Featured Image: Courtesy of Monarch Mountain
The future of Monarch Mountain just got a lot clearer. The U.S. Forest Service formally accepted the ski resort's 10- to 15-year master development plan (MDP), providing a road map for improvements and upgrades to a litany of things around the ski area.
The plan combines a series of projects and propositions into one, consolidated into a tidy, 108-page document. Some of the listed initiatives have been in the works for years, while others were just recently listed. While projects will still require additional "approval" from the National Forest Service (NFS) through a National Environmental Policy Act review, the acceptance of such a document is still a big step, taking well over three years to complete.
Preparing something of this magnitude is no small task, but Monarch is not alone in having to go through this process. Many ski areas operate on NFS land, meaning they must get approval for expansions, upgrades and more. Monarch happens to sit entirely on NFS land, in the Pike-San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, and Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.
Located in south-central Colorado, Monarch Mountain is a down-to-earth ski resort that remains proudly independent, a tagline the ski area constantly boasts while being surrounded by the State's many mega-resorts. This is a place where the Front Range traffic rarely flows, with lifts and lodges that immediately deliver a nostalgic feel, and skiers who pride themselves on ditching the luxurious amenities in favor of rich community and good turns.
The accepted MDP outlines plans such as the 2024 expansion into No Name Basin, an exciting addition that's slated to double Monarch's skiable acres and lift-accessed terrain. The MDP also discusses expanded parking, lift upgrades and new lift installations and trail grading. Additional infrastructure improvements outlined in the plan include new buildings at Pano Flats, Paradise Lot, and the top of Pano, along with replacements of the Rental and Lesson Center, Patrol Headquarters, and the Lift Maintenance Shop.
A heavily discussed component of the MDP centers around repeated mention of snowmaking. At a normal resort, this would just be another box to check, but Monarch is no ordinary resort. The ski area has always operated without the use of artificial snow, and even though snowmaking is mentioned in the plan, it's simply a contingency measure, according to Monarch.
"While snowmaking has appeared in the resort's MDPs for years as a contingency measure, Monarch remains committed to operating as a 100% natural-snow ski area," the official press release states. "The resort has never implemented snowmaking and continues to believe natural snow delivers the best possible skiing experience. Its inclusion in the plan is intended solely to cover all long-term planning scenarios, and Monarch will not pursue it unless conditions leave no other option."
Monarch's commitment to natural conditions is admirable, though it remains to be seen if that is a commitment they'll be able to keep. Many resorts are exploring creative ways to keep winter alive in the face of deteriorating winters, with Aspen Snowmass even beginning to tarp and store snow at the end of each season.
Above all, the accepted MDP is a milestone of an independent resort paving its own way forward. "We're committed to keeping the soul of Monarch alive, and we are excited about the new MDP plan," said Monarch's Director of Strategy and Safety Zach Moore. "We're looking forward to getting it all done!"
