# CURRENT MONARCH CONDITIONS?????



## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

8' in past 24, 12' in past 48. 79 inch bace. Awesome shots in the trees. Top of mountains are windblown. The trees off Panorama were getting majorly windloaded yesterday, as was Curecanti and Xmas Tree. Mirkwood sick. Lots of pow and lots of lines. Avoid the ridge, its really windblown. Backcountry is always good off pass and at waterdog lakes. not sure on current avvy conditions in the area. last time below garfield was 3/4, the snow ended there. havent been below since new snow, would bet money that low is clear. hope this helps.


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## killtunes (Jun 4, 2004)

As for the Monarch BC; Belly deep. Bring a Snorkel.


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## Salto (Mar 16, 2004)

*Trip Report*

We headed out friday evening from the front range. camped in the ark valley. skied monarch on satruday. the typical runs were good. Gunbarrel trees, totaly fresh, the tress off the back of the garfield lift were fresh on the first run. Curacanti from the top via pioneer (?) were really fun, and the curracanti cornice was over 10', that was a blast. but the true gem of the day was staircase and east trees. Mirkwood is not neew to me, but these two runs were. and the best terrain at monarch by far, we took 4 runs starting at staircase and working our way east. every single run was complete virgin snow. We hammered it, deep (18+ plus), steeps, 45 degrees, small hits (2-6'), sweet little chutes 10+ feet. and again, totally untracked. most people were just heading to the top of mirkewood, we traversed at the southbound sign over to staircase and east trees. WOW. Monarch gained a lot of respect this weekend. previously, i figured it the glory turn pow stash easy trees place. Now east trees and staircase rock. Like said, this was the only area of mirkwood we have not skied. and chanced into it on our way to lodge view. anyway, i now havee more respect.

camped again in secrect spot. best winter camp spot. 

Sunday we hit the south side of the pass, and did a couple power line runs, actually a few hundred yards east of the power lines. Nice long deep tree runs. super super fun. about 12+ plus of fresh, could fee a little crud underneath but did not effect anything. really really fun. prevously we had hung out in homestake bowl, also fun, but like the return skin up form the power line. 

Good trip. Our last of our cheap tix vouchers at monarch, so propbably stick north the rest of the trip.


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## killtunes (Jun 4, 2004)

Salto:

If you where traveling with pop-up campers, I likely noted you on the pass. Give a hoot if you come up again. Monarch Pass is kicking!


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## Salto (Mar 16, 2004)

Killtunes,

Yes, that was us. The pass had tons of snow and fun terrain. We might make it back there this year, not sure. We are up on berthoud pass almost weekly. BP has great snowpack at the momment....Look for us if you are in the area.

Cheers,
JEff


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

hey if you come back up this way, hit me up too....im a pretty regular guy at monarch, i try to make it up at least once or twice a week. has anyone hit the fooses creek chutes this year? i missed my oppourtunity to go sledding this year in that area. also, does anyone know of any 40-60'rs close to the pass or within hiking distance of the resort? with monarchs deeep snow, thats really what i want to do in that area. i jsut cant think of any huge cliffs in the general bc area.


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## Mike Harvey (Oct 10, 2003)

I have hunted all over the pass for cliffs. The best I have found are in the cat area (the Hydrant) and on Gracy's in the trees there is a fun 20 footer. I have not found anything in the big and clean category your are talking about. Maybe up above Boss Lake but I have never explored really seriously in that area.


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

yeah, no worries. what is the winter scene like on the east side of cottonwood pass? from this side its such a long ride in its not worth it, theres better places to go. but with the awesome snowmobile access up there, is there any big cliffs in that area?


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## spthomson (Oct 18, 2003)

Meeting up with a couple others at the top of the pass around 9am. I'm always open to new partners that are competent in the bc/avy-wise, if you locals (or anyone else) would like to join.


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## Mike Harvey (Oct 10, 2003)

> yeah, no worries. what is the winter scene like on the east side of cottonwood pass? from this side its such a long ride in its not worth it, theres better places to go. but with the awesome snowmobile access up there, is there any big cliffs in that area?


I just skiied Cottonwood for the first time about a month ago. There is some killer terrain right off the summit of the pass and if you want to hike there options are huge. I did not see any really obvious hucks but there is a huge cornice off the summit that the Rdnk brothers were hucking with thier snow machines. I am going to go back to Cottonwood when corn season comes because I saw a couple peaks that JV and Cobi showed me that looked like mini AK style descents. I would reccomend pming RDNCK (sp?) he and his bro are the masters of that area.


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## chixon (Dec 21, 2004)

> also, does anyone know of any 40-60'rs close to the pass or within hiking distance of the resort?
> 
> 60 is pushing it but, there is some stuff (probably in the 40's range) that is relatively close to the resort. Two words...Taco Ridge. Tons of sweet smaller drops that are perfect and bigger drops that I have yet to see any tracks off of. The biggest one I would say is easily 40' and would be difficult to get a run at. A group I was with earlier in the season looked pretty hard at it but then decided to go for the smaller stuff that surrounds it due to a shallower snowpack and no time to probe landing etc. That was early January when we had much less snow so now might be the time to check it out again. Last time I was in there about a month ago it was looking pretty good, doubt that it looks worse now. You can access it through the ski areas new BC gate at the bottom of elation ridge in the Mirkwood expansion. Skin back up the same ridge the gate lies below and up to the nob basically at the end of the same ridge. From there look across to Monarch Ridge (in the direction of the Madona Mine) and ski in the direction of the Radio/Cell tower billboard things on Monarch ridge. That should get you in the vicinity and definetly get you to some sweet shots. Ski it out to the highway where you hopefully left a shuttle vehichle at the Water Dog Lakes trailhead....if not just use your thumb and don't tell any old timers where you found out about Taco Ridge.
> 
> Have Fun.


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## chixon (Dec 21, 2004)

Sorry I screwed up the quote box....


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## Mike Harvey (Oct 10, 2003)

Only a real pimp quotes himself...I like how you roll Hixon...


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## Jahve (Oct 31, 2003)

I have only made it out a couple of days since I got back from Patagonia, so here is the latest on the wood or cottonwood pass and area. 

Most of the stuff right around the bowl was eaten up durrin the snowmobile rally. 400 or so machines go up over the 2 day weekend and pack out every inch of climbable terrain in that area. There are so many people even a rdnek can get frustrated. Since then we have gotten about 18 to 24 of new stuff but it is breakin like a parachute pants warin teen in the 80s! I broke one on Monday that was about 100 yards wide and a foot deep, the rest of the day was spent on sleds / low angle stuff. 

The big cornice at the top of the pass is half broken and has a bout a 10 gap with another 30 of cornice to transition (a 40drop). We were thinking of building a jump before the crack clearing the cornice then dropping off the 40er. Not sure if I will have the balls to or stupidity to hit it but if we do I will post some pics. If you have a sled to get there this is a good huck and easily lapable of about 20 to 40 (sleds or skis) depending on where you hit it. The landing looked good on Monday it loaded up with about 24 of fresh but under that will be bulletproof. 

There is a big 40 to 50 foot cliff that is good to go with a NE facin landin that is in the lost lake area. Nobody that I know of has hit it. Probably better ski than sled hit. It is close to the igloo this year so someone will probably fire this one up by the end of the year. 

Also if you have a sled and are in Gunnison look into the trailhead right above S. Butte. There is one climb that may be hard dependin on the sled but once you get back into the Cement creek area there are a ton of options.

The best huckable cliffs that I have run into in that area are up in the head of Taylor pass (just behind aspen). I was up there on Sunday and they got more snow than around here. Tons of cliffs with 30+ of fresh on the landings in the 20 to 50 foot range. If you are lookin for cliffs look into this area. Impossible to access with out a sled. It is probably about 15 to 20 miles from taylor lake/trading post. Look on a map for the old taylor pass road this is how you get into that basin.

Some of the best cliffs are closer to BV in the M basin. This is a bit like the M wave I will get shot or worse if I post exactly where it is.


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## chixon (Dec 21, 2004)

RDNEK,

I'm finally committed, I bought a sled a couple of weeks ago and found a trailer for it yesterday. I would be stoked to get up to the wood and check it out. I don't have much time until Monarch closes, but after that I'll give you a call and work something out. Lets try to rally another couple days down here as well. Hope you had fun in Patagonia.


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## Jahve (Oct 31, 2003)

So what kind of sled did you get? Let me know of the days that you can go! Now that you have a sled all that is left is to hit some "sweet jumps" with it. 

I went out on sunday and the top 100 or so yards near the tops of ridges was terrible but the lower parts of the run were equally as good.


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