![]() Of course some people look for deteriorating conditions in the snow report for the likely development of mogul fields but for powder lovers and particularly snowboarders this can mean tracked out off-piste snow. For example, the snow report for Monarch Ski Area on Friday may indicate powder after recent snowfall but following a sunny and busy weekend, when the locals hit the mountains en masse, the ski conditions (at any resort) can deteriorate rapidly and late arrivals may see very different ski conditions. We stress the importance of checking the date on the Monarch Ski Area snow report particularly around weekends. If the snow report mentions pockets of powder at Monarch Ski Area, study the Monarch Ski Area piste map in relation to the wind direction to determine the most likely locations. High altitude slopes that are shaded from the sun and sheltered from the wind preserve powder stashes longer after fresh snowfall. ![]() Wind, rain and periods of above-freezing temperature are the primary cause of the evolution from fresh powder to windslab, ice or slush. Many skiers enjoy moguls and fast icy pistes but for off-piste skiers and free-ride snowboarders, fresh snow starts to deteriorate from the moment it settles. We advise that you check the Monarch Ski Area snow forecast to see if conditions are likely to change before your visit. Conversely, if the weather stays stable and cold, the same snow report can be valid for more than a week. For example, the Monarch Ski Area snow report on Friday afternoon may indicate fresh powder but if Friday night is mild and rainy then ski conditions will be very poor on Saturday morning. Whenever weather conditions change, Monarch Ski Area snow conditions will change too, so it is important to check the time and date of the Monarch Ski Area snow report and to guess what effect the weather will have had on snow quality between then and now. Alternatively, strong winds sometimes redistribute powder snow enough to cover old tracks, or it may simply be that the ski area was not fully open for some period after the snow fell, so fresh snow that fell a while ago has remained un-tracked until this report. At crowded ski resorts, off-piste new snow will be tracked out within hours of a fresh fall but wherever crowds are light in relation to the accessible terrain, it will be possible to stay fresh much later, perhaps several days later. If you see a report of powder or fresh snow conditions several days after snow last fell, there is usually a good reason. You will be able to predict whether to expect off-piste powder, slush, spring snow, ice or wind crust. It shows how much snow we think fell then, and the way freezing level, wind and weather have varied through time. The hindcast shows when our weather model last predicted snowfall at Monarch Ski Area. This detailed weather log makes it easy to predict snow conditions at Monarch Ski Area, even when the snow report is too old to be useful. Members can check the hindcast for a timeline of Monarch Ski Area weather conditions. If these details are missing from the Monarch Ski Area snow report, you can predict off-piste conditions using the snow depth, the date of the most recent snowfall at Monarch Ski Area, the Monarch Ski Area weather report and the forecast. Piste and off-piste are often different so we ask snow reporters to describe Monarch Ski Area piste and off-piste conditions separately. You can submit an updated snow report here. Too much work to get out of runs, and if you don't hike the ridge it wouldn't be worth it IMHO.The snow report describes the piste and off-piste ski conditions at Monarch Ski Area. Cat tracks should now go uphill, and several here do. ![]() Great snow, some great terrain, but overall lacking in a consistent vert and steep pitch to keep you smiling from top to bottom, the smile fades the further down the hill you go (unless you drop into the Waterfall area, but then it fades quickly as you hike/skate out of a hole). ![]() The Waterfall area is below the rim and has some great features but again, you will be skating or hiking out. The glades below the rim can be fun if you keep your speed up, but considering they get the killer POW often you really have to work it, and there is no getting around the 'flat-tracks' to get you back to the lift. Not such a big deal for skiers but boarders are constantly skating to make it back to the lift. But after the first 600-800 vertical feet, it becomes quite shallow in pitch and there are tons of holes or "flat-tracks". The top of the entire mountain is a great playground with easy hikes to sick terrain, anything from steep glades to fun cornices to gnarly cliff hucks. Rode Wolfy (Wolf Creek Ski Area) w/ 24"+ and the snow was gorgeous: light, deep, and fun. ![]()
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