PlanetSKI Visits Big Sky in Montana

14th January 2025 | Simon Miller, Big Sky, Montana.

It has everything and lots of it.

Countless couloirs, miles of classic North American tree skiing, huge variety and plenty of what Europeans call blues and reds.

Big wSky should be on your bucket list.

Big Sky, Montana, USA. Image © Simon Miller/PlanetSKI.

The Big Sky resort itself is at 2,200m and has true western charm.

On arrival I hurried to the Demo ski rental shop where the skis I picked were described as “bad ass man”.

I was definitely in the USA.

I stayed at the Summit Hotel, which employs a gang of “cowboys” to wrangle bags, skis, and boots for guests.

Big Sky, Montana, USA. Image © Simon Miller/PlanetSKI.

Chad called me “sir”, grabbed my stuff and told me he’d have my skis laid out ready to go first thing in the morning – “sir”.

US service culture delivered by guys wearing cowboy hats and jeans as work wear not fashion items.

I loved it.

With snow overnight I took advantage of “fresh tracks” a service that starts at 8am.

I met my guide Yusuke Inoue and we headed up Ramcharger – a fast eight seater heated chairlift which gave us access to some wonderful tree lined “groomers” as well as a myriad number of ways to weave through the forest.

Yusuke explained that unlike in Europe, the resort thins out the trees to make it easier to ski.

By no means easy, but certainly easier.

This is just one example of the way US resorts try to make your whole stay perfect.

I was itching to get up into the upper bowls and access the famous couloirs with names like Lenin, Marx, Dictator and the less interestingly named, but most challenging Big Couloir.

These runs are all accessed from the top of Lone Mountain – 3,400m.

What we lost in visibility was made up for with masses of snow.

Hood up, face coverings on, snow depth.

We picked lines down Liberty Bowl before heading back up The Tram – a top of the range new funicular installed in 2023 as part of huge investment programme.

Big Sky, Montana, USA. Image © Simon Miller/PlanetSKI.

We work our way along the couloirs before getting lucky – the all-powerful Ski Patrol has just opened Big Couloir.

This run has a sketchy drop in and rather than being “big” as the name suggests, is long, narrow and steep.

Access is carefully controlled and having already signed all sorts of waivers when buying your tickets, this requires an additional waiver to be signed in the ski patrol hut.

The patrol check you are skiing with a “buddy” and that both have beeps.

Waiver duly signed, we are allocated a slot – the ski patrol limit access to 2 people every 10 minutes.

Sounds controlling, and it is, but makes very good sense when you get there – this is Big Sky’s answer to Jackson Hole’s Corbet’s Couloir.

Big Sky, Montana, USA. Image © Simon Miller/PlanetSKI.

Couloirs are great but one is enough and I was glad to be cruising along tree-lined runs like like Blue Moon.

Yusuke lead us past the highly exclusive Yellowstone Club (a “billionaires” private mountain) through a wonderful area on Andesite Mountain that he uses with this kids groups.

Various gradient tree runs that have been dramatically thinned out to enable beginners to enjoy tree skiing – one more example of service culture.

Another major difference between US and European skiing, Yusuke explained is that everything within the resort boundary is made safe by an army of ski patrollers.

Big Sky, Montana, USA. Image © Simon Miller/PlanetSKI.

Whereas in Europe you ski at your own risk, here men and women who combine a willingness to be up the mountain in all weathers, with a love of dynamite are the Kki Patrol.

Their job is to “make the mountain safe” by bombing all possible avalanche areas, so guests theoretically don’t have to be as mindful of what is safe to ski.

As if my day hadn’t been challenging enough I am invited to go night skiing.

I’ve tried this once before and am firmly of the view that after dark was for spas or bars.

Nevertheless I meet Jarod Foreman whose enthusiasm is catching.

He provides me with a high power head torch and we head up the Ramcharger lift (another part of the investment programme).

Only one lift is open but from 6pm to 8pm you can pick any number of freshly groomed runs or venture back into the trees.

With snow falling the effect is wonderful – similar to when the Millennium Falcon goes to warp speed in Star Wars, as the snowflakes rush past you.

I hear Jarod whooping behind me whilst filming me ski through the trees.

Great fun.

My one criticism of Big Sky is the lack of on mountain dining.

That said, I am treated to two truly wonderful spots – Everett’s and One & Only.

Both are top class restaurants with that latter being accessed by a newly installed gondola to a building that has the feel of the HQ for a baddie in a Bond film.

What is missing are mid market huts on the mountain that turn into après ski bars.

I bump into Jess Anderson – a GB skier now teaching at Big Sky.

Clearly a huge fan of Big Sky but definitely aching for some bigger après ski.

Big Sky, Montana, USA. Image © Simon Miller/PlanetSKI.

Big Sky is an hour and a half from Bozeman airport, which has connections to all the major US cities.

Being the biggest town to Big Sky you will never be inundated by locals in a way the resorts close to Denver, LA and San Francisco can be when there is good snow.

For anyone thinking of skiing in North America Big Sky is a must.

As I tuck into my bison steak I am already planning a return trip.

Big Sky, Montana, USA. Image © Simon Miller/PlanetSKI.

Information:

Website www.visitbigsky.com

#visitbigsky

Ski Guide: Yusuke Inoue. Twitter @ysk_quattro

Hotel: Summit Hotel – www.bigskyresort.com/lodging/hotels/summit-hotel

Restaurants: Everett’s 8800 and One & Only

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