We love Montana, but especially the Big Sky Resort and surrounding area. In fact, our only escape since COVID started was a well-planned and executed road trip to this magical mountain escape.
Big Sky Resort is the main ski resort located in the Gallatin National Forest in Montana. It recently expanded by quite a bit when it took over Moonlight Basin on the back side of Lone Mountain. The views of the surrounding Rocky Mountains are incredible.
The skiing here is epic mostly thanks to the views and the variety of runs. It’s one of my favorite places to enjoy winter sports. I wanted to share some memories I want to hold on to from skiing there plus a few of our favorite spots. Hopefully, it will inspire a future trip to Montana in the future.
Basics about Big Sky Resort
- Best time to visit is in March (in my opinion)
- Temps are colder because you are further north so make sure you have all your cold weather layers
- Bozeman Airport is the closest about an hour north of Big Sky
- Lodging is available on mountain as well as in town a few minutes away
A Breakdown of the Different Peaks at Big Sky Resort
The beauty of Big Sky is the length of the runs you can find. My absolute favorite types of runs are long, sweeping blues. There is no shortage of them at this resort.
Andesite Mountain – Less People, Shorter Lines
Andesite Mountain is where I spend the majority of my time. It always seems less busy with shorter lift lines and fewer people on the runs than Lone Mountain. I know the map is kind of hard to read, but there is a run called “Pacifier,” which is a windy cat track that moves a little slow but goes right to the mountain village and connects with a ton of other runs. I also loved the Southern Comfort lift and all the nice, easy, open green runs on that side of the mountain. We got a little adventurous on those by dipping into the trees and going off little jumps on the sides of the runs.
The Big Mountain – Lone Peak
Even though I spend most of my time on Andesite, I always make at least one adventurous trek up the Swift Current lift towards the peak. It takes a few different lifts to get to the peak. Justin loves the bowl the whole way down. At the halfway point on Lone Peak, you can find a chapel, a burrito hut, and bathrooms top and riding, so don’t worry about those super long runs.
The Area Previously Known as Moonlight Basin
The backside of Lone Peak is where the other resort used to be. They are connected now by a series of lifts and runs. Horseshoe and Lookout Ridge are two of my favorite runs on that side.
If you are a little more brave, there are tons of black diamonds and double blacks all over the resort. The chutes on this backside of the peak are called the Headwaters and they are pretty famous. I like to refer to those as the rocky death tunnels, but to each their own.
A new run was added recently called the Final Final in this part of the mountain. It was named in honor of a friend of ours, referring to that one final drink at the end of the night and then the final final that comes after that. If you find yourself here, take a picture and tag us in it on Instagram.
How does Big Sky resort compare to other ski mountains?
It’s in the top 3 for size.
The size is almost unbeatable. Once the resort took over the Moonlight Basin ski area, they became the largest ski area in the United States until Park City expanded recently.
Even with the giant size, it still feels like a smaller mountain. There isn’t any glitz and glam at the base of the mountain. There are a few places to stay, but the town with all the action is a few miles down the road.
Want a western laidback vibe? It’s perfect.
One of the best things about Big Sky is the vibe. Most people are just out having a good time. For example, I’ll tell you about one of the most interesting moments I’ve had on the mountain:
Naked skiers/boarders. That’s right. Justin and I stopped about halfway down a long blue run to take a break and enjoy the awesome views. We had the run pretty much to ourselves for the first half. All of a sudden, we look up and we see a few people coming down. It took a few looks to realize that they were NAKED. A different kind of view. Two guys were at the beginning, one covering himself and the other one waving his hands above his head wearing only his snowboard boots and mittens. It was insane. There ended up being a parade of about 20 naked people and a few that were carrying other’s clothes. They redressed about halfway between us and the bottom – probably so they wouldn’t get in trouble. To top it off, a lady skied by us afterwards and informed us in a rude voice that the show was over – I think she thought we were part of their group. Sorry, I have no pictures of naked people on the mountain because I was in such shock that I couldn’t grab my phone – they did all have cameras on so I’m sure the proof is out there somewhere. Who can’t appreciate a good streaking story?
Is it as expensive as it sounds?
The Big Sky Resort lift ticket is high, but lift tickets are expensive everywhere it seems. I would say the price is comparable to most other resorts and cheaper than some of the main ones in Colorado. But, if you are booking a ski trip for the first time – the price may shock you.
My best advice would be to check Liftopia for deals. I’ve seen them as much as 50% off depending on the dates you are going. Another option is going with friends to help split some of the lodging and grocery costs. We’ve gone with a group of friends each time and it’s a great place for a group trip.
What else can you do besides skiing?
If you’re like us, we take days off between shredding. The older we get, the more recovery time we need. It’s nice to prioritize days off to relax.
Things You’ll Find at the Big Sky Resort
In the winter, you’ll find all kinds of outdoor activities that don’t involve flying downhill. Snowshoes are available for some nature hikes. There are tons of different tour options.
If you like indoor activities, they have a spa and some shopping available at the resort. I would also recommend grabbing a Bloody Mary and the best waffle fries with Huckleberry dipping sauce and watching people try and walk around gracefully in their ski boots.
Eating, Drinking, City Life
Big Sky Resort is located just about an hour south of Bozeman. The city has a pretty great Main Street with great food and drinks. If we are flying in late or leaving really early, we usually book a night at this perfect little hotel. It’s right in the center of town, and it’s one of our favorite spots we’ve stayed.
In the little town of Big Sky, there is new stuff going up each year. I would recommend breakfast at Blue Moon Bakery at least one day. Go early because everything is made fresh, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. Another spot I recommend is the Lone Peak Brewery – great food and great beer. It’s a great place to stop after a long day of skiing.
Just sit and enjoy the views.
Trust me. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, so make sure you have a comfortable chair or couch anywhere you stay. Grab a book or a card game, light a fire and enjoy the mountain life.
Have you been skiing at Big Sky Resort? What’s your favorite run?
We are already counting down until our next ski trip. Tag us in your pictures (Instagram here) so we can pretend we are there.
Pin this post for later:
