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. read more

See all

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. read more

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. read more

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

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. read more

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. read more

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

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 " read more

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! read more

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). read more

This review may be biased because I came here after Monarch got 2 feet of snow in 48 hours. Me and the bf decided to make a pit stop here and ride since it was (kind of) on the way home from Southern Colorado and this also meant we could check another CO ski resort off our lists. It was epically cold-a high of 2 degrees and windy. I had heard this place gets lots of wind and it was true. This reminded me of Breckenfridge days for sure. However, this mountain is strictly a locals-only no frills mountain. Almost all the chairs are the old style double chairs. If you are feeling adventurous try to do the hike up to drop into Mirkwood Bowl. I wasn't quite acclimated to do the full thing myself, but even from where I dropped in, I was still in the waist deep white stuff. Yes the runs are too short, chairs too slow, and not too steep, but it's still a great local mountain that was not crowded at all-even on a Sunday after a big dump. Gotta love that. read more

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. read more

See all

I'm not from colorado, and I've never experienced the big name resorts there. Instead I came here, a hidden gem that I hope doesn't change. Sometimes, simplicity really is the best. All natural snow and a lot less of the commercial bs. Notice how it's called the ski and snowboard area and not a resort? This is a good and refreshing thing. I know the major factor to a great experience boarding at a resort is greatly dependent on the weather and snow conditions, so maybe I was just really lucky -- but man, are you people in Colorodo spoiled! I had a wonderful time the two days I boarded here. The bar is great and the prices for both the day passes and the food were so surprising. The last day I was here, my friends and I got ridiculously drunk. The staff here was awesome and we stayed until closing. We got some free drinks and drank with our waiter and bartender. Really nice people! I think after 20 some shots though, walking back to the car (we had a responsible DD) was an ordeal. awesome place, I hope to come back again soon! read more

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. read more

Great backyard mountain! Staff are some of the best folks I have had the pleasure to interact with at a mountain. No posers here, just locals and families looking for affordable fun. Yes, the runs are short, which I consider to be a great asset if one is trying to improve to an all-mountain skier/rider or knock a few rough edges off their game. Food at the bar is great and reasonably priced. Reminds me of Burke Mountain in Vermont and Alpine Meadows in Tahoe. read more

I know reviews are supposed to be based on a neutral standpoint to start, but this is truly biased. My Mom had me on skis at Monarch when I was 2 years old and I've been on this mountain ever since, eventually strapping on a snowboard when I was about 13. It's hasn't sold out (yet) to the mega ski resort crap, so it still has that small ma & pa mountain feel. Snow is usually one extreme or the other....which equals average, but there's always some fun kickers to hit throughout the hill and although they don't groom much, it's done well. They have been expanding their parks lately too, but when I hit a jump I fly like a chicken having a seizure, so I'm not one to say if they're good or not. Price has become a bit of a beeyoch lately, but I think that's the same with any resort in Colorado nowadays. And I must say, since I've come of age, the Sidewinder Saloon in the lodge at the base is one kick ass bar (the Irish coffee was awesome!). Several rental locations (including on the mountain) are easily accessible, but I couldn't speak to the quality of the gear. If you want a sweet, down home ski experience, while their still around, check out Monarch...it's only 2.5 hours from Denver...we spend more time than that in traffic every day anyway. read more

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! read more

Monarch Mountain - Ski Resorts Near Me - Salida, Colorado

I dont recommend at all, I have been snowboarding and a season pass holder for years... Had a customer threaten me... Went and made a complaint... Monarch refused to go talk to the person, or to refund my money... You pay to have fun in a safe environment... But they dont keep you safe and who's having fun when a customer is threatening you read more

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

This is where locals go to learn. Very friendly staff and kids loved their ski instructor both days. We did ski lessons in the morning each day and the kids got to keep their skis and continue going on the lifts the rest of the day. It was a good chance for them to practice what they had learned. Very laid back here. They aren't worried about someone stealing equipment. It's a small town feel. Yes, food is expensive. I would plan better next time and try to bring my own food. There are designated places where you could bring a sack lunch, but I couldn't spot it very easily. The lines for the lifts were very short on the days we went so the kids got a chance to practice quite a bit as they didn't have to stand in lines all day. read more

Great for the kids and not too crowded! Not much to it & no tubing for the kids but if you are looking for a simple ski/snoboarding area... this is a great place. A good day trip from Colorado Springs. Friendly and nice staff. We will be back. read more

See all

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! read more

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. read more

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! read more

Monarch, how do I love you? Let me count the ways: 1. You are not a mega resort, and for that I am thankful. 2. You are delightfully uncrowded, especially on a Friday when I played hooky from work 3. Your lodge has free WiFi, which is necessary in this part of the state. Nice! 4. Your parking is a short walk to the lifts. Compare to other places whose walk to the bus is longer than your walk to the lift, and you realize this is a huge win for the skier. 5 Food and drink in the lodge was reasonably priced (for a ski area) and tasty to boot. 6. None of your lifts are high speed quads. This is both a plus and a minus: It's great that I was able to get much needed rest in between runs, but then again I wasn't able to do as many runs. 7. My only real complaint is you have to know the mountain really well, and even then there is sometimes a lot of work involved to get to your good runs. I'm not even talking about the hike-to runs in Mirkwood. read more

Love this place! Everywhere I went had great conditions because it wasn't crowded or skied off. We hiked to some bowls for a few runs and had excellent conditions. The are no high speed lifts but that is okay because it kept the runs empty. It is small, but bigger than expected, but still small enough to explore the whole mountain. Friendly people hang out in the parking lot and we were able to keep our dogs in the car because it was easy to periodically check on them at the car and take them out to play with the other dogs in the lot. Love it. read more

My favorite place to snowboard and ski in Colorado. The staff is always amazing. There are not normally long lines, unless its a holiday, and its still not long if you compare it to the bigger resorts up north. The mountain isn't huge but there are a lot of great runs. Its great for a family. There are challenging runs for more advanced riders and there are plenty of easy runs for people who aren't as advanced. read more

Great little ski area that is perfect for those who like staying away from the mega resorts. Very chill vibe, great runs, tons of snow. Cool terrain with lots of options for such a small area. Will be back for sure. read more

Monarch is a great, mid-sized, laid back ski area. Great snow, great runs, friendly, short lines, not crowded, close free parking, decent instructors, 1/2 the cost of the big resorts, good mix of green/blue/blacks, a backcountry / bowl area, and even a couple of terrain parks. Really glad we came here after a couple of years at the big resorts. Not a huge ski area, but plenty to keep most people busy for a week or so - maybe 1/3 the size of e.g. Breck or Keystone. Don't come here expecting to find a big resort with dozens of bars and restaurants and shops - at the base of the mountain there is a lodge (restaurant / bar / coffee shop / eating areas / store) and a gear rental building. Period. Incidentally it's limited size is because Monarch is inside of the San Isabel National Forest - so it's growth is very limited. Not a bad thing in my opinion. Last time I came here was 30+ years ago with a youth group - still recognize the lodge, lift layout, and a lot of the runs (and maybe some of the staff :-). Do expect a good proportion of families and teens/youth - because of the size and location, Monarch attracts a lot of youth groups. We stayed in Salida (30 minutes) at a chain hotel - reasonably cheap, with lots of good restaurants and bars, and a decent down-town. read more

Ok.i loved skiing here.but seriously the staff is so rude.my lady tried to get rentals and was bitched at,by the rental bearded hipster with a green beanie,for asking for another more comfy pair of boots.also the pornstar stache bartender ignored us and gave us cold burgers.love the resort.love the lineless lifts and best views in co.but the staff needs an attitude adjustment. read more

It may seem like a great option if you don't like lift lines, but in reality its a second rate ski area that only cares about making money. Case in point they consistently pay their employees below the industry average. They don't allow uphill traffic despite the fact that many other resorts started allowing it because they reside on National Forest Service land. Why should access be limited on public land? Money. If people realize how short the runs are, I think the longest is around 800 vertical feet, then they will just throw on skins and avoid lift ticket charges. Now aside from their poor financial compensation for employees and strict limitations on your public lands, they can't seem to keep the lifts running. The powder on closing day of the 2012-13 season would have been nice if the lifts started running at 9 am when they were supposed to, but they weren't. It took hours before guests, many of whom drove countless miles, could get on the lifts because of technical problems. That wasn't the only time this happened throughout the season by the way. Monarch Mountain, the season is short, the runs are very short and employees get short changed. By the way everyone on the park crew is a snowboarder. So if you are a skier who likes jumps and features you are out of luck because everything is made for a snowboard. read more

I am from texas and wanted to experience skiing for the first time. it was a blast! Our instructor was very friendly, answered all the questions we had and was very patient. It was also a very reasonable amount. I would high recommend bringing all your outer layer of clothes. But i would high recommend this place read more

Awesome ski area that is reasonably priced. It isn't huge yet with the short lift lines and number of runs, you rarely encounter many other people on the runs. Looking forward to coming back for our annual trip next year. read more

Monarch is one of, if not the best, mountain in Colorado. I have been coming here for 13 years and it still holds the number one spot in my heart. Considering that Colorado can easily be dubbed as a one of the country's biggest ski hubs, many resorts have not only become overpriced, but also overpopulated. It feels as though skiers are on top of one another, the snow packs down and ices over quickly, on top of paying around $130 to be there for the day. Monarch offers something you can't find at other resorts: Serenity. Tickets come in a measly $75 a pop, the snow feels as though it has been untouched, and chances are high that you can have an entire run to yourself. Did I mention they receive some of the best snow in the state? You know this is the real deal considering that there are still a hand full of dads that ski in jeans. Never change Monarch, never change. read more

Here during the holidays. I think the most I ever waited for a lift was 10 minutes. There was plenty of room on all of the runs. Great experience! read more

Low key. Inexpensive. Always great snow. No long lines or snooty people. I love this place. read more

Monarch Mountain - Ski Resorts Near Me - Salida, Colorado

Customer service here was awful. Do not expect for there to be much assistance if you run into an unexpected situation, especially if its a busier than normal time. We wont be back, and would rather spend more money to go anywhere else. read more

From Albuquerque but I've come up here because of the NMX skier discount card that they participate in. Totally worth the drive. The mountain is open and relatively not busy. The ski area is only minutes away from Salida and it's an easy drive. They offer several discounts, one of which is an online purchase discount. Good people, good eating options and great snow. read more

WE love Monarch!!! We get season passes every year and ski 30+ days a season. My girls have all learned to ski here. They are so good for groups and families. Mirkwood is food for the advanced skier and you can almost always find fresh powder there. We almost alway eat it the Bar and Grill. Our experience has been so good here that I'm hesitant to ever go anywhere else. I highly recommend them! Thank you Monarch. read more

This has been my favorite place to ski for 20+ years. People come for the fun, not to flash their gear.