Monarch Pass, Old Monarch Pass and Marshall Pass give quick access to good touring from the highway. Spring corn on the Sawatch peaks is a local rite of passage. All of it is avalanche terrain, and the Colorado snowpack is known for being tricky.

• Monarch Pass area: the easiest high-elevation access in the valley, right off US 50 at 11,312 feet.
• Old Monarch Pass: the road is closed to cars in winter, so park in the plowed pullout on the north side of US 50 just below the pass. Low-angle touring on the road, steeper options nearby.
• Marshall Pass: the old 1881 railroad grade on the Divide at 10,842 feet. Long, gentle approaches.
• Spring lines: once the snowpack settles, couloirs like Shavano's Angel come into shape. Go early and get off the slopes before they soften.
• Cottonwood Pass Road: not maintained past the Denny Creek Trailhead from November 1 until about Memorial Day. Beyond the gate it's snowmobiles and snowcats only.
• Learn here: AIARE avalanche courses run in the valley every winter. Buena Vista Mountain Adventures lists courses on the CAIC site.

Read the CAIC forecast every morning you tour, not just the first day of the trip. Forecast zones are drawn by conditions now, so search for the Monarch Pass area on the map.