Monarch Mountain’s clever marketing language notes, “I don’t know if you have ever skied snow that hasn’t been modified (i.e., manmade). But I can tell you there is a difference; much like the difference between a snow cone and ice cream. We’re the ice cream.”
Sitting atop the Continental Divide in the mighty Sawatch Range of south-central Colorado, surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks, Monarch Mountain is one of the few ski areas left in the nation that relies entirely on natural snowfall. With a summit elevation of 11,952 feet and an average of 350 inches of fluff falling every winter, they can get away with it.
Great Mix of Terrain
While not nearly as well known as other So CO ski areas like Wolf Creek, Crested Butte or Telluride. Monarch Mountain is actually one of the state’s oldest ski areas. It was launched in 1939, and hosted one of the nation’s premier annual races down its steep run Gunbarrel. Today, it has nine fixed-grip chairs that spread people nicely across its 1,146 acres. The 2025-26 season will see the first new chair since 1999 spinning soon at Monarch. The Tomichi chair, a fixed grip triple, accesses the area’s “backside.” It drops into No Name Bowl on the western slope of the Continental Divide. The former cat-skiing only terrain serves up a mix of cleared runs, vast glades and a large bowl. It joins an excellent hike-to 130-acre sector of bowl and steep tree runs called Mirkwood. Open to day skiers for many years, Mirkwood ups the pucker factor considerably on runs such as Orcs and Staircase.
What To Expect
But most of its lift-served skiing ranges from tame beginners to lots of intermediate cruisers and a few steepish mogul runs. Runs tend to be relatively short, with a vertical drop of 1,162 feet. About a decade ago, acres of pine trees were felled by spruce worm infestations and clogged its formerly fine tree skiing. But the area has made a supreme effort to clear tens of thousands of dead and down trees, and its forest skiing is now better than ever. Countless small glades and wide expanses dotted with infrequent trees make for wonderful skiing on a powder day.
Cat Skiing
The ski area is also home to Monarch Cat Skiing. Its reserved 1,650 acres includes steep headwalls, massive bowls, delightful low angle and steep forest runs, and a tasty lunch served up in the backcountry. While lack of time precluded a day with the snowcat operation this trip, I have sampled those delights on previous occasions.
Amenities
I was reminded of Monarch’s many attributes when I last visited it and the nearby charming town of Salida. Sitting almost atop Monarch Pass on US 50 about 20 miles west of Salida, the ski area does not have onsite overnight accommodations but has a cafeteria for family dining. And, its rocking Sidewinder’s Saloon offers up some of the best bar bites in Colorado and adult beverages of your choice.
Families will also enjoy its Tubing Park, with rental tubes and a lift. It operates Fridays-Sundays and on holidays. Parents will also appreciate the ski area’s Children Center, for kids from 3-6, so Mom and Dad can have free time of their own! A true community center, the ski area hosts many annual winter events.
If You Visit
Monarch Mountain often runs into mid-April, and in good years extends this season even later. For further details, call 719/530-5000 or visit www.skimonarch.com.
Salida
The nearby town of Salida is a charming classic Colorado mountain community. The state’s largest historic district is dotted with handsome stone and brick buildings sporting fancy piedmonts and quaint homes donning elaborate Victorian era woodwork. Sitting on the banks of the mighty Arkansas River, it offers tremendous fishing, white water rafting, and kayaking, swimming and other water sports spring through fall. The town itself has an engineered white water course running alongside a park with a music band shell for outdoor concerts. Hundreds of miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, ranging from mellow cruises to white-knuckle routes, all converge in town. Add in numerous nearby natural hot springs and an inexpensive public in-town indoor aquatic center filled with geothermal waters. In summer, jeep roads to old mining towns beckon.
Dining and Accommodations
Its historic core has many fine choices for dining. Particularly noteworthy is the Boathouse Cantina, including excellent and affordable prime rib on certain days. Other suggestions include Currents Steak & Seafood, High Side!, Moonlight Pizza and Brewpub, and Sushi Thai Salida.
There are also numerous choices for lodging strung out along busy US 50, as well as in the historic district, and short-term house rentals. A good, inexpensive choice is the Woodland Motel. Within walking distance of downtown, it’s in a quiet residential area, with the Arkansas River Trail just across the street. It has on-site parking, all non-smoking rooms, and pet friendly rooms. There is also a nice hot tub. Free breakfast items—hot and cold cereals, fruit and coffee—are found in the lobby. Accomodations are clean and come in basic rooms, plus three efficiencies with small kitchens, and two 2-bedroom condos.
Aaah, Salida! Gone are the sleepy Colorado vibes, now a vibrant community with small river side homes. The building speculators hit Salida a few years ago and gone are the reasonable priced cottages and the possibility of a river side view. Every thing you love about Colorado is in Salida. Summer fun with warm days and lots to do. Best part is all the good eats are within blocks of the river. Our favorite are the pizza joint and the riverside restaurant. Sneak out the back door and your feet from some of the best ice cream on either side of the divide. Downtown Salida is still old school Colorado. In the summer they close off part of the road to allow for people to walk. Lots of fun shops and people watching. Grab a snack and sit by the river and watch the kids trying to surf the small falls. Or just give Rover some grass to march around in.
The part that bothers me is what is happening with the building speculation. Yes location location pays the high price but plopping down one small zero lot after another just kills the area. Apparently the PZ board of Salida is looking for tax dollars and boy they are getting it.
Monarch, this area gets great snow. The pass is high and it sits in a zone that captures lots of powder. Big deal if you are driving up to Monarch, snow tires, maybe chains, and four wheel drive. On most winter days the road is covered. Top to near bottom. Lots of trucks use this road to get to Gunnison and beyond. It can take over an hour to get back to Salida. There are usually numerous wrecks, eighteen wheelers to the family SUV going over the edge of the road. The drive up is very scenic and for the unaccustomed driver a white knuckle experience. But once you get to the parking lot it’s all fun. Pack a snack for the trip back, it could be a long one.
Lots of smaller accommodations and a few condos but now an ever growing number of VRBO and short term rentals from the new growth. Salida is a quaint little town. With a regional hospital and at the cross roads to lots of adventure.
Thanks Kenny Mckee for adding to the story. We noted the lack of for sale signs in Salida; like many desirable mountain towns in the West, it has serious growing pains. And yes, Monarch does get great snow, as the story starts off saying. But not every day is a snow day, and US 50 is often snow free, especially moving into late February and March. This winter it rarely got gnarly. Do be prepared though for storms at any time of the season.