Monarch Mountain will welcome its first skiers and snowboarders of the season Wednesday thanks to a bountiful storm over the weekend.

The ski area beloved by southern Coloradans credited more than a foot of snow for the season kickoff. Without snowmaking infrastructure, Monarch relies entirely on natural elements from its base near 10,800 feet.

As of Monday morning, the ski area had yet to announce what terrain would be open and what lifts would be turning Wednesday. In a statement, General Manager Randy Stroud said crews were “working diligently on getting as much terrain open as possible, and since Mother Nature has been so giving, we hope that it’s quite a bit.”

Operating hours will be from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The rental shop and ski and ride school will be open as well, along with Sidewinder Saloon and Java Stop.

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