Industry News
Monarch Mountain, Colorado, is hosting its annual Gunbarrel Challenge on closing day, April 21, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., with an awards ceremony immediately following.
The Gunbarrel Challenge is a strenuous event for skiers and snowboarders where participants boot-pack to the top of the historic run and race via ski or snowboard back to the bottom to win the prestigious Golden Boot award.
The event is free, but participants must register and sign a waiver on the day of the event between 11:30 and 12:30 p.m. at the season pass desk. The Gunbarrel Challenge is open to all ages and has a mass start at 1:00 p.m.
“The Gunbarrel Challenge has become a fun and crazy closing-day event at Monarch Mountain. Participants dress up for this crazy race while a cheering crowd anxiously awaits at the bottom to congratulate the winner of the Golden Boot!”
– Kathryn Wadsworth, Monarch Event Manager
Gunbarrel was the first ski trail cut at Monarch back in the 1930s. Today, it is still a classic north-facing trail that consistently offers good snow and a great fall line. It is highly visible as it drops into the parking lot and is a favorite last run of the day for many. The original rope tow bull wheel is still in place at the top of the trail, and the log cabin at the bottom houses the motor room for the lift. An interpretive sign on top tells the trail’s story and that of its early Pioneers. Once a classic, always a classic.
