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

 
AS WINTER NEARS, the familiar butterflies return citing that eagerness to get out on the mountain.  If you live in a ski town, you can access the backcountry which will scratch that ski-itch but if mountains aren’t in your backyard, don’t ignore the itch; go through your preseason checklist like I do:

1. Dust off the Sticks – That’s right, if you haven’t pulled them out yet, now is the time.  If they’ve collected a little dirt give them a good wipe down with some warm well-diluted soapy water.  After wiping them down, bring them to your local ski tech for a pre-season tune and binding calibration.  Save your knees, get your bindings tested every year to ensure they’re releasing correctly.  My go to tuning wizard is Brit at the Big Sky Repair Shop.  With over a decade of tuning under his belt he delivers one mean tune. 

2. Avy Gear – If you’re venturing into the backcountry, avalanche safety gear is a must.  Be sure you’re not missing your shovel handle, probe deploys, first aid kit is fully stocked, and don’t be a cheapskate, replace your year old beacon batteries; no use getting yourself or buddy killed over a $3 buy from C&P Grocery.

3. Ski Wear and Accessories – Pullout the outerwear and baselayers, it’s ski season!  Suiting up is one of the final checks to ensure nothing’s missing since your last ski adventure.  And trust me things get lost. I’ve wound up with mismatched gloves, missing poles, to broken goggle lens and none of them were fun realizations and the last thing you want is to pull up to the mountain and figure it out there. Have no fear though, picking up new gear is exciting and Big Sky Sports has you covered; everything from clean socks to GoPro cameras and accessories.

4. Brain Bucket – Always check your helmet for dents or cracks not only at the beginning of the season but throughout. It’s good practice since the majority of helmets out there are only rated for 1 impact.  So if you knocked your noggin last winter, pick up a new one, it could save your life.

5. Ski Pass Photo – Show off your creative side or wear what your Mom would have never dressed you in for picture day.  I once pointed out a black eye that my best friend gave me just so I could remind him every time we were out riding.  It’s your photo so take it how you want it to be taken; great pass photos are true keepsakes.

Following this list will assist in making a stress free and fun first day on the mountain.  And if you’re proudly wearing a smile, I’ll know it all worked out.  See you out there. 

-Kipp Proctor
 

SKI MOVIE PREMIER season is in full swing which is also one of the first signs that ski season is right around the corner. Lovingly referred to as “Ski Porn” in the world of skiing, ski film premiers offer an experience that every snowsport enthusiast should partake in at least once during their ski careers. Accessing one is probably easier than you think too. Most major film companies lineup national tours that hit major ski towns and larger metropolitan areas all across the country, and trust me, being part of one is an experience all in itself. I can vividly remember my first when I was just a lowly freshman at Montana State and how it’s now turned into an experience I seek out every year.

Last night I had the opportunity to represent Big Sky Resort and attend the Bozeman premier of The Dream Factory at the Emerson Cultural Center. As an avid skier, nothing is quite as inspiring as watching the world’s best pros skiing huge, epic lines in Alaska and skiing them at a level most of us can only imagine. The Dream Factory is the newest release from the seasoned and veteran team at Teton Gravity Research (TGR). Based in Jackson, WY, TGR has become synonymous in the ski industry for putting out some of the most progressive yet grass roots driven footage. While many of their films have large segments filmed around Jackson, The Dream Factory focused on skiing in the great state of Alaska.

The Dream Factory was no let down either; TGR produced yet another great film that took you on not only a tour of Alaska’s breathtaking and exhilarating peaks but also gave you an interesting journey through Alaska’s famed history in heli-skiing. Broken into segments, the filmed offered a bit of background on the major turning points and a look back at archival footage from some of AK’s first major descents. The history portions then lead into clips of today’s pros revisiting these same lines and ripping them all over again. It was a great way to draw on the similarities between todays sport of skiing and how yesterday’s pioneers lead the revolution of big mountain freeskiing.

While not all ski films are created equal, there is one overwhelmingly unifying similarity, and that’s the all-around amazing vibe and high level of excitement throughout the audience. This electrifying energy radiates through the crowd and becomes heightened even more by the film’s soundtrack. Huge smiles, high fives, hoots, hollers, oohs, and ahhs are to be expected throughout the film as the crowd cheers on their heroes and dreams of the day when they might get the opportunity to drop into a legendary AK line.

Don’t fret if you’re a local Bozeman/Big Sky resident and missed The Dream Factory premier; here’s a list of few other notable ski film premiers dropping the next few months in Bozeman:

Poor Boyz Productions – Triple Threat – September 19th
Level 1 Productions – Sunny – September 27th
Match Stick Productions – Super Heroes of Stoke – October 10th
Teton Gravity Research – Further (snowboard film) – October 25th

-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

While the rest of the west suffers bleak ski conditions, Big Sky Resort has gotten plenty of pow.  Now, we're sharing the love by inviting Epic Pass holders to ski free at Big Sky through January.
  

COLORADO SKI CONDITIONS have been less-than-epic this season.  In Montana, that’s not the case - with several large snowstorms and 3,381 acres open so far this season, Big Sky Resort has the best ski conditions and most open acres in the Rocky Mountains.  With such good Montana conditions contrasting with Colorado’s distinct lack of snow, Big Sky Resort is spreading the love by inviting Epic Pass holders to ski for free throughout the month of January.

“Big Sky has about twice the open acreage that Vail and Breckenridge do right now, plus we’ve had some great powder,” said Chad Jones, Big Sky Resort Public Relations Manager. “And with other Epic Pass resorts like Heavenly at under 200 acres, we decided to share the wealth.  We’re a skier’s and rider’s mountain, and no one should miss out on good snow just because they live in Colorado or California.”

The home of the Biggest Skiing in America, Big Sky Resort is currently open with 3,381 skiable acres, 4,350 vertical feet, and 100% of lifts running.  From rolling groomers to chutes off of the Lone Peak Tram and Big Sky’s 5 new gladed runs, 131 out of Big Sky’s 155 named runs are currently open.  

Epic Pass holders are now able to take advantage of these great conditions and join in the fun throughout January: Big Sky Resort will honor Epic Passes by allowing holders to ski free for the duration of their stay when they book lodging with Big Sky Central Reservations and ask for the Epic Package.  Big Sky Resort will extend the Bring a Buddy Coupon to holders as well, allowing friends in their reservation without Epic Passes to ski for $74/day.

So stop praying for snow, and just come find it.  See you soon, Coloradans!

 -  Greer

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport offers 35 direct flights to and from Denver and 14 to and from San Francisco each week, as well as direct flights to and from eight other cities and hubs.  Visit bigskyresort.com/epic or call Big Sky Central Reservations at 1-800-548-4486 for more information.


Don't believe just how great the skiing at Big Sky is?  Take a look for yourself in the latest video from BSPN:

 
Vail's back bowls have been left dry so far this season; Big Sky's slopes have had great early season coverage

 
A December 2011 powder day at Big Sky; The first big snow at Big Sky this season - October 2011.

Big Sky