No Name Basin is finally about to lose its best-kept-secret status. Monarch Mountain is set to crack open its long-planned backside expansion across the Continental Divide this week, giving skiers a fresh pod of lift-served terrain anchored by the brand-new Tomichi triple chair.
The new lift drops about 1,000 vertical feet and serves roughly a dozen runs designed for intermediate and advanced skiers, with a distinctly Colorado mix of bowls, glades, and fall-line descents. Resort leaders say the 377-acre addition is meant to spread out crowds while keeping Monarch firmly in its homegrown, no-frills lane.
The resort is throwing an opening celebration on Thursday, January 29. The Breezeway Lift will carry skiers toward the top of the Divide, and the first chairs on Tomichi are promised to the first people in line. Monarch is planning a ribbon-cutting at the top of the lift, plus live music and giveaways. Breezeway is scheduled to open at 9 a.m. on the day of the celebration, according to the Denver Gazette.
What the Expansion Includes
The expansion was approved through the Forest Service process and formally adds 377 acres to Monarch’s special-use permit area, bumping the footprint from about 769 acres to roughly 1,146 acres. Project documents from the agency describe a new fixed-grip chairlift of roughly 2,700 feet in length with close to 1,000 feet of vertical rise, along with cleared runs, gladed terrain, an access road, and base-area support facilities. According to the U.S. Forest Service project page, the NEPA decision was the key step that allowed construction to move forward.
How It Skis and How to Get There
The Tomichi Lift is designed to tie cleanly into existing access from the Breezeway and Panorama lifts, so much of the new terrain can be reached without long hikes. Early trail maps and reporting show about a dozen named runs and two gladed sections offering a mix of cruisers and steeper tree shots aimed squarely at intermediate and advanced skiers, according to Teton Gravity.
Resort updates caution that coverage can be uneven in the lower parts of the basin and that guests should use extra care near road cuts. Monarch lists current lift and trail statuses and storm totals as operations ramp up. At the same time, statewide snowpack is well below normal this winter, with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reporting record-low or near-record measurements at many SNOTEL sites heading into 2026. The NRCS report puts those weather and coverage details into a broader context.
For Monarch’s owners and managers, the debut is being framed as the payoff after years of planning. Bob Nicolls has called the project “a tremendous addition” that keeps Monarch “in the same genre it’s always been,” while General Manager Chris Haggerty described the launch as “beyond rewarding,” according to the Denver Gazette.
Skiers heading up for opening day are being urged to check the current lift and trail reports before driving. Monarch plans to hand first chairs on Tomichi to those already in line at Breezeway on opening morning, and Monarch will carry the latest status on the lift and the new runs.
