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!
Riding the Crest Scenic Tram to the top of the ridge provides a pretty spectacular view of the ski area and valley below. Most of the snow has melted on the south and west slopes while the north and east are still holding some drifts and deeper areas. Standing on top of the observation deck also gives an oversight to…
We hosted the Grand Opening at the Crest on Saturday-June 10th. There was a solid turnout for the event with people lining up to ride the tram, purchase items at Elevation Sports, and eat lunch at Freshies. Members from three different Chamber of Commerce organizations (Gunnison, Salida, and Buena Vista) participated in the event along with GARNA and the Vaqueros.…
Several staff members from Monarch attended the Colorado Ski Country USA Annual Meeting in Denver this week. This was the 60th year of operation for this trade association. CSCUSA aims to promote the ski industry in Colorado while working as a public policy advocate in the State Legislature. This conference always reaches beyond just ski area specific topics. This year,…
The Slope Maintenance team has been plowing the service road to the top of the Crest. With the heavy spring snows, it has been a challenge clearing roads both at the ski area and up at the Crest. We need to get the road clear to the top ahead of our planned opening on Saturday. This road facilitates getting guests…
