AS SEEN IN THE 2011-2012 FREESKIER RESORT GUIDE (November 2011 Issue)
The information in this Resort Directory is meant as a tool for the reader to research and plan for, and maybe let off a little mental steam before, this season. Few resorts can claim to be in the highest percentile of North America’s hundreds of resorts, which isn’t meant to take away from those not included in the Freeskier Resort Guide.
Each resort, from South to North and East to West, has its own niche. At each resort no matter how small, you can get off the lift and let gravity pull you down the hill, which is the basic premise of skiing. So dive into this extra information as an added bonus to our Resort Guide and start planning your winter trips before that nervous energy makes you scratch holes in your skin like an addict kept from their drug of choice.
Monarch Mountain, located in south central Colorado, is what you expect from a real Colorado ski area. Abundant natural snow (350 plus inches) and friendly people are two of the area’s strongest attributes. You 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.
Five chairlifts directly serve 800 acres of open bowls, steep chutes, treed glades and groomed cruisers. You can also access 130 acres of backcountry from the top of the Breezeway lift.
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. This winter come up and stay a few days and experience real mountain hospitality.
BIG ASS PASS
Monarch’s Big Ass Pass is back bigger and fatter this season with the addition of three new ski areas on the pass including Telluride. The Big Ass Pass offers FREE or discounted tickets for Monarch pass holders at 21 different ski areas! Most areas give Monarch pass holders three FREE days of skiing. In Colorado some of the mountains are Loveland, Durango, Telluride and Silverton. Taos…on the pass, Revelstoke…on the pass, Alta…on the pass, Grand Targhee…on the pass and the list goes on.
SNOWCAT SKIING
Great powder, spectacular views, 1,000 plus acres of expert terrain, steep chutes, trees, cliffs, and bowls— that’s Monarch Mountain’s snowcat terrain.
Considered some of the best snowcat skiing in North America, guests enjoy skiing and riding with professional guides sharing their secret stashes.
Space is limited to 12 guests per day and the snowcat runs from the end of December through early April as conditions permit.
WEBSITE: SkiMonarch.com
SNOW PHONE: 888-996-7669
ACERAGE: 8,00 lift served, 1,200 snowcat served
VERTICAL DROP: 1,162 feet
YEARLY SNOWFALL: 350 inches
