Monarch. How to?

Passing through the Arkansas valley on my way home from a meeting in Boulder, and realized I have 3 days at monarch on my Purg pass. I’ve never skied there, and it looks to be snowing pretty good , should have some at least a few inches of fresh tomorrow morning, hopefully more.

Where to go? I’ve heard about Mirkwood, but I’m skiing solo. Do you need a partner to ski back there? I have all my avy gear with me, as I toured off lobo yesterday on my way up to the front range. Do I need it?

Otherwise, how does one manage a powder day there? I’ll be up there early and probably done by 11-12ish.


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Skied there a couple times over Xmas as my in-laws live in BV, so I'm obviously an expert skier (TGR, duh!) as well as tour guide...
I would say you don't need a partner or avy gear, it's a pretty chill mountain overall. Mirkwood is a good start, there's good shots all over the hill if you think about prevailing wind and snowfall. Trust your instincts and have fun.

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No partner or avy gear needed. Not sure what you like to ski, but favorite runs at monarch worth checking out are:
- Sheer-Rock-O
- High Anxiety
- Christmas Tree
- Examiner


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PM whipski.

I didn’t do Mirkwood, but did pretty much a number of good things. It’s all laid out in front of you to see what floats your boat. Fun mountain. I want to get back there on a powder day. It was mostly wind fucked he one day I did there. Still fun.

Great little mountain for skiing, but don't eat there- the food is pretty bad.

Elevation brew pub in Poncha Springs is tits, though.

TT you're probably already done gone, but why not pile on some (un)solicited advice?

• I agree that avy gear is not (necessarily) needed in Mirkwood, but it's a bit out there so it's not a bad call. And personally I try to always ski with a partner back there, though I've ski'ed it solo cholo a couple times.
• Definitely PM whipski, or me.
• Add Gunbarrel and the trees just to the left of it, Geno's Glade, most all the trees between the Breezeway lift and Shagnasty to the "runs worth checking out" list.
• You can't go wrong in Mirkwood, but Elation Ridge tends to have untracked snow several days after storm because you have to take another walk to get to it.
• I disagree that all the food is bad... the pulled pork nachos and the carnivore bloody are both pretty good.
• The Pioneer lift is for suckers.

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Originally Posted by Tech Tonics

Otherwise, how does one manage a powder day there?

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To answer this specifically: I usually hop on Garfield or Breezeway lift and smash a lap towards the Panorama lift. If Garfield I'll sidestep up to the Christmas Tree zone and stay far enough left that I can get to Pano. If Breezeway, a high speed lap down B's or Doc's if it's relatively untracked can be a hoot to get to Pano. The whole ridge that Pano serves usually gets pretty loaded, and can be good fun for quite some time. Though there are times when it's advisable to stick to Garfield laps if the runs accessed by that lift are filled in and the line at Pano is long. And shit, sometimes I'll just lap the Breezenasty tree zone mentioned above if that's good. And while Mirkwood has some pretty fun, interesting, and steeper terrain — it is a solid 12-18 min hike to get up there so it stays good longer as folks are harvesting the lower hanging fruits. As was mentioned, it's not a big place and it's all laid out in front of ya. Not too difficult to figure out what aspects have snow and what you want to ski.

Hope you had a good time, dude.

I'm heading there to meet an old flame at some point this month. If anyone has tickets for cheap that would be rad.

If possible...

Book.a.cat.skiing.day!

That is all (it is really, really great - way cooler than you'd probably imagine)

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Originally Posted by byates1

I'm heading there to meet an old flame at some point this month. If anyone has tickets for cheap that would be rad.

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Shoot me a PM when you're heading this way. If I can get up there when you're here, I can get you a disco ticket on my seasons pass.

^ sweetness. Thx mag.

Had a great day today. Super good vibes.

5” on the board but was certainly more than a foot in wind-favored locations

Started off on Garfield for ~5 laps. Mostly over toward x-mas trees but did 2 skiers right of the chair through some open glades. Really nice.

Then over to breezeway. From the chair, pano looked sweet (it was) so skied those southish facing trees to the L of shag nasty. Very good, definitely fatter than dust on crust, which I was concerned about with that sunny aspect.

Did 2 laps on pano. One to the right of the chair/under the chair. And another way to the skiers L. That was windfucked at the top but had super good skiing below.
Then back to bw for 2 laps in Mirkwood. I was the first down Orcs. It was so good I went back for another.

Cool little mountain. Looking forward to returning!


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Didn't get a notification about your 01/09 message til this am. I was down at WC so maybe why. I have a line on some discounts. Looks to be 6" on the cam and the Monarch cloud is puking up there so I guess its lift serve today.

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Originally Posted by Tech Tonics

Had a great day today. Super good vibes.

5” on the board but was certainly more than a foot in wind-favored locations

Started off on Garfield for ~5 laps. Mostly over toward x-mas trees but did 2 skiers right of the chair through some open glades. Really nice.

Then over to breezeway. From the chair, pano looked sweet (it was) so skied those southish facing trees to the L of shag nasty. Very good, definitely fatter than dust on crust, which I was concerned about with that sunny aspect.

Did 2 laps on pano. One to the right of the chair/under the chair. And another way to the skiers L. That was windfucked at the top but had super good skiing below.
Then back to bw for 2 laps in Mirkwood. I was the first down Orcs. It was so good I went back for another.

Cool little mountain. Looking forward to returning!


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Sounds like you hit it about right, stoked you had a good day. The Monarch 5" report actually skiing boot deep or more is not an uncommon occurrence. Shout out to myself or @whipski if/when you come back this way,

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Originally Posted by whipski

Didn't get a notification about your 01/09 message til this am. I was down at WC so maybe why. I have a line on some discounts. Looks to be 6" on the cam and the Monarch cloud is puking up there so I guess its lift serve today.

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FKNA right it was lift serve this morning... stoked to finally get a lap in with ya. Sorry the groups got split, sounds like CC kicked a shoe and spent quite a bit of time looking for it? Soft on soft out there today, this weekend looks a-pretty-pretty good too. We'll have to finally go for a tour like we've been talking for a while, when my hip gets it's shit together.

Over the knees with face shots in the trees Monarch is flat you prob don't wanna come here.
Doggy walk after.
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You probably wouldn’t like it.

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Originally Posted by byates1

I'm heading there to meet an old flame at some point this month. If anyone has tickets for cheap that would be rad.

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If you want to meet up with some of the rest of us, let me and Viva know when you're around. Little maggot party would be fun, if you're not embarrassed of us. :P

It was good this morning, but fuck me it was cold with the wind. And shitty visibility. The misery of all the holiday tourists was morbidly entertaining. Things are filling in better, but its still a minefield. Kind of like every resort this season I suppose.

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Originally Posted by shera

If you want to meet up with some of the rest of us, let me and Viva know when you're around. Little maggot party would be fun, if you're not embarrassed of us. :P

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I'd try to pop over for a mag mini. I was going to use one of my days from my Powderhorn pass this weekend, but just realized they're blacked out. I haven't skied Monarch in like 10 years.

I'm the embarrassment around here:)

Would be great to meet up w you all! Pick a date and I'm there

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Originally Posted by byates1

I'm heading there to meet an old flame at some point this month. If anyone has tickets for cheap that would be rad.

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Send me a PM, I always have half off tix


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Word

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Originally Posted by snowaddict91

I'd try to pop over for a mag mini. I was going to use one of my days from my Powderhorn pass this weekend, but just realized they're blacked out. I haven't skied Monarch in like 10 years.

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You'll be surprised the beetle kill mitigation has opened up the glades and the summer timber crew has cleaned up deadfall so terrain formerly needing 60" skis well at 30".

Monarch Mag Mini sounds like a grand idea. Lots of folks have partner days. It's also on the Gems pass.

I don't have days there but I'd do my best to make a mini. And hope for some kind of ticket deal.

No mini today, it's closed!

This should become the standard Monarch thread, to go with the Eldora clusterfuck and the A Basin bag of dicks and the Loveland tomorrow threads.

A Basin pass has 3 Monarch days. Anybody know how that works? You just present your pass at the ticket window?


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Originally Posted by Skistack

A Basin pass has 3 Monarch days. Anybody know how that works? You just present your pass at the ticket window?


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Yeah but check the blackout dates. Weekends from 1/6-3/4. Kinda BS. Not sure it was like that before.

This week looks like a good one to use those Monarch days. That's some WC type numbers forecast. They might not even be able to open until Mon/Tues.
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Originally Posted by Name Redacted

Yeah but check the blackout dates. Weekends from 1/6-3/4. Kinda BS. Not sure it was like that before.

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Thanks. Yeah, did see the blackout dates on A Basin’s website.


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Damn I might need to grab the 138s and head up...

Ok sounds like a mini, count me in!

I've got Monarch days on my Copper pass, nice bonus.

I bought the pre-season Monarch 4-pack, and am unlikely to use all four days. I oughta be able to spare one. Can't make it until February, though.

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Might head down there and ski Monday. Camp somewhere in town tomorrow night.

Does my gems card from 2005 work? I do have every nook of the bc there down on lock though. Could car camp at Zappas like BITD.

Will tomorrow be insanely crowded?

It's closed for a remembrance day.

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Originally Posted by byates1

Will tomorrow be insanely crowded?

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Doubt it, this is still Monarch we are talking about. "The worst ski area in CO" if you go by some lists.

11" overnight but they conveniently left the weather off their site. CAIC point forecast is for 30-40 mph winds.

Fuck it might as well rally