Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Crested Butte and Monarch Mountain have both re-opened their slopes for the 2020/2021 ski season. Monarch Mountain opened on November 20th, and Crested Butte opened its slopes to pass-holders on the day before Thanksgiving, November 25th. 

Especially because of the shortened season due to early shut-downs last March, resident skiers and snowboarders are eager to get back out on the slopes and catch some powder days; however, with new rules and health regulations being implemented across the state, this endeavor may prove to be a little more challenging to accomplish this year, at least for Crested Butte pass-holders. In order to manage how many people are on the mountain at a time, Vail Resorts has implemented a reservation system for Crested Butte pass-holders to pre-register to ski to ensure that people feel safe and have an adequate amount of space to physically distance from others. Monarch Mountain pass-holders, on the other hand, will have no problem catching those powder days this season, as there are no reservations needed, as well as no black-out days! No matter which mountain you choose to ski this winter, be sure to check out Crested Butte’s and Monarch Mountain’s websites for more details on the newly implemented policies, as well as Colorado’s Health Regulations for Gunnison and Chaffee counties, before planning your skiing adventure!