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

AT 9AM ON THE DOT, Swift Current (Swifty) began loading its first passengers of the year yesterday, marking the start of another great season at Big Sky Resort.  After receiving a few extra inches of snow from a winter storm that rolled through late Wednesday, we were treated to a fresh blanket of powder down the top of Mr. K. Hoots, hollers, and poll taps rang out as skiers and boarders arrived back at the base.  The high-fives continued all day especially after patrol opened Crazy Horse giving my 1 and 2 plank associates another fresh run of track out.

Having lived in Montana for over 9 years now, Thanksgiving has become more than just a day of football and Turkey; it now marks the start of my favorite season: SKI SEASON.  Like my fellow skiers and riders, I proudly sport a big grin as I load the lift for my first lap of the season.  That grin continues to grow as I approach the top and my skis finally touchdown.  Flashbacks of winters past begin to roll through my head as I skate/ski around the corner on the J-Walk to the top of Mr. K making sure to peer over the edge as I check out old favorites like the shortcut to the triple.  Once at the top of Mr. K it’s time to point the tips downhill and hold on.  It takes a few turns to shake some of the dust off but by the time I’ve reached the first rollover, things have come together.  After reaching the bottom, I reconvene with my buddies as we exchange pole taps and pounds then eagerly turn towards the lift to catch a ride up for lap #2.

After spinning a few laps, it’s time to call it quits as my stomach begins to growl letting me know it’s time to head in for my well-deserved Thanksgiving feast. Once I’ve pulled off my ski boots, I recline back in my office chair, take a deep breath and allow the day to soak in; ski season is here. J

-Kipp Proctor

AT 9AM SHARP yesterday, cheers rang throughout the Mountain Village:  Big Sky’s first chair had loaded and was heading up the mountain for the first turns of the season.  It was Thanksgiving Day, the slopes were open, and there was a lot to be thankful for. One snowboarder rocked a Turkey costume, and skiers let our cheers as their skis hit groomed snow for the first time in seven months. 

In Big Sky, Thanksgiving traditions tend not to revolve around lying on the couch, watching the football game until the Turkey is ready to carve for an early 4pm dinner.  Instead, families head to the slopes to work up their appetite for a feast they’ll eat well after the slopes close at 4pm.  The mood is extra celebratory, as skiers give thanks for their blessings in life and the start of another ski season.

Since moving to Big Sky I’ve adopted this tradition as well, and yesterday I joined our community for turns on Tippy’s Tumble before finally sitting down to a home-cooked meal at 7:30pm.  As our Thanksgiving crew went around the table, each sharing what he was thankful for, a common thread emerged as each person mentioned the wonderful place we live in.  Whether we were thankful for friends, family, or good health, we all also counted one of our biggest blessing as living in Big Sky – a small community with a giant ski mountain, ready for another winter season.

 -  Greer 

 
While Margo ripped Snake Pit last winter, will she be able to get her perfect form back for the first runs of the season?

THE CALL OF the first day of skiing brings together the self-proclaimed dirt bag, ski bum, ski bunny, and gaper alike.  As luck would have it, so does every other ski day of the year.  But it’s that first day of the season that brings out the inner drive in all of us - we all feel the seemingly insatiable excitement that the entire season is here, untracked, at our fingertips and yearning for its place in our very own lore.  That, plus the jitters.

The First Day Jitters, a phrase I surely cannot claim as having coined, is an unspoken yet unavoidable theme of the first day on the slopes.  Perhaps it stems from seeing those friends in the snowy parking lot that you haven’t seen, smiled at, high-fived, or “Hey Bro”d since last April’s epic end.  Or that brand-new gear you just can’t wait to break in and test its resolve.  For many, it’s a time for reflection on the past few sun-filled (or maybe even injury-ridden) months and what has changed or remained constant in your life and well-being.  But for all, there’s just one lingering question:  “Can I still do this?”

Sure, you’ve tested your bindings and boot fit in the living room or back yard.  You’ve biked, hiked, kayaked in “recycled powder,” and done anything else you could have to sustain your stamina. 

But that very first turn…

Is your pole plant on time?  Is your balance there?  Can you maintain the flow of the turn, effortless and natural as it was when you put the boards away to collect dust the previous spring?
 
For me, the first day of a new ski season brings an eerily satisfying mix of the thrill of a new routine and the unease of having not yet established one.  Surely, I will forget a glove that first day.  The next day it may be my favorite fleece layer.  Yet as I work through the kinks of what is sure to be my best season yet, I know that the Biggest Skiing in America awaits my exploration.  And brand spankin’ new skis, duck-taped mittens, yet-to-be-worn-in quadriceps, red-haired ponytail and all, I am ready to take it on.  Let’s go, Lone Peak.

 
- Margo Humphries

TWISI guest writer Margo Claire Humphries boasts Big Sky Resort as her home mountain of almost 26 years and a well-seasoned ski patroller as her next-of-kin.  The final 45 seconds of the ride up the Lone Peak Tram is commonly known as one of the only things in life that can shut her up.

Check out the snow report first thing in the morning for the most up-to-date snow conditions (406-996-5900).

 
Lone Peak opens for skiing this Thursday - Thanksgiving Day.

THE BEGINNING of the Holiday season has two meanings in Big Sky, and while others may be scouring the pantry for  their family pumpkin pie recipe and dusting off packed-away Christmas lights, Big Sky skiers are rooting through their garages (read: gear sheds) for their helmets and beacons.  In Big Sky, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of ski season, a holiday worth celebrating all on its own. 

And so it is that Big Sky Resort prepares for our big holiday – not only are the halls decked with holly, but the slopes are lined with snowmakers, the peak is packed with avalanche-managing explosives, and Swifty 2.0 terrain park is chock full of park features - 13 to be exact.

With a guaranteed 60 acres of terrain off Explorer and Ramcharger lifts set to open on Thursday, and Swift Current, the Triple, and Challenger ready to roll at the drop of a snowflake, we’re excited to give thanks for the start of another Big Sky ski season.  After all, ‘tis the season for shredding.

-  Greer

Check out videos on early season snow, snow making, and Swifty 2.0 terrain park to see how things are shaping up for yourself.  Lift tickets for opening day and weekend will be $49.

Below: How Big Sky prepares for the Holidays...