Powderhorn vs Monarch?

[Shrambo]

Looking for opinions on which would be best for a long weekend trip. From Denver, we used to get A-Basin passes for years, WP before that ,but now (for this trip anyway) there are toddlers and wives and dogs and we can't ski just anywhere. it needs to be cheap, both lodging and lift tickets. Which do you all think has the better skiing out of these two choices? Any other down-home places you'd recommend, other than Wolf Creek?

tia

[yetigonecrazy]

Monarch is small in size, but has a lot of terrain to explore. There is no lodging at the base and the closest real lodging is in Salida- 20 minutes away. There are a lot of folks just like you there- front range I-70 escapees who are willing to drive extra far, but it's mostly Salida/Ark Valley locals and a few of us Gunny locals.

Powderhorn is actually a very sizable resort, but the lifts are old and slow. Some would complain, but top to bottom runs can last up to thirty minutes if you do it right so the lift rides offer up lots of time to recover and discuss safety. It's mostly locals from Grand Junction and surrounding areas there, but there is limited lodging at the base so there is always a few penny pincher tourists there. If youre after real skiing (not the carefully manufactured and cultivated skiing along the I-70 corridor) Powderhorn is a real untapped gem.

Sunlight is a great resort too. It's near Aspen but there are cheap lodging options available if you look, and like Powderhorn, Sunlight has a surprising amount of terrain thats just serviced by a few old lifts. The locals at Sunlight are some of the nicest I've ever met, as most of them are middle class folks from G Strings and Bondale.

I've heard Ski Cooper is small, but I haven't been there so I can't coment.

[Meng]

For lodging, there is the Monarch Mountain Lodge and Ski Town Condos - SKI TOWN CONDOS,LLC

Both are 10 mins drive to lifts, and cuts driving time from Salida down by 2/3.

[kclowe]

Go with Monarch. You can't beat it for the price. It seems pretty family friendly as well. It's now one of my faves.

Kim

[sj]

We did Powderhorn a lot when the kids were young. Had some of our best ski weekends there. Not challenging at all and the lifts are slow. But that leads to less crowded runs. And the kids chair is a great place for the little ones to get confidence. Take everything you need with and stay at the base you won't have any regets. sj

[lmyers]

I would suggest going with Monarch. Ski Town Condos are great little cabins in Garfield - about 5 miles from the mountain. There are also some really nice rental cabins in Maysville - about 10 miles from the slopes. Prices are very reasonable compared to the I-70 area. Plus Monarch tends to have powder longer than any other resort (besides Wolf Creek) - sometimes you can find stashes 2 weeks after the last storm!

[yetigonecrazy]

logan, are we gonna team up and slay some gnar this year at monarch or what???

[Shiryas]

Powderhorn does have great lodging right at the mountain.

There are never any lines there. I lived at Snowmass for eight years, before that I worked at Copper for two seasons. I have been at Powderhorn with all the parking lots full on a spring break week and still no lift lines.

You might also think about Sunlight. The lodging at the base is not that great but still better than Monarch. There are reasonable hotels in Glenwood that have shuttle service and are canine friendly. Sunlight does have lift tickets that include the hotsprings and other 'package' deals.

I would say take the train, its a fun time. But the schedule consistancy is not there. I know you do not want to be stuck with your family and a five hour delay on your return to the front range.

[lmyers]

Originally Posted by yetigonecrazy

logan, are we gonna team up and slay some gnar this year at monarch or what???

You know it! Just waiting for enough to pile up to drive up the pass and make some backcountry turns...maybe this weekend - Monarch only has so much "gnar", but I plan on another season of ripping it up as much as possible.

[yetigonecrazy]

if you guys go up this weekend, give me a shout beforehand. theres a good chance i'll be able to meet you guys this weekend