16 replies to this topic

[boardski]

Wanted to check with anyone familiar with the Big Sky, Moonlight, & Bridger ski areas in Montana. I am considering traveling up that way with my wife and Daughter who are strong intermediate skiers in March. Unfortunately, my Daughter's Spring Break is not until the week of 3/22-28. My thought is to stay in Bozeman and maybe ski/ ride 1 day at Moonlight, 1 day at Bridger and 2 days at Big Sky. Any suggestions on places to stay? Are there any discount lift tickets available? How is the snow normally at those areas that time of year? crowds? I currently live in CO and have skied all over CO & UT but never made the trek up to MT. Any information will be helpful and appreciated. Thanks

[SkiBachelor]

When I went there in early December in 2004, both Big Sky and Moonlight Basin were empty.

There is a Best Western in Big Sky if you were thinking about staying there.

[Peter]

SkiBachelor, on Jan 26 2009, 08:00 PM, said:

When I went there in early December in 2004, both Big Sky and Moonlight Basin were empty.

There is a Best Western in Big Sky if you were thinking about staying there.

The Best Western is called Buck's T-4 and it was purchased by Tim Blixseth of the Yellowstone Club before all of the legal troubles. The last time I was in Big Sky he was using it for employee housing so there were very few rooms available. The neighboring motel, I forget which brand it is, was purchased by Boyne also for employee housing.

[not really a liftie]

You won't find any discount tickets like you do in Colorado, but Moonlight at $55 and Bridger at $45 are still a bargain. Big Sky is almost $80 but if it's a powder day it's way worth it! The other motel in Big Sky to try is the Whitewater, pretty cheap and a fun place with kids.

[bmr12]

We spent a week there last January in a condo between Big Sky and Moonlight Basin. There are plenty of condos and rental units in Big Sky (less so at Moonlight), and plenty of terrain to keep you occupied for four or five days.

You can also get discounted Big Sky lift tickets at the Costco in Bozeman (or at least you could last year). An excellent value.

[boardski]

How is the drive between Bozeman and Big Sky/ Moonlight? Is the snow still decent through March (no thawing during day and freezing rock solid at night)?

Thank you all for the info so far, it sounds like it should be a fun trip. I'm glad to hear crowds are normally not a problem there. I have learned to grin and bear it but the crowds at the Colorado areas are really annoying sometimes (last Saturday at MJ was bad for awhile). Especially I-70 traffic. I am fortunate enough to have Mondays available but am stuck with weekends to ski with my Daughter. Thank goodness for teacher inservice days!

Sorry to jump around but how extreme is the Lone Peak tram?? Does it compare to the Highland Bowl or Tucker Mountain or even more extreme. I have heard rumours, one needs avalanche training and equipment and the works to be aloud to ski up there. I am hoping to go up there but if it is too radical, another area on the mountain with some steeps and bumps, similar to Mary Jane will do. Has anyone skied terrain off the tram??

[Peter]

boardski, on Jan 28 2009, 07:19 PM, said:

How is the drive between Bozeman and Big Sky/ Moonlight? Is the snow still decent through March (no thawing during day and freezing rock solid at night)?

Thank you all for the info so far, it sounds like it should be a fun trip. I'm glad to hear crowds are normally not a problem there. I have learned to grin and bear it but the crowds at the Colorado areas are really annoying sometimes (last Saturday at MJ was bad for awhile). Especially I-70 traffic. I am fortunate enough to have Mondays available but am stuck with weekends to ski with my Daughter. Thank goodness for teacher inservice days!

Sorry to jump around but how extreme is the Lone Peak tram?? Does it compare to the Highland Bowl or Tucker Mountain or even more extreme. I have heard rumours, one needs avalanche training and equipment and the works to be aloud to ski up there. I am hoping to go up there but if it is too radical, another area on the mountain with some steeps and bumps, similar to Mary Jane will do. Has anyone skied terrain off the tram??

Drive is not bad at all, about an hour on a winding 2-lane road. Crowds will be nothing compared to Colorado.

Lone Peak Tram has some extreme stuff but also some typical black diamond bowl skiing. Avi gear is only required to ski the Big Couloir. Even that is not as extreme as it looks. If you don't want to ski off the tram, you can always just leave your skis at the bottom and ride round trip to and from the top. Lots of people do that, it can be annoying on a powder day!

[boardski]

Skier, on Jan 28 2009, 07:29 PM, said:

Drive is not bad at all, about an hour on a winding 2-lane road. Crowds will be nothing compared to Colorado.

Lone Peak Tram has some extreme stuff but also some typical black diamond bowl skiing. Avi gear is only required to ski the Big Couloir. Even that is not as extreme as it looks. If you don't want to ski off the tram, you can always just leave your skis at the bottom and ride round trip to and from the top. Lots of people do that, it can be annoying on a powder day!

I think I'll head up the tram at least 1-2 times with skis or board in hand in that case. Thanks!

[skierdude9450]

boardski, on Jan 28 2009, 07:19 PM, said:

How is the drive between Bozeman and Big Sky/ Moonlight? Is the snow still decent through March (no thawing during day and freezing rock solid at night)?

Thank you all for the info so far, it sounds like it should be a fun trip. I'm glad to hear crowds are normally not a problem there. I have learned to grin and bear it but the crowds at the Colorado areas are really annoying sometimes (last Saturday at MJ was bad for awhile). Especially I-70 traffic. I am fortunate enough to have Mondays available but am stuck with weekends to ski with my Daughter. Thank goodness for teacher inservice days!

Sorry to jump around but how extreme is the Lone Peak tram?? Does it compare to the Highland Bowl or Tucker Mountain or even more extreme. I have heard rumours, one needs avalanche training and equipment and the works to be aloud to ski up there. I am hoping to go up there but if it is too radical, another area on the mountain with some steeps and bumps, similar to Mary Jane will do. Has anyone skied terrain off the tram??

The drive from Bozeman is actually more like 45 minutes. That's definitely the way to go. It's really not that bad unless you're stuck behind someone. I'd compare it to something like US 6 through Clear Creek Canyon however it's not quite that windy, but it does get icy being next to the river. Spring break is a great time to go because they still get snow and it hasn't truly started to warm up then. When I was there last spring break, it wasn't crowded at all and it dumped!! A ticket to Big Sky and Moonlight Basin will set you back about the same as going to Vail, but it's well worth it. The Lone Peak Tram is fun, but most of the time the top was completely in a cloud, so it wasn't that great not being able to see $#!+. The terrain up there isn't too extreme. Marx and Lenin are always a good bet. To start off from the tram try Liberty Bowl, which seems pretty similar to Spaulding Bowl at Copper except a good bit longer. However if you go on a crowded day, which is rare, there might be a pretty long wait at the tram due to its small capacity. Some great stashes are off of the new Dakota lift with loose glades. It is south-facing however, so if there's been sun, it can get baked quickly. Also there are some great steeps off of Challenger lift. In Moonlight Basin, the Headwaters are great for some quick extreme chutes. It's a quick 10-15 minute hike from either the Headwaters or Lone Tree lift for these approximately 600 vertical foot chutes that can be 50+ degrees. Have fun! It's going to be a great trip any way.

[boardski]

skierdude9450, on Feb 2 2009, 06:32 PM, said:

The drive from Bozeman is actually more like 45 minutes. That's definitely the way to go. It's really not that bad unless you're stuck behind someone. I'd compare it to something like US 6 through Clear Creek Canyon however it's not quite that windy, but it does get icy being next to the river. Spring break is a great time to go because they still get snow and it hasn't truly started to warm up then. When I was there last spring break, it wasn't crowded at all and it dumped!! A ticket to Big Sky and Moonlight Basin will set you back about the same as going to Vail, but it's well worth it. The Lone Peak Tram is fun, but most of the time the top was completely in a cloud, so it wasn't that great not being able to see $#!+. The terrain up there isn't too extreme. Marx and Lenin are always a good bet. To start off from the tram try Liberty Bowl, which seems pretty similar to Spaulding Bowl at Copper except a good bit longer. However if you go on a crowded day, which is rare, there might be a pretty long wait at the tram due to its small capacity. Some great stashes are off of the new Dakota lift with loose glades. It is south-facing however, so if there's been sun, it can get baked quickly. Also there are some great steeps off of Challenger lift. In Moonlight Basin, the Headwaters are great for some quick extreme chutes. It's a quick 10-15 minute hike from either the Headwaters or Lone Tree lift for these approximately 600 vertical foot chutes that can be 50+ degrees. Have fun! It's going to be a great trip any way.

Thanks! Sounds like a good place to go. As of now, we are looking at 3/22-25 as ski days. The current thought is 2 days at Big Sky, 1 at Moonlight and 1 at Bridger.
Is Bridger worth it or would another day at Big Sky or Moonlight be time better spent? Looking at the pictures of the lifts at Bridger posted on this forum, the terrain looks a little flat in some areas although I am aware that it is hard to show steepness in a photo. Schlassmans (or however you spell it) looks good except for needing avy equipment and a partner which I do not have either. My wife and daughter don't ski the expert runs but I ski primarily expert terrain. (We usually ride the same lifts and take different runs on the way down). The Challenger lift at Big Sky definately sounds worthwhile. It's kind of funny that Big Sky has a Iron Horse, Pony Express and Challenger lift just like Mary Jane where I do most of my skiing/ riding in Colorado. I'll feel right at home.

[SkiBachelor]

I felt Bridger Bowl was steeper than the terrain at Big Sky, although Big Sky had limited terrain when I was there.

Are you referring to pictures on the forum or website (skilifts.org) about the pictures of Bridger Bowl?

[boardski]

SkiBachelor, on Feb 2 2009, 07:34 PM, said:

I felt Bridger Bowl was steeper than the terrain at Big Sky, although Big Sky was in limited terrain when I was there.

Are you referring to pictures on the forum or website (skilifts.org) about the pictures of Bridger Bowl?

It was the pictures on the website under the "Chairlifts" section of Skilifts.org. I understand though, it is difficult to see steepness in pictures.
Sounds like Bridger is worth exploring then?

[SkiBachelor]

I would say it's worth it, I had a fun day when I was there.

If you plan on going to Moonlight, I would suggest taking advantage of the deals offered on lifttopia.com. However, rates for March have no been posted yet.

[iceberg210]

Bridger is a definate must stop if you're going through there. Plus it tends to get dumped on so you may find yourself buried in great snow there. Also speaking of lodging in the Big Sky area, while Buck's T4 (the best western) may not have rooms availible, or not many, the resuraunt is an absolute must go to! It's absolutely incredible. Treat yourself to it one night, you won't be sorry.

[boardski]

Greetings everyone and thank you for the tips on Big Sky/ Moonlight/ Bridger. We just returned on Friday after skiing Sun (3/22) thru Wed (3/25). Despite taking 3 days for the return trip (I-25, US 85, US 287 closures and extreme poor visibility and a malfunctioning driver side wiper) the trip was great and I am ready to return there next winter!!! New snow estimations were 4", 6", 12", 17" respectively!! As was stated previously the crowds are about 1/4 compared with Colorado ski areas! The other thing that's nice is that people in Montana seem to know how to drive! What a concept! With driving mostly on snowpacked roads, I did not see a single wreck. In Colorado on a 12" or 17" powder day, it is not uncommon to see at least 5-10 wrecks on the way up and possibly have the road closed or almost impassable due to volume. The people also seemed a lot more considerate on the hill also. There was less skiing close to others, attempting to cut lines, whining about snowboarders and way fewer misloads!! It was actually possible to ride a lift bottom to top several times and have it run full speed all the way. Colorado resort's misloads necessitating stopping and slowing chairlifts are really getting excessive!
Also, excellent recommendations on runs off the tram, I took Lenin once and I think the other was Marx. It was nice to have a nice steep powder run straight down to Dakota and Shedhorn lifts.
Unfortunately Sclasman's lift at Bridger was closed due to avalanche danger and all the lifts were temporarily shut down for approx 15 min twice in the PM due to lightning which was odd since there was no thunder and not any visual lightning. I have seen it get much worse at A Basin during the spring before shutting down. Is that a usual thing for Bridger??? Otherwise an excellent day, the 2nd best powder day of the season. Second only to Snowmass's 24" in 24 hours the week before Christmas. Thanks again for all of the good advice, I will try not to give the secret away to too many other people.

[skiersage]

As the saying goes: Big sky sucks, tell your friends.

[boardski]

skiersage, on Mar 27 2009, 05:15 PM, said:

As the saying goes: Big sky sucks, tell your friends.

You Bet!!