Monarch Mountain Ski Resort
My first-time skiing at Monarch Mountain Resort was a real treat. I’m almost afraid to write about this gem for fear it will become overcrowded like the Summit County resorts. I’ve skied Summit County resorts such as Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone, Copper, and Beaver Creek for the past 15 years and felt that was the best Colorado skiing. The resorts vary widely with the vast terrain and back bowls at Vail, easy peak to peak skiing at Breckenridge, and wide-open runs at Copper.
I love the history of Breckenridge as a mining town with the influx of gold seekers during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush of 1859. Many of the log structures remain along main street adding to the charm of the city. Breckenridge was a
What they also have that Monarch doesn’t is long lift lines and bumper to bumper traffic on I70 that can sometimes turn a 2-hour commute into 5 hours of white knuckling tension.
Natural Snow
By contrast Monarch Mountain Resort has all-natural snow, and sits just below Monarch pass elevation 11, 312. The resort has a variety of terrain for beginner, intermediate and advanced. Sure, extreme skiers may not find it challenging enough but for me, it was a breath of fresh air. On a Sunday, literally no lift lines, one time I might have waited for a minute. It’s less than a 30-minute easy drive from my Salida home and no traffic to battle. I highly recommend the easy going pace and stress-free fun at Monarch Mountain.
