Southbound
The only single black diamond-rated line in the Mirkwood zone.
Moderate Freeride Skiing
- Distance
- 664 m
- Ascent
- 42 m
- Descent
- 80 m
A longer, more rewarding descent on this south-facing aspect.
Freeride Skiing Moderate
For a longer descent in the Southbound zone, hike all the way to the top of Mirkwood Basin, and descend the ridge to skier’s right. Continue to bear right, and drop into the wide-open south face. While this aspect does get wind-scoured at times, it usually fills in reasonably well, providing the opportunity for wide-open turns.
As you enter the trees lower down, you may note that compared to the standard Southbound line, the trees here are a bit tighter, requiring more precise turning to navigate successfully. That said, most adept skiers should be right at home here, since Southbound is the only single black diamond-rated line accessible from the Mirkwood hike. While the double black diamond ratings on a few of the lines in Mirkwood Basin are debatable, Southbound is certifiably easy with a mere 26° max pitch.
As you can imagine, Southbound’s south-facing aspect can become very sun-affected on warm days, meaning that finding good pow here requires perfect timing. If, on the other hand, you enjoy skiing spring conditions, Southbound offers slushy spring skiing sooner than any other aspect on the mountain. If your choices are between skiing crust or pushing some mashed potatoes around, Southbound begins to look awfully attractive.
If this additional vertical drop still isn’t enough, before you reach the piste you can choose to traverse hard to skier’s right to access the lower section of Lodgeview: Longer. Or, jump out onto the piste, and then turn left in a few hundred yards for Geno’s Meadows.
Moderate
Slopes become slightly steeper at around 25-30 degrees.
The only single black diamond-rated line in the Mirkwood zone.
Moderate Freeride Skiing
The most technical freeride line on Monarch Mountain.
Severe Freeride Skiing
A longer, tighter version of Lodgeview
Moderate Freeride Skiing
Home to the best senders at Monarch Mountain.
Difficult Freeride Skiing
A wide-open glade at the end of the ridge.
Moderate Freeride Skiing
0 m away
A wide-open face providing a delightful companion to the main Mirkwood Bowl.
Difficult Freeride Skiing
0 m away
The second obvious line down Elation Ridge, and the beginning of the larger cliff bands.
Difficult Freeride Skiing
0 m away
The most popular freeride line in Mirkwood Basin.
Difficult Freeride Skiing
0 m away
The easiest line in Mirkwood Trees, which still tends to hold excellent snow.
Difficult Freeride Skiing
0 m away
A short, steep, techy line at the end of the ridge.
Severe Freeride Skiing
13 routes · Freeride Skiing
8 routes · Freeride Skiing · Resort Ski Touring