Read skier and snowboarder-submitted reviews on Monarch Mountain that rank the ski resort and mountain town on a scale of one to five stars for attributes such as terrain, nightlife and family friendliness. See how Monarch Mountain stacks up in the reviews, on and off the slopes, from skiing and family activities to the après scene. Read up on pros, cons and other comments in reviews left by fellow skiers and riders. Don't forget to submit your own Monarch Mountain review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your skiing and resort experience.
Reviews for Monarch Mountain
Total (3.4)
A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
I've been skiing Monarch for about 25+ years, since I was about 10. For that reason, it holds a special place in my heart. Not much has changed, with is both a positive and an annoying reality of the ski resort. Garfield is one of the most important lifts on the mountain, as it provides access to the majority of intermediate and advanced terrain on the front side of the mountain. Garfield is still the incredibly slow, ancient two-chair it was when I started skiing at Monarch. Pioneer, the quad right next to it, would appear to be a viable alternative but takes skiers to mostly beginner terrain adjacent to the terrain accessed off Garfield and thus is more suited for families. Every year I hope to see that Monarch has started replacing their highly inadequate lifts, much like Loveland does every year, but they seem to be focused on adding gift shops, parking lots, and now a gondola strictly for sightseeing(?!). Bottom line, Monarch seems to want more visitors and has done a lot to improve their base of mountain experience, but has actually done very little to improve the skier experience, which is what matters most if you're a true skier. I'm not asking for anything crazy like a high speed 6-chair, but how about some nice detachable quads to disperse those crowds quicker on holiday weekends? ... Full Review
Dan hall
Short lift lines, friendly staff, great choices in places to eat, excellent snow reports, trail maps available, parking was great, lots of different terrain, overall great place to ski.... Full Review
Dan hall
Short lift lines, friendly staff, great choices in places to eat, excellent snow reports, trail maps available, parking was great, lots of different terrain, overall great place to ski. ... Full Review
Alison Watts
Short lift lines even during holiday peak. Friendly staff. Lots of different terrain. Overall very fun place to ski! The parking is lacking. There is overflow in a top lot and at the top of the pass a couple of miles away and they do provide a good shuttle service to the mountain from both. Highly recommend Monarch Mountain! It won’t disappoint. ... Full Review
Bill C
We've not only skied and boarded all over Colorado (and most of the West plus Switzerland), but our kids have worked in the ski/board business in Colorado and Oregon. We've all tired of the big "industrial" resorts (Vail, Keystone, Breck, Copper, Beaver Creek, Big Sky) and their crowds, high prices, long lift lines and high percentages of spoiled rich tourists. We tried Monarch last year, and it was a huge relief. Friendly and attentive lifties, minimal lift lines, no confrontations with aggressive skiers or riders, and much lower ticket costs. Overall, a much more low key vibe. And that was during Christmas peak. We liked the runs, too. And frankly, given climate change, we are glad to patronize a resort that doesn't waste power on snowmaking. ... Full Review
Marshall
We visited Monarch Mountain and were really impressed overall. It is affordable, uncrowded, and laid back. I had three kids with me, so the only real downside to Monarch for me on my trip was that there is only one quad lift which limited which parts of the mountain we could go on.
We had great powder while we were there, and it was supposedly busy. However, Monarch at its busiest will have shorter lift lines than the corporate resorts throughout Colorado on a typical day. We ended up getting a Wings Pass, and we will be back in the future.... Full Review
Kyle Lichty
We spent 3 days skiing monarch in early February after a round of decent storms increased the snow pack to a reasonably decent level. Overall I would say monarch is my least favorite place I've ever skiied. I've skiied at 25-30 ski areas. The lifts are painfully slow, the mountain is overwhelmed by beginner skiers with little understanding of their surroundings, and the total vertical gain is seriously negligible. For an expert skier you will spend 80% of your time standing in line or on the lift. I would avoid this mountain on non powder days, suck it up and go to a front range ski area like copper or vail.... Full Review
Goose Jarigese
As a life long skier and pass holder at various areas from NM to CO Monarch is the least desirable of all the areas I have visited. The runs are short and poorly maintained especially on windy days, which is constant. The staff is very rude from the parking lot attendants who save spaces for cash and friends to the lift ops who spend time on phones and never anticipate a problem thus the lift constantly stops. The ski patrol is nonexistent on the mountain thus dangerous situations will persist for hours. pay a bit extra and go to a professionally managed ski area. It is easy to see the lack of training for the entire staff!!! I have arrived been berated by a staff members at front door and in the store for simply sitting in the lodge, mask on, and have left after a few runs. ... Full Review
Fred Floon
Spent the day on the mountain on 13 Jan. Very, very boney, with large sections of dirt and rock exposed. Almost ruined a set of skis on the mountain. Tech at the ski shop (headed from the slopes to ski shop in Colorado Springs) told me I needed a “weld”—PTEC on the bottom of both skis—and that if the divot had cone 2 mm closer to the metal side rail, I’d be needing a new set of skis. So, great potential ski experience. If Monarch was all up and groomed it would be summit county comparable. As is, just be aware that it’s rocky and boney, and you risk your gear if you ski there. I’ll be back, but they’ll need another four inches to get me there... Full Review
John Pena
Hassle free, family friendly, bang for the buck skiing for all levels. I like to go 2 or 3 times a week so I need to find easy parking, short walks to the lifts, short lines and beautiful slopes. Monarch has this and way more! On top of the Continental Divide, you can see half the state in all directions. The staff is wonderful, the facilities are practical and convenient, the food and beer is pretty good too. I love visiting all the other resorts but this is where I LIVE! :)... Full Review
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