As previously mentioned, I’ve had a long history with Monarch Mountain.
As a teenager, I pretty much learned to ski there. More decades than I care to remember later, I’m back skiing there again. While some might say that indicates a certain lack of growth; I say it’s a return to my roots. Monarch is great. Enough terrain to keep skiers of all abilities entertained, thirty minutes from the house and nowhere near the Vail, Ikon/Epic cluster of Colorado’s I-70 resorts. Monarch has remained fiercely independent, uniquely local.
For as long as I can remember there have been plans to expand Monarch. Over the years various owners have proposed additional runs, new hotels, even *gasp* a golf course. But being surrounded by national forest, expansion is complicated, requiring a boatload of studies, review and approval by multiple state and federal agencies and of course, plenty of money.
But now, at long last, we’re on the cusp of what has seemed like a fantasy for years. Monarch is actually expanding. Two years ago, the expansion plan cleared the last of its regulatory approval hurdles. Last summer they cut the trails. This coming summer they plan to install a new triple chair, with a target of opening for skiing winter 2025/26.
Say again, they’ve cut the trails?
That’s right.
Wait, that means…
Yep, that means right now there are new ski trails just beyond the resort boundary that are still technically backcountry but which can be easily accessed from the resort. Trees have been cleared, stumps removed and it’s all just sitting there, covered in snow. A unique, once-in-a-lifetime, one-season-only opportunity for those looking for backcountry powder. A chance to beat the crowds to a real-life unicorn of skiing nirvana.
The name of the expansion is No Name Basin.
Monarch resort faces primarily east with the Continental Divide forming the top of its upper ridge and western boundary. No Name Basin will be the first part of the resort on the western side of the Continental Divide, with most of its runs facing northwest.
Below is the Monarch Mountain master plan showing the existing resort on the bottom and No Name Basin at the top.
No Name Basin plan detail.
Photo of No Name Basin from August 2024, showing the beginning of tree clearing for the new runs.
The name “No Name Basin” wasn’t anyone’s attempt to be clever or non-committal. At least not anyone living today. Maybe some long ago trapper or explorer. That has been the name of the basin and the creek that flows out of it since long before anyone thought to ski there.
Access to No Name Basin is via the backcountry gate just off the top of the Panorama lift. Known, I recently discovered, as the Oots gate.
From there, it’s a gentle glade ski through nicely spaced trees to skier’s right. This turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Having never been through the gate I wasn’t sure what to expect for the ski over to No Name. I wasn’t ready to negotiate some tight 50-degree, double-diamond tree run for the privilege of skiing new terrain.
I could hear the angel chorus as I broke out of the trees onto what is an obvious ski run, except that it’s covered in foot-deep powder, untouched but for one or two ski tracks. Not a person in sight.
Excited, adrenalin pumping, I hung a left and started carving turns down the slope. Having this run all to myself felt like breaking the law somehow. So good. It started out mellow, gradually steepening toward the bottom. At the end, the terrain flattened out and I was standing on what I believe was, from looking at the plan map, the future location of the lower lift terminal.
Standing at the bottom looking up, the first thing that struck me about No Name Basin is its size. It’s a lot larger, with a lot more vertical than what I had in my head from looking at the maps. It’s going to be a transformative addition to Monarch. That’s the good news. The bad news: I was standing at the bottom of all that terrain on the opposite side of the Continental Divide from my car and was now faced with the not insignificant climb out. It was getting late in the day. Wanting to get in one more run before close, I quickly transitioned and started back up the hill.
Looking up one of the runs on my way out. I figured there would be evidence of a few people venturing back here but who made all these tracks?
Ah, that’s it. Monarch is taking cat skiing tours into No Name Basin. I saw the cat loading up skiers at the bottom as I was transitioning. My quiet solitude was broken as they went roaring by me up the hill.
Looking up at the No Name Basin headwall. That ridge is above the top of what will be the lift-served terrain. Presumably, it will continue to be reserved for cat skiing.
Besides traditional ski runs, No Name will also feature plenty of natural and man-made glade runs. Lot’s of barely tracked powder the day I was there. Good stuff!
My final climb out took longer than expected and took me somewhat off course as my desire to explore ran into my unfamiliarity with the terrain. Trust me, the map doesn’t do it justice. Fortunately, it was a bright sunny day, windy but not too cold. I got back to the Monarch base just before they started closing the lifts down at 4:00.
Needless to say, everyone familiar with Monarch is excited about the prospect of next season’s opening of No Name Basin. Those of us with backcountry capability will be enjoying this unique opportunity whenever possible this year before it’s officially discovered. Don’t tell anyone.