Monarch Pass

Halfway across Colorado, invested in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, I crossed the Continental Divide via Monarch Pass, elevation 11,312. At the top of the pass, on the left, I was attracted to an roadside attraction, an aerial tram ride promising a scenic ride to the mountaintop. I stopped to investigate. At a cost of just $7, I readily secured passage for the short ride to the summit.

Full Screen Version


Encased in my little, suspended bubble, I rode to the top of the Monarch Ridge, about 300-ft above the pass. At the top, a large look-out building protected me from the cold winds and threatening weather. I did venture out on the balcony to take a few shots of the surrounding mountains, with the best views off to the east and northeast where the tallest mountains rose beyond a small ski area. I toyed with the idea of hiking back down to the car, but in the uncertain weather I was easily convinced to return on the tram, a pretty fun fallback mode.



How could I not stop for this?



On the tram




The panorama from the top. Click on the image for a larger view.