The Way I Ski It: Big Sky Resort's Blog

SNOWSPORTS INDUSTRIES AMERICA (SIA) is the crème de la crème of ski industry tradeshows; you name it, SIA has it. Every pro, magazine, film company, ski manufacturer, and outerwear company you can possibly think of and then some are present making it the go to place to check out the latest and greatest coming to ski shops near next fall. It’s held at the end of January/early February every winter and this year will be held in Denver Jan. 31st – Feb. 3rd.

Word on the street is that there are already a few game changers coming down the pipeline like Rossignol’s Soul 7 which will be the newest addition to Rossi’s top selling 7 series lineup. It’ll feature a honeycomb insert in the tip and tail similar to what is already seen in Salomon’s Rocker 2 series. The insert will be a welcome addition to the series, lightening up the tip and tail to provide lower swing weight and will likely dampen some of the tip chatter. Other notable additions will be Atomic’s new ARC technology on its Nomad series. The proprietary integrated ski/binding technology will allow the ski to fully flex through the entire turn and will do away with the dead spot underfoot where the binding doesn’t allow the ski to fully flex. This will provide excellent edge grip throughout the entire turn and will rusult in improved feel.

Upon my return, I’ll provide a detailed update with photos of product and insight on what’s hot. Until then, keep the drooling to minimum.

-Kipp Proctor

WITH LESS-THAN-EPIC ski conditions in Colorado, and Colorado’s Epic Pass being honored at Big Sky for the month of January, skiers and riders are making their way to Montana.  And even though there are 35 direct flights between Denver and Bozeman each week, chasing snow calls for the time honored ski bum tradition of hitting the open road.  It calls for an Epic Road Trip.

I’ve taken my fair share four-wheeled adventures, and between cross-country jaunts and half-baked long-weekend college getaways, I’ve driven the stretch between Denver and Big Sky more than once.  Most would stick to I-25 and I-90, making for the fastest route at 11-and-a- half hours (a leisurely cruise for any seasoned snow-chaser or road tripper).  But a truly epic road trip calls for scenery, adventure, and quirky rest stops in podunk towns, and we’re calling for an alternate route via Western Wyoming.  The extra hour is worth its weight in scenic and small-town gold.

 

7am: Denver, CO  

Lock your skis in the rack, hit I-25, and don’t stop until Colorado is behind you.  At Cheyenne, take I-80, and head towards Breakfast in Laramie.

9:30am:  Laramie, WY

While Big Sky local, food connoisseur, and West Virginia expat Chad Jones recommends the “great food and pies” at Perkins, skip the sit-down chain and pull in for a quick coffee and made-from-scratch baked goods at Coal Creek Coffee in downtown Laramie’s historic district.

2pm:  Boulder, WY

Gas station snacks and stunning mountain views can tide you over until a late lunch near Boulder, WY, population 75.  Keep your eyes peeled for Wyoming’s own Brigadoon: a tiny diner oasis filled with Carhart-clad ranchers that only reveals itself to hungry road trippers on their way to Montana.  Without proof of existence from any phonebook or webpage, you'll just have to take my word that this no-name place exists; I stumbled across the roadside gem on a trip through Wyoming in 2010.  You'll know you've made it when you spot the stand-alone log cabin eatery - it's the only building around.  Sit at the swiveling stools at the low countertop and order a burger - in meat country like this, sampling the beef is a must. 

5pm: Jackson, WY

Two hours later, you’re in Jackson.  Stretch your legs with a lap around the town center with its iconic antler archways, but don’t get sidetracked when you spot fellow skiers – the free skiing, a fraction of the crowds, and three times the terrain await you in Big Sky.

7pm: Island Park, ID

In the summer months we’d lead you through Yellowstone National Park, but roads close to vehicles there come winter, and instead you’ll head northwest to Island Park for dinner.  A little fancier than your average ski bum haunt, Last Chance Bar and Grill at the TroutHunter is true fine western dining.  Relax in the high-ceilinged dining room and enjoy gourmet game before hitting the road for the final stretch.

10pm:  BIG SKY, MT! 

Pull into the Huntley Lodge for check-in and hit the heated pool with a Lone Peak IPA from Chet’s Bar and Grill to unwind.  Then head to Whiskey Jack’s to dance the night away to live music.  Skiing the best conditions in the Rockies and over 3,300 acres of terrain is on the agenda for tomorrow, but you don’t have to worry about waking up early to catch first chair. This is Montana, where “lift line” isn’t in the vocabulary, and good snow sticks around long after the lifts open.  After a whirlwind Epic Road Trip, you’ll have all the time you need for truly epic skiing.

- Greer

 
Stopping at a Wyoming rest stop on an Epic Road Trip from denver to Big Sky of my own; Views along the route rival any western vista

 
 

Stop near Boulder, WY, population 75, for lunch at the no-name Brigadoon of Wyoming - just look for the cozy-looking joint that stands alone on the side of the road.
 
Arrive in Big Sky by moonlight, and get ready for epic skiing after your epic road trip