Big Sky (Montana)
SKIING AT BIG SKY MOUNTAIN RESORT
Among the most expansive and advanced terrain in the United States. Here are some of the lifts and lines that were memorable, intended for experienced skiers when the mountain has good snow. (When the mountain has not had snow in a while, the wind patterns dictate the best areas). Conditions are always changing but for what it’s worth:
MAIN TRAIL MAP
Ramcharger/Thunder Wolf provide access to beautiful glade runs:
Ski the blue lines down to the orange access gates to Broken Arrow and Crazy Raven.
A local who was kind enough to show us around believes Shady Chute (also accessed via an orange gate from a blue line) is one of the most beautiful places on the mountain. Beneath Shady Chute is a traverse back to Thunder Wolf as well as access to Peru which is a much steeper/more advanced (and fun!) glade run that will also return you to Thunder Wolf.
The Ramcharger Lift Line and Ambush areas also offer many glades to explore.
Challenger:
“17 Green” (marked in person but not on map) was some of the best skiing of the trip. Went to looker’s left off lift and dropped in continuing to the left through first gate towards Highway and Country Club. Skied skier’s right to avoid rock fields at top before cutting hard diagonally skier’s left into “17 Green” and through steep trees below Big Rock Tongue. Repeated this run several times. Top is very steep. Winds one day were 40-50mph gusts but constantly replaced snow on the line. Same day they were clocking 155mph at top of Tram.
Also skied Highway to St. Alphonse Trees.
Going hard skier’s left underneath the Challenger lift house and under the lift will access Midnight and Moonlight area through trees to Fast Lane and back to Challenger.
To looker’s right at the top of the Challenger lift is access to the Headwaters Bowl. Bootpack hikes of various lengths (5 min to 45 min+) access a series of advanced chutes. Those beneath the Headwaters Lift are the least technical.
Lone Tree:
Working your way over looker’s right of the mountain takes you to the Moonlight Basin area where Broken Heart and Shaftway (steeper) offer two great glade runs among many others. These runs lead to the bottom of the Six Shooter Lift which gives you the option to further explore the Moonlight Basin area or return to the Mountain Village.
THE BOWL
Challenger:
1-3 Little Gullies area was mighty steep and hairy coming from top of Challenger Lift / Gate across Country Club. Not sure exactly which chute we took but it was sketchy at the entry and then opened up.
Powder Seeker:
Took Turkey Traverse skier’s right almost all the way to the end (very long) with a local father/daughter and likely dropped into South Wall just inside Stutzman’s Rock. Super steep. Great snow. Very cool.
Lone Peak Tram:
Lone Peak Tram provides access to some of the best in-bounds terrain in the United States. Two alternating trams hold 15 people each and take less than 5 minutes to reach the top. In an attempt to mitigate 30+ minute lines, Big Sky started charging an additional fee to access the Tram in 2022. The fee changes daily and when I was there it was $70 one day and $80 another. You can link your pass to your credit card to autocharge you when you pass through the Tram gates. I heard from a local that the fee can be as low as $40 midweek. Unfortunately the lines were still 20-30 minutes.
Marx and Lenin are two steep but wide runs on the backside of Lone Mountain that are somewhat similar to the Headwall at Jackson Hole. They are amazing to ski on a bluebird day with breathtaking views and both finish at top of Shedhorn Lift from which you can ski down to the Shedhorn Grill, a fire-warmed yurt skier’s right from the top of Shedhorn Lift serving food and drinks. A great stop for lunch or a break.
The Big Couloir is on the frontside of Lone Mountain and visible from the Tram line and the top of Powder Seeker Lift. It was the steepest and most exposed terrain I have ever skied and an 100% no-fall zone requiring a lot of due diligence /evaluation prior to embarking. To access this in-bounds line you need to “sign out” with ski patrol in the small shed at the top of the hill when you exit the Tram (not to be confused with the ski patrol hut at the top of the long staircase). Only two people are allowed to ski the Big Couloir every 15 minutes. Ski patrol will first check that you have an avalanche beacon (a probe and shovel is not required but recommended) and a partner, and then assign you the next available time slot and show you a photograph of the line. The first time we signed up our time slot was 35 minutes later so we stayed at the top of Lone Mountain to wait for our descent. Fortunately, the weather was beautiful and the sky was so clear that we could see as far as the Tetons in Wyoming. The second time we skied it, later that day, our wait time was just 20 minutes. I heard that sometimes you are able to ski the line right away while other times the wait can be as long as 2 hours+ in which case you ski elsewhere in the meantime. There had not been significant snow over the prior month so the upper part (which people say is a 45-50 degrees pitch) was icy and required repeated jump turns. Ski patrol instructs you to ski the line one at at time, with the first skier stopping at the halfway point in the “safe zone” to the right near some chains, waiting for the second skier to reach the halfway point, and then proceeding to the bottom one at a time. The lower part after the “safe zone” had a surprising amount of windblown powder. Overall the experience was a blast.
SOUTH FACE
Dakota:
Competitor with “17 Green” for best skiing of the trip in the trees to the left off the lift. I believe in and around the Dakota Gully. Snow was unbelievable.
Bavarian Forest to the right off the lift. Sections #4 and #5.
Shedhorn:
The only highlight from this lift was the aforementioned Shedhorn Grill. Stopped here for a beer after coming down Marx from Tram. Warm fire. Food. Porta-potties. Adirondack chairs on wooden porch outside.
If going to the right off the Shedhorn Lift, stay high all the way back to Main Trail Map. Avoid dropping into Chicken Head Bowl, etc. because Skittles Road is a long time-consuming flat traverse at bottom.
FOOD IN BIG SKY
Alberto’s is a Mexican restaurant about 10 minutes from Big Sky Mountain Village with excellent food and spicy margaritas.
The Riverhouse is a great BBQ joint about 15 minutes from Big Sky Mountain Village. Fried chicken was spectacular and I don’t even like fried chicken.
The Corral is a bar and restaurant about 20 minutes from Big Sky Mountain Village offering a wide selection of drinks and a game-inspired menu.
LODGING IN BIG SKY
320 Guest Ranch is a bed and breakfast about 30 minutes south of Big Sky Mountain Village with historic roots dating to 1898. About $350/night for a private cabin with two queen beds (4 people) which includes a complimentary buffet breakfast in their restaurant each morning. The restaurant offers a beautiful lodge setting with a pool table and chessboard in the separate bar area. The menu offers a lot of wild game and a creative cocktail menu.