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Monarch Mountain ski resort
Tier B — Favored

📷 Monarch Mountain

North America

Monarch Mountain

Closed for the season

Season ended April 19, 2026

Conditions data updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:03 AM UTC · informational only

Closed for the season — closed April 19

Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.

Last Snowfall

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Past 24 Hours

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Past 48 Hours

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Past 10 Days

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14-Day Forecast

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Snow Depth

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🎿

Powder Days

1

2026–27 season

Updated: Aug 28, 9:03 AM•Weather at base: 3231m

Overview

Monarch Mountain is a ski resort in North America, United States, currently closed for the season (Season ended April 19, 2026). Conditions last updated 2026-08-28 09:03 UTC.

Resort Guide

Monarch Mountain is located in south-central Colorado on the Continental Divide, offering over 800 skiable acres with a variety of terrain suitable for all ability levels. The resort is known for its abundant natural snowfall, laid-back atmosphere, and uncrowded slopes. Key amenities include ski and snowboard rentals, lessons, multiple dining options, and a base lodge. Monarch Mountain stands out for its authentic Colorado ski experience, affordable pricing, and emphasis on natural snow conditions.

Resort Info

Summit3668m
Base3231m
Vertical437m
Lifts9
Runs63
Skiable Area1146 acres
Average snowfall350 inches / 889 cm
CountryUnited States
Visit Resort Website →Follow on Instagram →View Trail Map →

Season dates

Season endedApril 19, 2026
Projected openingDecember 4, 2026

Future dates are operator estimates and may change.

Ski passes

No ski pass found

Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.

Top Après Ski

Sidewinder Saloon – A popular après-ski spot at Monarch Mountain, Sidewinder Saloon is known for its welcoming atmosphere, local craft beers, hearty comfort food, and live music events, making it a favorite gathering place for skiers and snowboarders to unwind after a day on the slopes.

Snow Summary

3668mECMWF Model

Updated Aug 28, 2026 at 9:03 AM

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24h
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Past 10d
14-Day Forecast
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Prev10d
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Now28
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S29
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S30
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M31
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T1
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W2
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T3
Past
Today
Forecast

Snowfall Forecast Maps

Rockies & Southwest region

Current Conditions

Reported Fri, Aug 28, 09:03 AM UTC

Depth by source

every reading we have
  • SNOTELBase 0cm

The headline depth uses the most trusted available source. We show every reading so you can judge for yourself.

Base

3231m

Temp

8.3°C

Wind

5km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

0cm

Mid-Mountain

3450m

Temp

--°C

Wind

6km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

0cm

Summit

3668m

Temp

5.4°C

Wind

5km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

0cm

El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026-27

Monarch Mountain El Niño rank & forecast

Monarch Mountain ranks #155 of 488 SnowSure resorts — Tier B, +5% in strong El Niño winters.

Tier B — Favored: Modest El Niño upside (+3% to +8% vs normal). Often a solid pick, without the biggest Andes-style swings.

#155 of 488Tier B — Favored

Strong-event signal: +5% vs this resort's 30-yr avg

In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Monarch Mountain averaged +5% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically leaned mildly in this resort's favor for winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 -17%, '15-16 -16%, '23-24 +47%. A pattern, not a promise.

'97-98 −17%'15-16 −16%'23-24 +47%

Signal = average snowfall in the three strongest El Niño winters since 1996 ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24) vs this resort's own 30-year ERA5 baseline. n=3 — a lean, not a law. Updated monthly against measured snowfall Dec–Mar.

Full El Niño report →

Live Conditions

Monarch Mountain Webcams

All Webcams

Monarch Mountain

Monarch Mountain

Monarch Mountain

Monarch Mountain

4 webcams • Click to expand

Snow Stake Cams

All Snow Stake Cams

Monarch Mountain

Monarch Mountain

2 snow stake cams • Click to expand

Local Reports

0 reports
SnowSure™ Forecast Range

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

The black line is not a simple average. For Monarch Mountain (rockies), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).

  • 1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
  • 2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
  • 3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.

Building verification history for this resort.

How we verify forecasts →

Hourly Forecast Detail

AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level

NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 28, 9:03 AM

Hourly Forecast Detail
 
Today
17 / 40.9mm
Sat, Aug 29
15 / 44.3mm
Sun, Aug 30
13 / 24.4mm
Mon, Aug 31
13 / 211.4mm
Tue, Sep 1
12 / 11.2mm
Wed, Sep 2
14 / 20.3mm
PeriodAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Snow (cm)000000000000000000
Precip (mm)00.60.303.40.901.23.23.64.23.6010.200.20.1
Temp (°C)10178101177125610461247136
Wind (km/h)81751416912158696101610131710
Gusts (km/h)275319455630405627204435365239435537

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

Summit elevation (3668m)

ECMWF
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GFS
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JMA
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ICON
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Météo-Fr
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SnowSure™
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10-Day Forecast

Today

28

🌧️

17.1°

3.9°

18 km/h

Sat

29

🌧️

15.2°

4.3°

21 km/h

Sun

30

🌧️

13.4°

2.4°

20 km/h

Mon

31

🌧️

12.9°

2.3°

10 km/h

Tue

1

🌧️

12.3°

0.9°

17 km/h

Wed

2

🌧️

13.7°

1.7°

18 km/h

Thu

3

🌧️

15°

2°

15 km/h

Fri

4

🌧️

16°

3.6°

15 km/h

Sat

5

🌧️

16.7°

3.6°

18 km/h

Sun

6

🌤️

15.8°

4.6°

23 km/h

Summit elevation (3668m) • ECMWF model

Avalanche

Off-season — no rating published

Colorado Avalanche Information Center

Watch for signs of unstable snow such as recent avalanches, cracking in the snow, and audible collapsing. Avoid traveling on or under similar slopes.

Read the official bulletin ↗

SnowSure relays the official avalanche bulletin and does not issue avalanche forecasts. Read the full bulletin at the issuer’s link and make your own terrain decisions. Not a substitute for avalanche education, equipment, or local knowledge.

Getting There

Drive times & access

Last updated 9:47 AM

2 sensors nearby

Official map ↗

Drive conditions

Quiet — No winter restrictions — typical off-season pavement

No chain controls or closures on the highways SnowSure watches near Monarch Mountain. Nearest roadside sensor (US 50 MP 199.35 EB at Monarch Pass, 1.7 km): Above freezing, air 10°C. Late-season / summer readings are not a winter forecast. The resort road status and the official DOT map are authoritative — re-check before you drive.

SnowSure take from the live sensors. Not the resort's road status.

Roadside weather sensors

US 50 MP 199.35 EB at Monarch Pass

1.7 km · CDOT

Above freezing

Air
10°C
Wind
15 km/h
Precip
no precipitation

Updated 9:45 AM

US-285 119.10 Southbound at Poncha Pass

23.5 km · CDOT

Above freezing

Road surface
14°C
Air
11°C
Wind
5 km/h
Precip
no precipitation

Updated 9:47 AM

Live highway sensors & cameras within ~30–40 km, via CDOT. Conditions on the drive, not the mountain — the resort's own road status is authoritative. Always re-check before a winter drive.

Season vs Historic

Updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:03 AM UTC

0cm

Season Total

This Season to Date

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vs 5-Year Avg

Off-season · 202cm full-season avg

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vs 30-Year Avg

Off-season · 170cm full-season avg

202cm

5-Yr Avg by Now

The last completed season totaled ~141.4 cm. That's 30% below the 5-year average (202 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 17% below the 30-year average (170 cm).

Monarch Mountain Snow History

Average annual snowfall is 221cm with an average of 109 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).

Average monthly snowfall history
MonthAvg SnowfallSnowfall DaysAvg Base DepthMax Base DepthBiggest Snowfall
November22.6cm11 days8cm18cm7.3cm
December27.9cm13 days21cm31cm7.2cm
January27.9cm14 days33cm44cm7.5cm
February28.5cm15 days43cm54cm6.6cm
March33cm15 days49cm61cm7.3cm
April36cm16 days45cm57cm8.8cm
May20.6cm11 days21cm44cm6.4cm

Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.

Season at a Glance

Next season(2026-27)

Opens Dec 4, 2026

Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.

ENSO seasonal analog

History · not a forecast

In 10 past El Niño winters at Monarch Mountain, ERA5 season snowfall median was 196 cm (77 in), about 1% below this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.

Prevailing ONI

El Niño

MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C

Analog season median

196 cm

10 El Niño winters · 1% below median

All-season median

199 cm

Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026-27)

PhaseSeasonsMedianp25–p75Recent analogs
El Niñocurrent10196 cm184 cm – 244 cm2023, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2014, 2009
La Niña12208 cm169 cm – 272 cm2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2011, 2010
ENSO-neutral8211 cm165 cm – 249 cm2025, 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2003

Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.

Best Months to Visit

February

Peak Season

January

Peak Season

March

Good

December

Good

Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.

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Frequently asked questions about Monarch Mountain

Where is Monarch Mountain?
Monarch Mountain is a ski resort in the United States.
How high is Monarch Mountain?
Monarch Mountain runs from a base elevation of 3,231 m (10,600 ft) to a summit of 3,668 m (12,034 ft), giving a vertical drop of 437 m (1,434 ft).
How big is Monarch Mountain?
Monarch Mountain has 1,146 acres (464 hectares) of skiable terrain, 63 marked runs and 9 lifts.
Which ski pass covers Monarch Mountain?
Monarch Mountain is on the No ski pass found. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
When is ski season at Monarch Mountain?
Monarch Mountain typically operates from December to April. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
How much snow does Monarch Mountain get in a typical season?
Monarch Mountain averages 350 inches / 889 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
How will El Niño affect Monarch Mountain in winter 2026-27?
El Niño Signal Rank: #155 of 488 SnowSure resorts · Tier B · strong-event signal +5% vs its own 30-yr average. In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Monarch Mountain averaged +5% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically leaned mildly in this resort's favor for winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 -17%, '15-16 -16%, '23-24 +47%. A pattern, not a promise.