Skiers and snowboarders now have access to 130 additional acres
opened for skiing and riding called Mirkwood Basin.
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Accessible via the Breezeway lift and a 15-minute hike along a
cat-track, the new terrain will offer about 1,100 vertical feet of extreme
skiing/riding. This expansion allows skiers/boarders to access steep expert
chutes and glades, rock cliffs, and excellent tree skiing previously accessible
only via Monarch's Snowcat Tours.
On opening day, March of 2005, skiers
and boarders were raving - or was it ragin'? - about the long anticipated
opening of the Basin. This new area is sure to be a turn-on for the legions of
extreme skier and boarder junkies who will want to sample Colorado's newest dose
of double-black diamond terrain.
Long known for its all-natural
champagne powder, short lift lines and small-town friendly crew, Monarch adds
another dimension with Mirkwood Basin. Come see why so many people are headed
back to Monarch for a new black-diamond experience. Guided Mirkwood tours are
available and are a great way to explore this unique area. Tours begin at the
Lesson Center at 10:30 and last two hours. These tours are for ages 13 and up.
Here's some information about this
new double-black diamond area:
- It is a 10-15 minute hike to make the 300 vertical foot climb (1200 linear
feet) to the top of the basin.
- There are roughly 130 skiable acres.
- EXTREME Terrain means: any place within the ski area boundary that contains
cliffs with a minimum twenty-foot rise over a fifteen-foot run, and slopes with
a minimum fifty-degree average pitch over a one-hundred-foot run. You may also
encounter the following: open bowls, cliffs, glades, chutes, rocks and trees.
Only for the experienced skier/rider.
- An egress road will bring you back to a run called Slo Motion which ends up
at the main base lodge.
Any other specific questions about this area
should be directed to the Monarch Ski Patrol. Now get out there and have some
fun!
NEW FOR 2010-2011: MIRKWOOD TOUR
Interested, but a bit hesitant? The Mirkwood Tour is a guided
tour of our expert level hike to terrain. Tours take place on Saturdays at 11am
for 1.75 hours. Orientation and information lap through Mirkwood (Extreme
Terrain). The Mirkwood Tours are available for skiers and snowboarders ages 13+
and levels 8+. Cost is $55.00
