Ski Guide for the Rocky Mountains: Big Sky Resort, Montana

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Skiing the Rockies

Big Sky

The Mega-Resort
Towering over sage-strewn Montana ranch country, about an hour south of Bozeman, Big Sky Resort, Montana (1 Lone Mountain Trail; 800/548-4486, 406/995-5000; adult day passes from $75; bigskyresort.com) lives up to its name: it’s colossal—on the scale of resorts like British Columbia’s whistler Blackcomb or Russia’s krasnaya Polyana. When Big Sky merged with neighboring Moonlight Basin in 2005, the combined resort became the largest ski area in the country—with a total of nearly 5,300 acres of terrain (beating Vail by about 11 acres). For years the two resorts were embroiled in a hatfield-mcCoy-esque land feud, and while things are peaceful now, they couldn’t radiate more divergent vibes. Big Sky is an off-the-grid resort for serious skiers, while moonlight Basin is a ritzy retreat in the Aspen mold.

On the Big Sky side, monolithic 11,166-foot lone Peak sits 2,000 feet above the tree line with headwalls off the summit like “Lenin” and “Marx,” and an east side providing technical terrain with the 1,450-foot “Big Couloir.” From midmountain down, meandering cruisers wend through stands of lodgepole pines, open snowfields, and steep,
whitewashed bowls. gates along the resorts’ boundaries allow free access between them, and another at the summit admits access to 600 backcountry acres on lone Peak’s north face. alongside its classy character, moonlight brings some serious terrain to the table as well. A 10- to 15-minute hike from the top of the headwater chairlift will bring you to nine galvanizing headwater chutes—trail names “Firehole” and “Hellroaring” give an idea of the pitch. If steep isn’t your game, Moonlight also offers a bevy of intermediate runs, like the 2.8-mile thigh-busters “Horseshoe” and “Trembler.” (Half of the two resorts’
runs are intermediate or beginner.)

The difference in the two areas extends to the base as well. Where roughneck locals and pubs bedecked with vintage skis characterize Big Sky, Moonlight Basin is more about sipping Veuve Clicquot in Bogner one-pieces while boarding-school kids race around the baroque Moonlight Lodge. The Cowboy Heaven Cabins (1 Mountain Loop Rd.; 800/845-4428, 406/995-7600; rooms from
$335; moonlightbasin.com/stay/lodging) are a perfect getaway from the scene. Each log cabin has spacious living quarters and a private deck with hot tub for stargazing. The good life rolls on at The Timbers Restaurant (1 Mountain Loop Rd.; 406/995-7777; entrées from $24; moonlightbasin.com/dining), where Chef Scott mechura cooks local Montana beef, elk, and buffalo with a French-Asian twist. dishes like the berbere-crusted Montana Legend Hanger steak with garlic frites or buffalo tenderloin with truffle gnocchi have made The Timbers the area’s favorite fine-dining restaurant in just a few short years. Families love the indoor, 90-foot water slide, spa, and complimentary continental breakfast at the White Water Inn (47214 Gallatin Rd., 800/548-4486, 406/995-2333; rooms from $125, deals from $99; bigskyresort.com/lodging), one mile down U.S. 191.

The recently renovated, three-story Huntley Lodge (1 Lone Mountain Trail; 800/548-4486, 406/995-5000;
rooms from $160; bigskyresort.com/lodging) in Big Sky’s base village is a good value alternative to moonlight’s properties. Crosscountry skiing at Lone Mountain Ranch (750 Lone Mountain Ranch Rd.; 800/514-4644; rooms from $320/night per person for 7-night/8-day crosscountry ski packages, partially inclusive; sleigh-ride dinner from $78/person for nonguests; lonemountainranch.com) is a fun side trip. Stick around for the sleigh-ride dinner, serving prime rib prepared over a century-old wood-burning stove—then listen to after-dinner stories and songs for the total western experience. At Spirit of the North (Moonlight Basin Ranch; 406/995-3424; adult dogsled rides from $115; huskypower.com) dogsled tours, guests learn to drive a dogsled through the stunning Moonlight Basin Ranch, just about a mile from the resort. Solace Spa (406/995-5803; treatments from $55; bigskyresort.com/activities) offers a more relaxing respite from the slopes with its native stone and sheabutter treatment, among others.

Getting to Big Sky
Factor in 6 hours flight time to Bozeman, Montana from New York City and 3 hours from Los Angeles. From the airport, the Karst Stage shuttle service (karststage.com) will take you 52 miles to Mountain Village. Adult rates start at $46. From the town of Bozeman, take the free Skyline Bus Service (skylinebus.com) all the way to Big Sky.