Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding
For many years the attitude of more advanced skiers toward Big Sky was "big deal." There wasn’t nearly enough challenging skiing to keep expert skiers interested for long, and certainly not for an entire ski week. As a remedy, the Big Sky people strung up the Challenger chairlift, one of the steepest in the country, and then installed a tram to the summit of Lone Peak, providing access to an array of steep chutes, open bowls, and at least one scary-steep couloir. The tram also gave Big Sky the right to claim the second-greatest vertical drop—4,350 feet—of any resort in the country.
None of that, however, has diminished Big Sky’s otherwise easy-skiing reputation. There is still a good deal of intermediate and lower-intermediate terrain, a combination of wide-open bowl skiing higher up and trail skiing lower down. Additionally, there are 85 km (51 miles) of groomed cross-country skiing trails nearby at Lone Mountain Ranch.
The other plus about skiing Big Sky is its wide variety of exposures. Many of the ski areas here are built on north-facing slopes, where snow usually stays fresher longer, protected from the sun. In addition to these, Big Sky also has plenty of runs facing south and east, and the differing snow textures that result make for more interesting skiing.
Lift tickets cost $165 during peak season (January) and drop to $74 by mid-April. Multiday tickets (up to 10 days) offer savings of up to $9 per day. Kids 10 and under ski free. "The Biggest Skiing in America" lift ticket ($94) allows access to both Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin, which make up the largest connected skiable terrain in the United States (5,500 acres).
Moonlight Basin. The Big Sky resort dominates downhill skiing in the area, but don't overlook the resort at Moonlight Basin, with north-facing slopes overlooking the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area.
The runs aren't as lengthy as they are next door at Big Sky, but Moonlight's 1,900 acres offer some unique knolls, chutes, and glades. Vertical drop is 4,150 feet, and runs are rated 21% beginner, 26% intermediate, 14% advanced, and 39% expert. Lift tickets cost $55. Purchase of "The Biggest Skiing in America" ticket ($94) gives access to 5,500 connected skiable acres at both Moonlight and Big Sky. The resorts share two lifts, making it easy to access both areas. 34 Madison Rd., Big Sky, Montana, 59716. 406/993–6000; 877/822–0432; www.moonlightbasin.com.
Lessons and Programs
Big Sky Ski school. Half-day adult group-lesson rates start at $126. Special clinics including racing camps and adaptive programs are also available. There's also a ski school just for kids—whether they're first-timers or speedsters—with enthusiastic instructors. There are two locations; Mountain Village and Madison Base. Big Sky, Montana. 406/995–5743.
Rentals
Big Sky Sports Rentals. The resort's Big Sky SportsRentals at the base of the mountain offers ski and snowboard rental packages for $56, and high-performance packages for $85. Big Sky, Montana. 406/995–5841.
Gallatin Alpine Sports. At Gallatin Alpine Sports rentals start at $21 with discounts for multidays; performance skis start at $38 and demos, $57. 169 Snowy Mountain Circle, Big Sky, Montana, 59716. 406/995–2313.
