Ok, my buddy Fred wanted one last trip up the tram. The snow in Lennon that morning was great so we wanted to try Marx. We made our way off Challenger via the LRT, this is a great shortcut if you have never used it. Basically you go skiers right down country club until you see a little sign posting, LRT. You then traverse over until you are at the end of the A-Z chutes and find a chute and "Walla"you are down to the triple chair and on your way up to the tram (No Mr K and no Cold Current chair ride to endure).

Ok so now we are on our way up and the snow is getting heavier. We know we are in for some great Pow. After reaching the top the Patrol informed us of limited visibility. We looked at each other and smiled as it brought back memories of a ride form the previous season when we sent some virgin boarders back down the tram so as not to get lost forever on top. We were now back in our skis and on our way to the Yetti when I laughed again thinking of Fred earlier this season laying on his back with both of his teli’s hanging in the air wrapped around one of the Yedi’s fence posts. The Yetti was basically a rock canyon at that time. But today the path was perfect.
 
We made our way over to Marx and started to make creamy turns in over knee deep high powder. We had face shot after face shot. Marx was never better and my skiing despite the 3 beer lunch was flawless and I was felling pretty good about myself as we approached the end of the run. We emptied out on to the Duckroad heading for the bar. We then decided that we could not pass up the delicious turns of Paradise so we ducked in. Again it was perfect with more face shots as we made our way down to the middle road for the long boring traverse in. Or so I thought…. 

Now, Lower on the mountain the snow was actually falling heavier and the visibility was very poor. As we were skate skiing down the traverse we came to a meadow area where you can bypass a section of the traverse and generally get a few extra really good turns in. Fred was ahead of me and there was no doubt where he was heading or that I was following. We grabbed a few more great turns and came down to what I thought was again the traverse. I could no longer see Fred ahead of me but feeling the flat traverse under my feet I had no logical reason to slow down. BIG MISTAKE!

 The next thing I felt was me flying down a 15 foot drop that delivered me back to the Middle road traverse that I had believed I was already on. When I finally bottomed out onto the traverse I was instantly spat out like a watermelon seed. I jettisoned off and then out the other side literally flying like a bird without being able to see anything.

 My life did not pass thru my eyes so I knew I was probably going to live. My only question was if I was going to be a vegetable or not. Finally I hit with a thud! My head hit something hard and I think I had achieved a 360 somersault of some kind. I lay motionless for a moment and then I heard someone ask if I was ok. I gathered myself, felt around and said “Yes I think so”. I then looked up and realized I was some 20 yards down the embankment. I started to get up when I realized I was short a ski. It was at this time that an "explicative" was first uttered! I looked for the ski in my general area while trying not to step in to a snow well that just might bury me over my head.

The nice couple that had stopped offered to help me look but I told them this incident was God’s way of obviously telling me I needed some new skis with a minimum of at least 100 ML underfoot. I had to use my poles and remaining ski as levers to help push my way up the embankment. Upon reaching the top I needed to be literally pulled up as it was too steep to climb.

Finally out and back on my two feet. I thanked the couple for their Montana friendliness. I was then ready to strap back on my remaining ski and traverse the remaining mile plus to the base area. I definitely felt the burn of one leg skiing and I got going a little too fast a couple of times but only fell once on my way in.

As I walked to the base area towing just the one ski I got some funny looks. I placed the now lonely plank into the snow bank and made my way into Whiskey Jacks. It was there that I heard the familiar cackling voice of my friend Fred asking my why I had only ski. After thanking him for his concern I mentioned a certain body part that he could kiss. At about this time the first of the many future beers to be consumed that evening commenced!

The moral of the story is find a better friend then Fred and never take any run for granted because 100% of the time your biggest wipeouts are on your "last  run of the day"!!

MOUNTAIN STATS

Elevation of 11,166 feet, 5512 acres of skiing, vertical of 4350 feet, 220 named runs covering over 110 miles on 3 mountains. Couple that with lift capacity of 29,000 people per hour and you get a mountain with no comparison and no lift lines!

I have been fortunate enough to ski many places in my life and I can honestly say that for pure resort skiing Big Sky is unbeatable. Today I want to share how I ski the mountains at Big Sky.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of staying in the main mountain village and having easy access to the base lifts and the mountain shops, bars and restaurants.  Staying in the mountain village gives you so many options and conveniences to enjoy your skiing experience.  HAPPY SKIING!


HOW I SKI THE MOUNTAIN

GETTING TO THE MAIN LIFTS AND YOUR FIRST RUNS

After the easy skate ski over to the Bareback Poma lift I take a traverse to the base of the Silver Knife run that hooks around the Summit Hotel to the base area. My first chair of the day is always Ramcharger which takes you to the top of Andesite Mountain. From there you circle back down to the right on the cat track under the chair lift.  Skip all the runs off of the cat track and continue until the cat track empties into an open area.  Stay on the right of the run and take your first right onto the blue run called Elk Park Ridge.

Elk Park is the best cruiser I have ever skied.  It is long and has great pitch.  There are even a few places to get some serious air. There are many places to stop and catch your breath or just take in the view. Elk Park is easily viewable as you drive up from the meadow towards the resort. Hopefully, as your legs get stronger, you can top to bottom Elk Park without stopping to catch your breath. If you accomplish this feat please log on to my blog and let me know so I can enter you in the “Elk Park Top to Bottom Club”.

If you want another good cruiser head back up the Thunderwolf Chair (a great chair to see where you just skied and to map out your next run) to Big Horn.  It does not get the great morning light that Elk Park does but it is still lots of fun and plenty challenging since the entire run is sloped. If you are lucky enough to have a powder day go right back to Elk Park and this time after you get about half way down hug the right side of the run and ski Elk Park Meadows. Whether you are an expert powder skier or an experienced novice this silky smooth area helps you carve powder turns like a knife thru butter (some fat boy skis won’t hurt either)! 

AFTER YOU'RE WARMED UP

If you are searching for some early morning leg burn then ski Mad Wolf.  Take a left off the Thunderwold Chair and traverse to the left of Big Horn.  If you want a real challenge enter as far to the skiers left as possible to get some fun steep jump turns, then hug the left side by the trees for the best snow as you empty out into Elk Park Meadows for the remainder of an invigorating run. If you then want some tree skiing try Crazy Raven or Stump Farm.

HEADING TO THE BOWL 

About 10:00a.m. the tram and bowl runs open and it is time to make your way over to Lone Peak. My favorite way to get to the other side of Big Sky is to take the cat track towards Elk Park but stay left and ski past Elk Park and follow Silver Knife to the bottom to access the Swift Current lift.  Silver Knife has incredible pitch which allows you to gain speed where you can feel like you are taking off and soaring over the 20 story Summit Hotel.  It is also nice to access the base this way because it is the quickest way back to the poma lift and the condos for food and refreshments. 

Access the Swift Current lift (re-named “No Current" by many as this is the rookie and tourist chair with frequent stops as beginners fail to mount or decouple correctly). In my opinion, this is the one chair to be avoided or minimized as much as possible.  The Swift Current lift will bring you to a stage of the mountain where you can dismount to the right and follw the cat track around to the opposite side where the Lone Peak Triple Chair can be found.  This chair accesses The Bowl which is moderate black skiing and awesome on powder days. The best time to ski The Bowl is in the morning sun as the light gets flatter and flatter during the day. For some real fun find the “Whoopdedo tracks” that ring the top of the bowl and enjoy the ride over to the far end of the bowl to find untouched powder.  You will find the steepest pitch and the best snow but be careful, and keep your knees bent, as the whoopdedos have been known to toss a few studs!

TIME TO RIDE THE TRAM TO THE TOP

After a few runs on the Bowl it is time that the TRAM starts running for the "A" skiers to get to the top of Lone Peak.  My theory is always to take a look at the line while exiting the Lone Peak Triple Chair and if the line (this is generally the only line ever at Big Sky) is out the corral then take another loop in the bowl, but if not then it is straight to the top.  The Top of Lone Peak is a must for everyone!  The view is spectacular and even if you aren't an experienced skier you can access the top and take panoramic photos on sunny days, don't waste your time if it is cloudy and you aren't planning on skiing down.  If you are not afraid of heights, claustrophobic or you need depends you should pass!  

OPTIONS AT THE TOP OF LONE PEAK

At the top of Lone Peak look west to see Idaho, down to see Montana and south to see Wyoming. The easiest way down is to follow the green posts down a black run called Liberty Bowl. It can be a little gnarly at the top but it really is not that difficult (My friend Matt made it down, maybe some day I will post that video J).  After a quarter mile Liberty Bowl opens up into a beautiful bowl with incredible views.  It is a five mile plus run if you top to bottom from Liberty Bowl. 

For expert skiers, once you get into the snow fence area, start looking for the fence gates that will take you to skiers left. This is a very gnarly track that will bring you to first Lennon and then Marx. They are both great double black diamond runs, steep snow fields with more turns then your legs could ever imagine. Lennon is a little steeper at the top and might have a few more rock outcroppings. Marx is my favorite and might be the best skiing on the top day in and day out.   You can also venture out of Marx and hit the Gullies.  The Gullies will get you back to the tram faster and can be some great skiing (this is a big deal for the locals as they can see their buddies from the tram line and generally brag about how many trams they did that day) but for my money it is not worth losing all the great turns on Lennon, Marx, and the Dictator chutes.

AFTER LUNCH - CHALLENGER!

I usually break for lunch (generally spent at Moonlight Basin Deli and Bar).  After lunch it is time to access the Challenger Chair for some great runs on Moonlight and Midnight.  Sometimes when you get above the tree line it can get visually intimidating, but the skiing is awesome and worth overcoming the mental trepidation. There is a secret entrance to one such area but you will have to buy me a beer for me to reveal that gem to you!

OTHER OPTIONS 

After this I usually go back up to the top for another run or two or back over to Andesite to hit some tree skiing like the Blue Room or maybe even to the Lone Moose Chair which is accessed down below the Thunderwolf chair to ski Grizzly or Bobcat. Oftentimes you can have this entire area all to yourself on a given afternoon. It is nice because it has both black and green runs that all empty out into the same chair on the bottom so skiers of different abilities can still hang out together.

GREEN AND BLUE RUNS

For novice skiers the best place to hang out is on the Southern Comfort Chair. There are 5 different green runs to choose from all with nice length and not too steep. The fact that it is drenched in sun makes it all the more appealing.  Two more fun runs over on the face on Andesite are Africa and Congo.  They are open runs with some trees and some mogels.  They are great places for green and blue skiers who want to stretch themselves a little.
 

I hope this helps. Please feel free to add your own thoughts as the great thing about skiing is there is really no right or wrong. You pick a line and point your skis downhill with a BIG SMILE on your face!

Thanks, Mike

Welcome to Mike’s BigHorn 62 blog.

THE DRIVE TO BIG SKY

My first blog is about the Big Sky area. I have been coming to Big Sky since the late 1980’s. The thing that never leaves you about Big Sky is the specter of Lone Peak. As you leave the city of Bozeman and start that incredible 45 minute drive up the Gallatin River Valley your breath is literally taken away by the beauty. Your anticipation continues to grow as you wind through each turn.

Finally, as you approach the Conoco gas station you know that Lone Peak is about to reveal herself to you. It is customary for all in our group to loudly greet her with a hearty hello each and every visit. As you wind your way up the 12 miles to our place you will pass by the meadow area that holds the golf course for fun in the summer and a lot of shops and restaurants as well. You will also see a lot of beautiful homes nestled in this vast mountain wilderness. Eventually you will make it past Lone Mountain Ranch, a cross country ski mecca, and know that you are getting really close. There may be a few more fun curves in the road and if it is snow covered then get ready for some great skiing.

As you make your way to the Mountain Village you will turn left and drive past little Lake Lavinsky. This tiny lake serves as the reservoir for all of the spring melting as that water makes it down to the rapids of the Gallatin River. When you come the T in the road, go left and continue to the wind around to the right past the Cliffhanger (our good friends beautiful home) until you get Running Bear Road, take a right and we are located at 62 Running Bear Road.  WELCOME and HAVE A GREAT TIME!

TRUE SKI IN/SKI OUT

There are many great places to stay in Big Sky and depending on your needs and budget you should be able to find a good match. I would never be so bold as to tell you that our place is the perfect place for you but it has been for us. The reason we wanted to be here is because it fits so many of our requirements. First, it is ski-in/ski-out, now I know some people are loose with this term but I can honestly say that in my last 50 ski days you can count on one hand the number of times I did not ski in and out.  But if you so choose you can also make the easy walk to the poma lift about 50 yards away. The poma wraps around the Summit Hotel and leaves you right at the base area between the Ram Charger and Swift Current chair lifts.  This is also the central location to buy lift tickets, drop kids off for ski school, get your own lesson, get lunch or meet for après’ ski.  From here you can get to anywhere on the mountain you might want to explore (See How I Ski Big Sky blog).

PLAN AHEAD TO SAVE MONEY AND TIME

All the restaurants and shops at the main mountain village are an easy 5-10 minute walk depending on where you want to visit. You can also drive to other areas be it up to Moonlight Basin or back down to the meadow area for some pizza at Milkies or Mexican at La Lunas.  For groceries we always recommend you buy at the Albertson’s in Belgrade for the best prices and selection, but if you need or want a local spot we go the Country Market in the meadow. They will even have your groceries delivered to meet you on your arrival. The bottom line is that the further up the mountain you go the more convenient, and yes, expensive everything gets!
 
AREAS OF INTEREST

If you have never been to Big Sky it is important to understand the different areas. As I previously mentioned there is the meadow area some 9 miles from the ski hill. There are some great places to eat, shop, drink, and generally they are less expensive.  The only real downside is the drive up and down the mountain each and every day sometimes in very inclement snowy and icy weather. Another area is the Lone Moose area that has some ski-in/ski-out places. This is the lowest lift served area and is the first to close in warmer conditions and last to open during regular operations. It is not part of the main mountain village and can prove logistically problematic at the beginning or end of the day. Moonlight is another Ski-in/ski-out area with some wonderful views. It also is not part of the main mountain village and can cause some logistical issues in getting around the mountain. However it does house the incredible Moonlight Lodge with a great restaurant and deli which I frequent quite often.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

Here are my recommendations for places to visit.
Breakfast = Mall Cafeteria
Lunch = Deli at Moonlight
Après ski = Whiskey Jacks for people watching and Mr. Hummer’s for fun!
Dinner = The Cabin, Mr. Hummer’s , and Andiamo’s
Non- skiing = Yellowstone, Dog Sledding, Snowmobiling, Snowshoeing or Cross Country Skiing at Lone Mountain Ranch, Zipline.

ADVANTAGES TO STAYING AT MOUNTAIN VILLAGE

There are many advantages to stay near the mountain village.  First and foremost is a lot of the condos, homes and townhomes are ski in/ski out.  These is particulary nice if you have children since they can get back and forth if they are cold or they want to eat or they are tired without it ending your ski day.  You can simply allow they to go back if they are old enough or escort they back if they are younger and get back to your ski day.  Secondly, you have access to the mountain village bars and restaurants by walking instead of driving in poor conditions or after you have had a few libations.  Thirdly, you can park your car when you arrive and never move it again until you leave for home.  This is so obvious but yet so important.  It allows you to forget about the hustle and bustle of your everyday life and enjoy the mountain atmosphere.  Lastly, you can take in as much as you can handle.  There are bonfires nightly at the mountain village, you can go back for dinner and drinks, you can shop, you can see live music, etc.  

There is no experience like staying right on the mountain!  ENJOY THE MOUNTAINS!

Here is my usual Blog of things to do and website links to check out. Yellowstone National Park is the biggest attraction in my view. A little know place in the park is a natural hot tub called the Boiling River. It is located is about 2 miles north of the Mammoth Hot Springs on the road to the Northwest Entrance of the park. Here you will come to Wyoming/Montana border at a little stream that crosses the under the road. If you park on the east side and walk about ½ mile to the east along the trail you will come to an area that the hot springs flow into the river. People over time have set up rocks to separate the cold river water from the hot springs run off so you can sit and enjoy hot tub like water. So bring your swimsuits and a towel and tennis shoes or sandals to make the walk and enjoy. The large buffalo herds are usually located southeast of Mammoth Hot Springs (ask the ranger when you enter the park where the herds are). You can do this loop easily in a short day to include the Mammoth Hot Springs, swimming and the buffalo. Our kids really enjoyed the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone area the most with the hiking up and down to see the Upper and Lower Falls. They provide great locations to take family photos with gorgeous backgrounds. This area is more popular and will probably be a good day if you spend any time hiking to the different falls. It is amazing the power the water generates as you stand near and watch it rush by. For a longer day you can drive through Yellowstone to Grand Teton National Park, located to the south of Yellowstone. It is probably 100 plus miles from Big Sky. You have to drive through Yellowstone so it takes longer than being on a freeway, but the scenery is beautiful. We drove as far as Jenny Lake and hiked a flat 6 mile hike roundtrip around part of the lake to the south to get to “Hidden Falls” (questioning the name of it). This is a long day of driving. There is an Ice Cream shop/Pizza place at the marina near the Jenny Lake hike that was a nice reasonable place to have lunch. Then you can stop at Old Faithful on your way back to see it at sunset. Be sure to spend a little time in the Yellowstone Lodge at Old Faithful. It is a phenomenal building. A good link for Yellowstone is www.nps.gov/yell/ and click on the “In Depth” section In the area there is Quake Lake, the location of a large landslide due to an earthquake in 1959. It is located south and west of Big Sky just past Lake Hebgen, be sure to stop at all the story signs along the way. Then stop at the visitor center at the site of the landslide. If you continue west toward Ennis you can go to a historical mining town (Virginia). It is all laid out in its 1850’s glory. We usually continue the trip as a loop back through Bozeman. This day trip is approximately 200 miles. We haven’t spent a lot of time in Bozeman. It has shops and restaurants like most small college towns and a wonderful Natural History Museum if you are interested. If you belong to the Natural History or Science Museum in your area the membership probably has benefits in the one in Bozeman. At the condo, we have brochures for White Water Rafting, Horseback riding, dining out. The best link to the Big Sky area is bigskyresort.com and click on Activities (Summer at Big Sky) and then the Activities you are interested in. We used Jake’s Horses for our horseback riding. They were reasonable and let me warn you that three hours may be too much, you may want to go on a shorter timed trip (my buns are still aching!) We did not white water raft when we were there because it was late in August and the water is fairly tame. The chair lift scenic ride is nice and we hiked down from there (3 miles - All down hill!). That was a partial day. If you walk up the mountain via the Moose Tracks trail to the top of the Swift Current Chair you can ride back down for free! I have also hiked up to Lava Lake from the Lava Lake Trailhead located about 20 miles from the condo on your way to Bozeman. It is a 3 ½ mile hike up and a bit strenuous but worth the view at the lake for a nice lunch. For reasonable cost dining there is a restaurant south on the main highway about 6 miles (I think it is call the Corral) that serves burgers to steaks. Mr. Hummers’ or The Cabin has excellent food in the Mountain Village but are a little pricy. You will find links to all of this on our website at www.bighorn62.com as well as links for groceries. The best place in Big Sky to get groceries is in the Meadow Village at the County Market. It is not the cheapest but beats driving 60 miles into Bozeman. I hope you find this helpful and enjoy your stay in Big Sky. Mary Anderson Big Horn 62 LLC andersonbunch@att.net

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