Colorado’s Monarch Mountain is making skiing and snowboarding more accessible to local kids this winter with a new program that will provide approximately 1,300 students with a free day on the slopes.
The initiative, called Salida School Days, will bring students from the Salida School District to the ski area during the 2026-27 season. It will be the first year of the program, which is designed to provide local students with an opportunity to experience skiing or snowboarding without paying for mountain access.
Located approximately 20 miles west of Salida, Monarch Mountain has been operating since 1939 and remains one of Colorado’s independent ski areas. The mountain relies entirely on natural snowfall, averaging approximately 350 inches annually, and has built a reputation for offering a more traditional Colorado skiing experience without the extensive resort development found at many larger destinations.
Monarch Mountain Is Also Introducing $49 Beginner Lessons
The free school days aren’t the only affordability initiative coming to Monarch this winter. The ski area is also introducing half-day beginner ski and snowboard lessons for $49, available to anyone ages 7 and older who falls within beginner ability levels 1 through 3.
The $49 price covers the group lesson itself, with lift tickets and equipment rentals purchased separately. The offering is intended for first-time skiers and snowboarders as well as beginners looking to develop their skills.
Monarch has experienced substantial growth in recent years, including the opening of its 377-acre No Name Basin expansion during the 2025-26 season. The ski area also recently outlined a long-term master development plan that includes potential new chairlifts, expanded facilities and improvements to beginner terrain.
The Salida School Days program represents another investment in the mountain’s future, this time focused on introducing the next generation of local skiers and snowboarders to the sport.
More Colorado Ski Areas Are Offering Free Skiing To Students
Monarch isn’t alone in its efforts to make skiing more accessible. Colorado Ski Country USA’s announcement highlighted several resorts introducing or continuing programs that reduce the financial barriers to getting on the mountain.
At Granby Ranch, the Free Ski Fridays program will provide complimentary skiing and snowboarding every Friday this winter for Grand County School District students and employees. The program also includes free equipment rentals beginning at 10 a.m. and beginner lessons from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Powderhorn’s Bob Beverly Free Learn to Ski/Ride Program offers first-time skiers and snowboarders up to three free days, including lessons, lift tickets and equipment rentals.
Colorado Ski Country USA is also celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Kids’ Ski Passport, which gives students in kindergarten through sixth grade four days of skiing or snowboarding at each of 19 participating Colorado resorts. The 2026-27 pass costs $76.
For Monarch Mountain, specific dates for the inaugural Salida School Days have not yet been announced, nor has the resort detailed whether equipment rentals and instruction will be included with the complimentary mountain access. What is confirmed is that approximately 1,300 local students will have the opportunity to spend a day skiing or snowboarding without paying for the day on the mountain.
