Monarch Mountain

A great place for beginners or skilled riders! The staff was helpful. Quick wax was super efficient. Rental crew was helpful. Made my sons first time perfect. Also food isn't bad either. Nachos are shareable size and affordable.

Such a great mountain!!! I go just about every week. Thank goodness for my monarch season pass. It's smaller than the other resorts, which I love. Less crowded and more of a family feel. I pretty much know the workers here because I come so much. Everyone is always so friendly and so welcoming. Perfect place to take lessons because it is inexpensive and you get a more personable approach from your instructor. You don't end up getting lost in the sauce. For snowboarding lessons, ask for Kyle. 😉

What an awesome place! It’s not huge, but no two runs are the same. The trees are sparse enough that you can ski most anywhere between them, which opens up a ton of fun terrain. Lots of wide groomers if you want those, scoops and rocks if you don’t. Love it!

You would not know how wonderful this ski resort is until you visit. I moved a few years ago and was sad to move away from the resort I ski'd at for 30+ years. Monarch reminded me so much of the place I was used to. I bought a pass this year for Monarch and I am thrilled about it! Bonus... it's only an hour and 15 minutes from my new home!! 👏🤗⛷️❄️

I've gone at least 5 times in the last month and always have a blast here. For a smaller mountain, it still has a lot to offer. Lift lines don't get insanely long, even on busy weekends. The runs are neatly groomed, and the easy runs are nice and wide. I practically learned how to snowboard on this mountain, and now I am getting into the trees, hitting jumps, and riding breezeway more often lol. This mountain has something for all difficulty levels.

We really enjoyed our day at Monarch. The staff was great, facilities were clean, and it’s reasonably priced. Advice—buy lift tickets a few weeks in advance for cheaper prices. Lines for the lifts ranged from no wait, to ten minutes. The longest line was the bunny slope, magic carpet ride. Took us almost an hour due to ski schools and first timers. I was one of those who waited while the others went on the bigger runs. They did three runs to my one. The employees at the rentals were nice and helpful. There are lockers for rent, with regular size and larger sizes for those who have bags and boots. We brought snacks and drinks, and saw quite a few people sitting in the parking lot with their food and drinks. We arrived at 8:30am and got in the second row of parking. If you’re visiting here from a low elevation state, take some time to acclimate. We experienced shortness of breath and headaches. Poncha Pub at the bottom of the mountain has amazing sandwiches for those traveling back to Salida. Monarch Snowmobiling has snacks, free hot chocolate, oxygen cans, and ski gear, not to mention awesome tours.

I absolutely love Monarch Mountain! You can't beat the service or the shortest lines in Colorado. Ski from the top parking lot, or be chauffeured around from multiple locations. I've been to a few, and this is my favorite. I'm pretty sure it's also way cheaper than most resorts, not free, though. Haha. My pass included so many resorts i can't hit them all, but i am trying to. Tbc...

Great mountain and a $69 lift ticket on weekdays with my epic pass. Spent the day on panorama lapping JR's. I really enjoyed the local lifties, 80's vibe and American feel. The slow double chairs and lack of skiers packing the runs was so nice. A complete 180 of what Vail offers. Thanks Monarch!

It's not as cheap as it used to be, but Monarch is still a great deal. The lifts had short lines (midweek) during Spring Break 2024. The runs were well groomed. I took my daughters on the bunny run a couple of times, and staff was so polite and helpful. This is all natural snow? Great conditions even in March. Parking is free, and the drive up from Salida takes half an hour. Lovely place, and every staff person was super cool and polite.

Monarch Mountain, thank you for supporting electric vehicles and accelerating the transition to clean energy. I'll be snowboarding here next year thanks to the EV charger and the chill vibe here.

Skiing conditions and staff were great but I'm dinging them because their wifi was basically nonexistent. I think any ski resort needs to have decent wifi, at least around the day lodge area. To pay over $1,000 for two people (pass, equipment, and group lessons for two: yes peak prices because it's Christmas week) and not be able to do basic internet is a little ridiculous.

Not Covid Safe. After driving from out of state to take our kids snow tubing (because the website "requires masks and distancing") we found this was not a safe space to be in. In the Tubing line there were so many people not wearing masks and allowed on the tubing lifts without masks as well. Unfortunately we didn't stay and lost our money because this was too much of a risk. There was even a lady on the bench coughing and maskless! Holy Moly. I 100% understand if you don't want to wear masks, however it is a Colorado Law that these resorts take certain precautions to protect guests. We did not feel protected or cared for at all unfortunately. There were a good 15 people in line with no mask on at all and a few with them below their chins. Very disappointed.

This spot is great! A nice small resort in the mountains to get away from the crowds in other popular Colorado spots. 10/10 would recommend.

Great place to ski and avoid lines. Here on a Tuesday. Lesson reasonable. Very friendly staff. Definitely will come back again and again.

The trip up the mountain is treacherous if there is ANY snowfall. We scheduled a short ski trip, but there is no way to get up the mountain from Salida to the ski resort when a snow storm comes through. Even taxi services cannot make the trip up the mountain. There is a snow tire mandate on US HWY 50. The resort itself was average for the short time we made it the first day. If there were consistent transport from Salida to the mountain, it would have a better rating. Don't waste your time. Go to a larger resort with better resources.

I had such a blast here. It was my first time snowboarding, so of course I started on the bunny hill. The staff at the bunny hill was very helpful and they took their time explaining how to go, turn, and stop. After a few runs I was ready for the big slopes. It's a little nerve wrecking getting on the ski lift, but once you're on, hold on! Being a newbie it was a little confusing reading which slope is which. On my first go down I accidentally took an extremely fast slope; that was a rush. In the end I made it to the top and rode down one of the longer slopes they have (didn't go down a hard one). I found myself going the wrong way a few times, in with the trees (which is easier to snowboard in because the snow is like powder), and I only fell about 150 times. Overall had a great time!!

I loved my beginner ski lesson with Don at Monarch Mountain! He asked the group everyone's goals and help each person individually with good feedback. I haven't skied in over 20 years and Don helped me get the very basics (somewhat lol) down! I will say even the beginner slopes where the ski lift drops you off are pretty steep with more turns than I felt comfortable with, but it was my very first time so I'm sure it'll become easier over time :) We also needed to rent ski gear and the process was very smoothe/easy! Will be back next time I'm back in colorado :)

Saturday skiing with our nieces was an amazing day here at Monarch Mountain! Customer Service was incredible and appreciated & the entire staff we encountered were totally professional and fun! The lines were short the runs were awesome and so glad we opted here for a day of fun on the slopes! Would definitely like to come back and spend a couple of days on the mountain!

Great & easy to deal with staff & customer service pre booking. Easy, fun beginning slope with tube to take you up. The kids loved it. Tubing was a blast. Great food & drinks at bar there for lunch. Worth our visit to CO!

Had a great time here! The prices were reasonable. The employees were very nice and there is plenty of parking!

Excellent ski experience for a family of intermediate skiers. Even during the spring break season where all ski rentals were used, the lines were manageable and the slopes weren't crowded. With a price of 1/2 of the larger resorts, Monarch Mountain is both a great value and a great overall ski experience.

This the second week in a row that I have been here during COVID and unlike the above woman's experience I found people were very conscious about wearing masks. Guests and resort employees alike. As a health care worker I appreciated their efforts. I came over for the women's clinics and i am happy to stay what a bargain! Molly has been amazing and I cannot believe the runs she has me going down!! 4 stars because early season snow. I'm not faulting them for the weather. Now, if we could just get more snow!

does not support vets!!! i have applied over four times now with all my va veteran disability paperwork for a season pass. i have attached all the documents i was using.

I've been snowboarding I think 7 times. I definitely needed some help. So I got a lesson. Riley was an awesome instructor. I really mean that. He was very calm and made learning fun. I was having issues craving on my toes, in about an hour he had me craving both ways! I would not have enjoyed my trip snowboarding as much if wasn't for the awesome lesson! Also, the 'bunny hill' here was a nice size, which made learning a lot easier. About the mountain, this is my first time snowboarding in Colorado. My husband and I loved it. While we didn't have "powder" the snow was still soft and there was a great variety in runs. If you're advance you can get great deep powder in-between the trees. We had friends just go to a bigger mountain in CO, they stated how they waited & waited for the ski lift. I never waited! All the staff was very pleasant and I never encountered a super serious athlete that made me a learner feel uncomfortable. We would love to come back. Also, the coffee shop hot cocoa with whip cream was soooo delicious, go treat yourself and get one! Thanks Monarch for an awesome time!!!

5 star because low prices, short lines (during week), great staff and backcountry access. Only negative is slooooow lifts. All the other qualities make up for this small issue. Great discounts and unbeatable season pass rates. Great if you live in Colorado Springs and aren't sure if the family is going to ski a whole lot during a season.

I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and have never been skiing before. My friend from Colorado took me to Monarch where I learned how to ski for the first time. We first did a 2.5-hour beginner's course in skiing led by a wonderful and encouraging young man named Zack, who taught us the basic techniques and had us practice on the bunny slope accessed by going up the caterpillar (an escalator belt). Zack provided a really great lesson for us and his kind and vibrant personality made us newbies feel very welcomed at Monarch. We were also lucky to have a small group of only 5 people for the lesson. We appreciated that the ski area was not wildly populated with people to the point of feeling crowded; there were just enough people for us to enjoy the experience of skiing with others but not too many that we would get in each other's way! We came on a very ideal day as the snow was thick and perfect for skiing + snowboarding. I only did the beginner slopes because I was not very good at skiing. I think I bit off more than I could chew, since I went on several of the beginner slopes (the ones marked with green circles + signs) after only going down the bunny hill a few times. The beginner slopes were pretty difficult for me, and I fell a bunch of times! My advice is to make sure you are very confident with the bunny slope before you try the beginner slopes. Once you feel like you are ready to move on, try the Rookie slope first, and then venture onto the longer beginner slopes. My friends and I stayed at the Monarch lodge which was pretty affordable at about $150/night. We loved staying there - it was a clean and very well-kept facility with plenty of amenities including a restaurant and bar. One of the best experiences we had was soaking in the hot tub outdoors... while it was snowing! If you haven't been skiing before, I think Monarch is a great place to get started!

We love this mountain! It has a smaller feel similar to A-Basin. There is a great magic carpet that allows my 7 year old snow boarder go up and down the bunny sloop alone. We can easily sit at the bottom and watch him the whole time.

Ok, we went sledding/Tubbing here and I must say, don't waste your money. This is a baby hill that is maybe 50 feet long. You can't Superman down and the slope and is super slow. Very disappointed. Came here from Indy to sled and feel upset about this baby sledding hill. Go to Copper Mountain. This is for babies or those under 5 years old.

I've been going to Monarch Mountain for years.. they've had to go through a lot of changes with covid...I don't always ways ski with my grandchildren.. so sometimes I spend time with the walking through the lodge and talking to the host. They are doing a wonderful job keeping us safe, what a hard job.. I've seen so many people disrespect them for just doing there job.. please America abide by the rules so our ski resorts can stay open. don't be a Tanya M... I was in the picknick room that day... that women has a problem... she believes she is above the rules.. . Please respect others as we go through this journey with others. NAMASRAY ....

Skiing here is a wonderful time the staff are friendly the prices are fair and it's a family fun experience everyone can enjoy highly recommend give it a try

Great mountain with fantastic prices. Brought the family up to learn how to snowboard. Lines and reservations were manageable. We were greeted upon arrival and asked if we needed any help. Lines were not jam packed with people and before you could enter the line, you were asked to fully cover your face. We ended up converting the tickets to passes so looking forward to enjoying the mountain for the season. My only feedback is you can never get ahold of anyone via phone to ask a simple question. You have to always leave a message.

We went here during COVID. Took my six year old for his first time. Under 6 is free which is awesome. They lift operators did an awesome job of enforcing COVID policy. Wouldn't let people on if their nose wasn't covered. Not many amenities but we had a great time.

My favorite place to ski with my family. Perfect price to ski as a family and since they have retained themselves as being an independent ski area...that is what you get. Skiing without all the unnecessary bells and whistles. Skiing WITH gorgeous views, awesome employees, and ski runs that can challenge beginners all the way to expert. They have one central lodge that has a bar, cafeteria, and a picnic lunch area. If you want to ski and enjoy nature...this is the place for you. If you're looking for skiing, countless places to eat, and mega shopping...no need to stop here.

Rude and dishonest staff. Day 1 we experienced a long wait behind a family that renewed RFID cards online with Monarch. Lift Operator said online renewal was inconsistent and recommended only renewing at ticket center. We followed that advice and the ticket center charged and extra $80 to deal with their faulty online system. Ticket staff was rude and unapologetic. Find a resort that cares for families and stands behind their own guidance.

No lines- cheap and good runs! Not recommended for beginner SNOWBOARDERS- steep bunny hill

Had a great time skiing at Monarch over MLK weekend! Staff were all friendly and helpful, lift lines were never too long and slopes never felt crowded. It is a great price as well. The views from the top are hard to beat. We stayed in Salida, which is an easy 3 hour drive from DEN. Salida is a cute town and very convenient to Monarch. We will definitely be coming back!

I came to Monarch to take lessons since it was my first time snowboarding. I did the full day and it was a great experience..the instructor was super awesome. They all seemed really nice and approachable..some ppl picked it up quicker than others and the instructors will spend a little more time with the ones lagging behind, but still challenge the others. I'd recommend this for sure! I will be back soon. Oh ya, the food in the lodge is pretty good too..solid beer selection as well.

The more I ski here the better I like it. My last trip, on a Friday, was the most crowded I have ever seen it on a weekday. I had to wait in line maybe four or five times and all the waits were just a few minutes. So basically I really didn't wait in line at all. I had a nice burger in the Sidewinder, I think it had the word "Melt" in there somewhere, but it had some chili's in there that gave a little heat but were not too hot. I had a rider with me this trip, so I re-visited the bar for a Blue Moon while I waited for him to take a few more runs. I didn't realize that they had a happy hour starting, if I had waited just a bit my brew would have cost a little less. My season pass entitles me to three days at Loveland, which has a lot of good things going on also, but the three "I"s involved with Loveland make it less attractive. (I25, I470 and I70)

This place is cool and fun! Although it is a longish drive from Denver and CO Springs, it is almost always worth it. Here is why: 1) the snow here is AMAZING! Especially after it snows over a foot the night before. 2) Everyone here is friendly - the lifties can't scan your ticket? No problem. You fall on a run? Someone will definitely ask you if you need help. 3) This place is not a resort but a ski area. There are cheap tickets, free parking, only one building at the base and VERY SHORT LINES. This place barely gets any traffic, too!

We had a blast at this ski resort! We came here Saturday feb 8th to avoid the crowds at Breckenridge ski resort. We were so glad we did! It was crowded but never felt too crowded. You still have space to walk around and the lift lines are never long. My husband had a great time snowboarding and I had fun tubing. We will definitely be back to this ski resort.

Shhhhh...don't tell anyone...Monarch is the best keep secret in Colorado. I had the most fun, lowest stress day of skiing with my kids ever. So much fun we skipped the crowds at Taos and went back for a second day. Monarch lacks the steeps and long runs of some of the bigger resorts but makes up for it with great snow, no lines, friendly lift attendants, beautiful views and plenty of seats in the cafeteria. We loved the moguls on Christmas Tree and the hike to terrain at Mirkwood. I loved not having to wait in line for tickets and lifts and having fight for a table at lunch. Monarch is a great day trip but unless you are a beginner I think more than a 2-3 day stay could become boring for an advanced skier. It was perfect for my family- all the fun of skiing with none of the stress a big crowded area could bring.

My family and I came to Monarch Mountain over the holidays and had a great experience here. We didn't do any skiing but instead did some tubing. Price wise it's a little "steep" for the amount of time you get but the reason I'm giving up to 4 stars is because of the outstanding customer service! This was our first time here and were trying to get ourselves pointed in the right direction. Without asking an employee stopped and asked us what we were looking for , he pointed us in the right direction and also gave us the lay of the land. We got to the tubing check-in and again got great customer service. For tubing you can reserve a time slot online or call the main line to reserve a time slot. We ended up just doing a walk in since we checked online and saw a lot of openings for the time we were going to arrive. We chose that option since we were tourists and didn't know if we would get lost or have trouble getting there because of the snow on the roads. After checking in you walk to the tubing area which is only up a slight incline. Once there an employee checks your time tag and gives you the tube, you then get on your tube and take a conveyor belt ride up the hill. Once up top a few employees help you out in the tubing lanes. There are 5 solo tubing lanes and 1 group lane in which you can go down holding on to each other's tubes. It was all a very fun experience with great views. Again while we were there we asked an employee about skiing and he explained everything from rental gear, lessons, lifts, and some pricing. We had such a great time that next time we come we're going to do some skiing.

We were so excited to try Monarch Mountain-- I and my family drove 2.5 hours to do so a few days ago. We paid for rentals, lessons, and lift tickets, and got all suited up.... only to find out they had run out of poles. This is apparently a common occurrence as no staff member seemed fazed about it. In fact, one employee simply suggested that we purchase poles from the ski shop. The point of renting equipment is to actually receive and USE the equipment. We were incredibly disappointed with the situation and the response. I have never heard of a ski facility running out of equipment. And the stuff we did receive was not in great shape-- neither did they have the right sized boots for my daughter (they'd run out of those, too). Nonetheless, they were still selling rentals and lift tickets as we left. Perhaps this is a great place to ski- and the price is right compared to resorts like Breck- but my experience doesn't compel us to come back unless we have our own equipment.

In my mind, Keystone is 2 stars, Loveland 3, Monarch 4 and Silverton 5. This is what I value on mountains. -Powder -Not Crowded -Expert Terrain As previously stated, the runs aren't naturally "long", but with some creativity you can make the runs here go on for a long time. How? Get in those trees and off the trail! I describe Monarch to my friends as an open park with suggested routes. Are you forced to stay on them? Nope, so go down a diamond and then have fun exploring! Runs to check out that always leave a smile on my face -Shagnasty -Outback -Sheer Rocko -ANY diamond off the pioneer lift I've been here about 30 times over the past 5 years. I've also been to the main resorts. I prefer Monarch on a powder day to almost every other mountain. Do yourself a favor and check out Monarch once.

Amazing trails good for all types of riders!! I would highly recommend and the prices are the best around compared to everyone else.

This is great for people who don't want the insanity of the Vail Resorts or other resorts on the I-70. This is a smaller mountain, but does have some great runs. This is a great mountain for keeping the price of skiing and snowboarding low. You do not have to pay for parking, which sadly now days you need to mention. The limited interaction I had with the staff was friendly and helpful. Food and booze prices aren't too bad for a ski resort. There is no hotel or condos at the resort, so if you are looking for a weekend trip, you will have to do some driving (but not to far as a hotel is just down the road).

Got a mixed drink at the bar/ restaurant inside the lodge.. Whew the price was stiff ! .. Fortunately the barkeep made sure the drink was as well.. May be better to hump yer own hooch up the hill or stick to a beer.. To quote Richard Marx I " shoulda known better "

Best place to snowboard for the money, quality of slopes and friendly staff. I've been here 3 times over the last year and each time my experience is the same; great. Avoid the lines and craziness of other mountains in Colorado and ski/snowboard with that feels like the locals. Plus the restaurant on the bottom level makes a killer meal, including the burgers.

I grew up at monarch and it has always been a second home to me. The best fresh snow in the state. Good prices and the most friendly lifties and service people. It's the perfect hometown area.

Love this place. Great chill skiing with great powder. Food and drinks at the bar are great. Love this mountain.

I didn't expect much from Monarch, knowing it was a fairly small ski area, but what a gem! The views from the top are absolutely stunning! Unlike other resorts in Colorado, it was not crowded at all. There were quite a few runs to pick from, more than expected. Definitely worth going here!

My son and I decided to try skiing for the first time. This review is from the perspective of someone who has never had any experience skiing. From research (Internet & word of mouth) I decided on Monarch for the following reasons: 1. Small and not a huge resort. . . in fact, not a resort at all. 2. Not crowded 3. Free parking 4. No I-70 traffic **Worth noting here: I have Verizon and could not get a signal. I also saw some mentions online that Monarch is a dead zone for Verizon and that AT&T is the main provider in that area. I rented equipment from a local place in Colorado Springs which also sells lift tickets for ski areas all over the state, at a discounted price. The day we went was a gorgeous, blue bird day in the State of Colorado which only enhanced the great time we had. It was WARM! We seriously over dressed and after a few runs had to remove some layers. Since neither of us had skied before I toyed with the idea of signing up for lessons. I'm glad that I did not waste the time or money. After a few runs down the "bunny" slope, we felt ok. Neither of us would've been mistaken for Lindsay Vaughn or Brodie Miller but we held our own. The low angle, beginner slope was a great way to get comfortable, learn to stop and maneuver. The conveyor belt that took you back to the top was super slow but really, the top wasn't that far anyway. My son talked me into trying the Rookie run which was much higher and a little more steep. The lift ride up was a bit of a surprise as I expected to have a bar across the front of us but there is nothing keeping you on that chair except gravity, which as we all know can be a bitch. At about noonish/oneish a band began playing on the patio/deck. It was nice because you could hear and see it from almost everywhere since the ski area is so small. They were pretty good. Monarch seemed like a great place to go if you're a beginner. Not sure about you bad ass mofo's but for an old broad like me, it was a great time. My son had a blast. The employees, overall, seemed great and were friendly and welcoming.

I hear a lot of people from the front range complain about Monarch. "It's too small," or, "the runs aren't long enough," or, "I've already done everything there and it's not a challenge anymore." These are all valid complaints. If you're only looking at the surface level. Sure, Monarch is small, and boasts only 900 vertical feet of elevation (the big resorts in Summit and Eagle counties often have 4,000). Sure, there are only 5 lifts, none of them detatchable high speed. There is no resort complex at the bottom, only an equipment rental tent and a restaraunt/bar. Sure, Monarch has some minor advantages, like free parking in a lot where you can ski to your vehicle on some days. The after 4pm lift closing specials at the bar are nice as well. You may well know all this already. But there is one thing that Monarch has that you probably don't know about: world-class tree skiing. At Monarch, nobody skis into the trees. I have spent entire weekend days there without seeing another person other than my buddies and the people in the lift lines. The short vertical doesn't matter in the trees. Since you're going slow, each run takes longer and it doesn't feel like you're spending more time on the left than you are on the snow. There are plenty of interesting terrain features in the trees: dips, chutes, rocks to drop off of... you can't cliff jump like you can at Vail, but it's quite nice and laid back. And if you want world-class extreme, it's a 15 minute hike up to the Mirkwood area, where trees, deep snow, 50 degree slopes, and 30' cliffs live. Monarch is not your typical ski resort. But if you are an expert rider with some creativity, the $300 season pass is a bargain. If you've only been to the big name resorts, you might have a feeling that somewhere in Colorado there is a secret local place that is awesome and cheap. That place is Monarch.

Monarch is a small mountain without a lot of heart and minus the resort. It's part of the reason why I enjoyed it! My friends and I took a trip to Telluride and since Monarch is half way from Denver we decided to pit stop and ride. Plus, we all had ski free days that came with our Loveland passes. There isn't a village or a town, just a FREE parking lot a few feet away from the lifts. There's a bar/restaurant and a gift shop, but other than that, if you're here, you're here to ride. This is a great neighborhood mountain with only a handful of lifts and runs, but each one can be a great ride if you do it right! I've never waited in a line here and I've always found great powder. Very few people ride trees here so if you do, there is a ton of fresh snow to be found any time of day. However small this mountain is, if you're willing to do a little hiking you could be happily occupied for a few days. Also, a super honorable mention for their wicked small but completely natural K2 sponsored terrain park! This is a great way to prepare you for riding logs and kicking off trees in the back country!

Don't go during a blizzard, impossible to get to without chains in a front wheel drive. All i have to say. Money wasted this trip. Probably won't be back anytime soon.

This is our go-to for great rates and not a huge resort and all of its craziness. We rarely wait in line more than. 2-3 minutes (but we don't ski at Christmas). Bring your own lunch and eat in the downstairs picnic area or on the deck!

This is one of my favorite mountains in Colorado. Everyone is so incredibly friendly there! I recently purchased lift tickets to go on the mountain but had a serious knee injury so I wasn't able to use them. Kara was kind enough to refund the tickets for me! Thank you! I can't wait for next season!