TR: Monarch Mountain 12/9/07

**Jax** · 12-09-2007, 09:15 PM

...and it was a very chilly day...too pooped for commentary, so here's some pics:

The drive:

The chair shot:

The first of many, many turns in cold fluff:

The scenery:

Nice little mountain and super fun day!

**_Aaron_** · 12-09-2007, 09:21 PM

Fucking sweet!

**grskier** · 12-09-2007, 09:23 PM

Most excellent..

Had a few friends head up from Taos.. looks like it was sweet.

**f2f** · 12-09-2007, 09:25 PM

great!

**Alpine Dreams** · 12-09-2007, 10:09 PM

Very nice.

**Benny Profane** · 12-09-2007, 10:14 PM

Nice. I love that little mountain. I'll bet there was a fun private party out back in catland.

**Harv** · 12-09-2007, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Nice. I love that little mountain. I'll bet there was a fun private party out back in catland.

no road out there yet but I am sure they will get out there this week. Monarch was a little overwhelmed by this dump.

thanks for the pics. "fun opening weekend" is the understatement being uttered around town tonight.

**backcountry1pr** · 12-09-2007, 10:59 PM

How were the lift lines?

**Harv** · 12-09-2007, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by backcountry1pr

How were the lift lines?

Garfield had some lines today. No lines that I saw on Pano. Breezeway is not open yet.

**FrankZappa** · 12-10-2007, 10:29 AM

Nice Jax. You should holler when in the neighborhod next time.

Lift lines. Hmmmm. Lets recall. Leave house at close to 8:30 sunday, drive about 15 minutes and only have to pass 3 cars on the drive up the pass. Get 2nd ow parking. Put on boots while finishing coffee. BS with folks in next car. Walk 100 yards to base. BS with skis and powder cords. Click in at 8:59, ski over to lift and catch 3rd chair. Ski down to Pano and have to wait 10 sec for 2 patrol to load first. Then catch "1st chair." Lap the shit out of Pano laying first tracks on every run for an hour and a half with basically ski up and hop on lift (once I had to wait for 4 chairs).

Go to bottom and drink a gallon of water. Click in and slide down to the now running Garfield. Line is 20-30 chairs tops. Lap that a few times still scoring fresh chop til 11:00.

11:05 on day 2 of season. Legs = well done toast. Head for home to go for a walk in woods hunting for christmas tree. End of day, drink a few, soak in hot tub, eat dinner, take ibuprofin and collapse in lazy-boy.

**Lone Star** · 12-10-2007, 10:37 AM

^^^^^^^ sounds like what I did at Alta this weekend. just add 10,000 people.

**Jax** · 12-10-2007, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by FrankZappa

Nice Jax. You should holler when in the neighborhod next time.

Lift lines. Hmmmm. Lets recall. Leave house at close to 8:30 sunday, drive about 15 minutes and only have to pass 3 cars on the drive up the pass. Get 2nd ow parking. Put on boots while finishing coffee. BS with folks in next car. Walk 100 yards to base. BS with skis and powder cords. Click in at 8:59, ski over to lift and catch 3rd chair. Ski down to Pano and have to wait 10 sec for 2 patrol to load first. Then catch "1st chair." Lap the shit out of Pano laying first tracks on every run for an hour and a half with basically ski up and hop on lift (once I had to wait for 4 chairs).

Go to bottom and drink a gallon of water. Click in and slide down to the now running Garfield. Line is 20-30 chairs tops. Lap that a few times still scoring fresh chop til 11:00.

11:05 on day 2 of season. Legs = well done toast. Head for home ....

Will do- you might have seen me- blue jacket, yellow pants. I was incognito, sporting the Dynastars/Langes, solo. That's exactly how my day went, down to the 2nd row parking. I made it all the way until 3, but had to hit the road to get home. My plan was to ski CB today, but it got foiled; I'll be there next Sunday anyhow. I skied WC on Friday, but no pics...

**FrankZappa** · 12-10-2007, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by Jax

... I'll be there next Sunday anyhow...

Any chance you'll be tavelin with some stuff you rep? I'd like to see some AT Gar boots (dyna comp) first hand since usually to ogle the good stuff requires travel to CB or front range from here, and any other goods.

Easiest to spot me is if it's cold enough (<20°), look for the old CO hat. Have upgraded to red/brownish ArcT above the waist. If the sun is out, ancient Vaurnet eyeballs. If you can see thru the boogercycles (which you better not be able to) greying beard coverin fugly mug.

**Jax** · 12-10-2007, 02:11 PM

We just got a few Axons to add to our demo fleet. They will be in CB on Sunday for a free demo, if you can make the trip.

**HikeforTurns** · 12-10-2007, 02:17 PM

Drove by yesterday after a weekend at the Butte, and it looked fantastic. I wish I had my touring gear (and wasnt a gimp) for a couple laps at the pass. Im seriously thinking about buying a place around Salida in a couple years and leaving the I-70 shitshow behind for good......

**Blizzard7763** · 12-10-2007, 02:54 PM

I almost forgot about that place. I guess that's what makes it money, though.

Looks like you got some good turns, congrats.

**khakis** · 12-10-2007, 03:08 PM

Jax;
trying to come up with a nice way to say this and it's not working.
Clean your box

**springsproject** · 12-10-2007, 03:37 PM

Monarch rules, nice pics. I love those runs skiers left of pano lift...ski steep pow then dicide when its time to straightline it back to the lift.

**Jax** · 12-10-2007, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by khakis

Jax;
trying to come up with a nice way to say this and it's not working.
Clean your box

It's unnatural, don'tcha know?

**timstich** · 12-10-2007, 06:01 PM

More pics from Monarch on 12/8. It snowed most of the day and got pretty foggy, too.

Another crappy Colorado weekend. Ha ha ha.

**mtnbikerskierchick** · 12-10-2007, 06:15 PM

Looks like a good time! Nice!!!!!!!!!

**timstich** · 12-10-2007, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by mtnbikerskierchick

Looks like a good time! Nice!!!!!!!!!

I liked your couloir skiing blog entries, too. I only climb those things, not ski down them. Ha. Dead Dog was my second one.

**Odin** · 12-11-2007, 11:35 PM

bump1234

**Odin** · 12-12-2007, 12:08 AM

bump1234

**MotoBeak** · 12-12-2007, 12:29 AM

I'm skiing there tomorrow, can't wait. I grew up skiing Monarch, and it still feels like home. Small, simple, often deep, always fun. It's a great contrast to the I-70 cluster. Nice pics!