Brace for Impact

Ok Colorado…we are about ready to get hammered by an historic winter storm Xylia. The northern Front Range looks to take the brunt of it but there will be plenty to go around. Monarch is located in the bottom center of the High Resolution WRF weather model below and looks to be in the 15-20″ range through mid-day Monday. I…

Read more

Feeling like Spring

It’s been a warm weekend. There are still some soft powder turns on the north aspects, but the south facing trails are quickly transforming to spring like conditions. After a cold and windy winter, these warm days with light winds actually feel pretty good. As long as they don’t stick around too long! Looks like we have a few more…

Read more

Wild Weather

It’s been quite a week. Subzero temps last weekend with 60 mph winds. Warm, springlike weather earlier this week. Today delivered some intense bands of snow with 4-5″ falling by the time the lifts closed. The weekend looks to bring back warm & sunny weather. Wild.

Read more

Big Views

Being perched on the Continental Divide provides a 360º look at the world around us. The view to the west seems to stretch on forever. This vantage point looks over the Gunnison River Basin and down to the San Juan Mountains. From here you can see a few more 14ers including San Luis Peak, Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn. Enjoy the bluebird…

Read more

February Finale

We made it through the month! February helped to turn the page on the drier conditions we had seen earlier in the season. The month delivered just under 1/3 of our total snowfall for the season with 48″ reported in February. In forty-five years of snowfall history, we have averaged 54″ for the month of February. The highest monthly total…

Read more

Lil’ Rippers

Monarch held our annual IFSA Junior Mountain Comp on Thursday-Feb 25th. This is the fourth season that we have held this event here at Monarch. These little groms can tear up the slope and it was really fun to watch them send their line down Mirkwood Bowl. Keep an eye on this crew!

Read more

Another Ski Away

I always find myself at this time of the season needing a few days skiing at our partner resorts. When you work in the industry, there is something great about just going skiing somewhere else. No uniform, no radio, no on-mountain duties. I guess most of you would just consider this a normal day of skiing! With Copper Mountain being…

Read more

Monarch Ridge Sunrise

The recently logged Monarch Ridge looked extra impressive during a morning sunrise the other day. I was hoping to tour over there this winter, but I haven’t made it over there yet due to the thin snowpack and precarious backcountry avalanche hazard this season. Perhaps this spring.

Read more