Monarch Mountain
Monarch Mountain is on Monarch Pass, two hours west of Colorado Springs and 2-1/2 hours southwest of Denver. Monarch has a variety of terrain on its 63 trails and offers a 1,162-foot vertical drop and 800 acres of skiing. Monarch's summit elevation is 11,952 feet, and the mountain averages more than 350 inches of snowfall per year. It usually opens in mid-November and stays open till early April. Parking is free at Monarch, and a lift ticket costs $54 a day (2010 prices). A season pass to Monarch is only $419 and also gives skiers three days of skiing at Angel Fire and Pajarito in New Mexico and three days at Durango and Loveland in Colorado.
Monarch Mountain
22720 W. Highway 50
Monarch, CO 81227
(719) 530-5000
skimonarch.com
Pico Mountain
Pico Mountain in Vermont is overshadowed by Killington, which is just south on the same ridgeline as Pico. Pico has a vertical drop of 1,967 feet and 50 trails on 214 acres. The summit elevation is 3,967 feet, and the mountain averages 250 inches of snowfall per year. The ski area supplements that with snow making on 75 percent of its terrain. Pico has seven lifts and is usually open from mid-December to the end of March. A lift ticket at Pico is $59 on weekends during high season (2010 prices), $57 on weekends during low season, and $45 midweek, while a season pass is $399. Every non-peak Monday, Thursday and Friday, Vermont residents can get a $25 lift ticket.
Pico Mountain
4 U.S. 4
Killington, VT 05751
(802) 422-3333
picomountain.com
Mount Baker Ski Area
If you can only go skiing once a year and you want to make sure you have snow, Mount Baker Ski Area is a good place to start. Mount Baker set the single season record for snow accumulation, receiving 1,140 inches of snow during the 1998-99 season. The mountain averages 647 inches of snow per year, the most of any resort in the world according to Forbes Travel. Mount Baker has a vertical drop of 1,500 feet, 10 lifts and a summit elevation of 5,089 feet. A day pass at Mount Baker is $47.50 (2010 prices) and a season pass is $730. The mountain is open from Nov. 1 to April 25.
Mount Baker Ski Area
Highway 542
Maple Falls, WA 98266
(360) 734-6771
mtbaker.us
