east of the top tram terminal is the North Fooses Creek drainage. At the head of this stream where it reaches tree line lies the Gondola Bowl. This is a north facing slope that gathers a huge amount of snow during the winter months. It is prone to large avalanches each winter and any backcountry…
Today is the Summer Solstice and the longest day of the year. The sun is sitting high in the sky at mid-day and the temps are warm and comfortable in the mountains. We are lucky to live in Colorado. We actually have four distinct seasons and they all offer something special for the outdoor enthusiast. While summer may have officially…
The south slopes are starting to take on a summer look. The slope maintenance crew is still plowing through some deep drifts on the ridgeline, but we almost have all of our roads open with access to the top of the lifts. The warm temps have it finally feeling like summer this week after a wet and cool spring. Just…
Mother Nature doesn’t care that it’s supposed to be summer. We had a bit of a snow storm move through overnight giving us just a kiss of winter in June. I have seen it snow up here at Monarch each month of the year. Other areas like the top of Pikes Peak saw even more with this event!
