You’ll Melt At Monarch

A A A Comments By Colin Bane Thursday, Mar 31 2011

Monarch Mountain has been getting hammered with snow all winter, making it one of the top destinations for local skiers and snow-boarders. It also bodes well for the spring whitewater season, when boaters with rafts and kayaks come to splash in the runoff between Monarch Pass and nearby Salida.

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“The Kayaks on Snow race is like a rite of spring for people around here, marking that transition,” says Monarch Mountain spokesman Greg Ralph. “We celebrate the snow year-round, whether it’s falling or melting.”

Picture the boarder-cross courses at the Winter X Games, but with boats: “We build a course with berms and rollers that finishes with a pond at the end for a nice, chilly finish line,” Ralph says. “It’s our biggest spectator event every year, and it’s just hysterical. Kayaks are designed for running on water, not hardpack snow, so the boaters get bounced around pretty good.” Competitors will race in heats of four until there are four finalists; the top finishers will battle it out for prizes including a New Belgium cruiser bike, a kayak and a Mon-arch season pass.

Call 1-888-996-7669 to register ($20) or sign up between 9 and 10 a.m. before the event. Visit www.skimonarch.com for more infor-mation.
Sat., April 2, 2011

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