Big Sky Ski Resort Review

Big Sky Ski Resort is in Southwestern Montana, in Madison County, the town of Big Sky. It is 1 hour from Bozeman on highway 191. Offering over 5,000 acres of skiing Big Sky claims to be the "biggest skiing in America". Of that 5,000 acres 75% of it is in the Big Sky Resort, with some trails going into Moonlight Basin. The Biggest Skiing in America Pass connects Moonlight Basin Resort and Big Sky Resort via the Challenger Lift and Lone Peak Summit.

Three mountains are in use at Big Sky Ski Resort with 150 named runs. The ski trails cover over 85 miles with a breakdown of 20% expert, 40% advanced, 26% intermediate and 14% beginner. There is something here for everyone from beginners to the most advanced. The vertical drop is 4,350 feet and the annual snow fall is over 400 inches. Liberty Bowl to Mountain Mall is the longest run at 6 miles. The 22 lifts can transport 23,000 skiers per hour and they say lift lines are practically non existent. When a combined pass with Moonlight Basin is purchased your available runs increase to 220.

If you are really good, and really brave, take the Lone Peak tram to the top of Lone Mountain. From here you can enjoy a 360% view and take off in any direction, or you may choose to get back into the tram and descend the safe way. Other challenging runs will be Castro's Shoulder and Big Couloir.

What many of you want to know is what about the terrain parks? Big Sky Ski Resort has four. The Swifty Park has just about everything you will need for a day of boarding, plenty of jumps, rails and boxes. This park is a favorite for the more advanced riders and features street style rail set ups and larger jumps. Swifty2.0 is new and located at the bottom of Calamity Jane. Here you will find a QP, pole jams, jumps and kinked rails. If you are just learning to board you may want to stay in the Family Fun Zone Park with plenty of jumps, rails and rollers to learn on. Explorer Park is another beginner park located on White Wing.

A favorite for the kids at Big Sky is the Tube Park. Enjoy tubing, boarding and skiing under the lights. The tube run is 500 feet with a carpet lift. It's located up the hill from Village Center and Snowcrest Lodge.

Big Sky Resort, Montana.
Thanks to code poet for the picture at flickr.com

Other winter activities at Big Sky include snowshoe, snowmobile and snowcoach tours, fly fishing, Nordic skiing, dog sledding and horseback riding. There is never a dull moment with all of this going on. And since Big Sky is a year round resort, the fun never stops. Not when you can choose from biking, lift rides, horseback riding, hiking, the high ropes course, golf, fly fishing, disc golf, the bungee trampoline, rock climbing and paintball. When you include the fitness centers, the spa and wellness classes and a host of other special summer events there will never be a dull moment.

Big Sky is a complete resort with lodging, shops, rental, lessons, daycare and plenty of restaurants. Lodging can be a room at one of the hotels or condo-hotels or one of the cabins or homes or choose from any number of different condominiums. All price ranges and degrees of luxury are included in the different selections. Of course many of the options have ski-in ski-out availability. No matter where you stay the Skyline Bus is free and goes between the Meadow, Mountain and Canyon areas on a regular basis.

Big Sky is owned and operated by Boyne Resorts, owner of other high quality ski resorts around the country. Some of theses sister resorts are Brighton, Boyne Mountain, The Summitt, Sugarloaf, Cypress Mountain and Boyne Highlands.

The winter season at Big Sky opens November 26th and closes April 11th. To make your reservations at Big Sky Ski Resort call 800-548-4486.

Big Sky Ski Resort Map & Directions (click on "Marker" for your personalized directions)

View Larger Map