4/5/2013 10:48:00 AM

2 upcoming rippers. Watch out ski world, these boys mean business. (Noah left, Isaac right)

Dear Big Sky Social Media Fans,

I have checked out your Facebook page on numerous occasions and being a full time blogger for Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah, I found it humorous that your blogger seems to be completely incognito (I, on the other hand...am not). Really, unless you happen to be privy to your mountain’s inner workings, you might never know who is posting information about your mega resort on it’s FB page and elsewhere. Well, lucky me, I found out. He (yes, it’s a he and not a she) could very well be one of the best things at Big Sky...behind the skiing, scenery and of course, the Euro-looking Lone Mountain that looms over the valley like an extreme snowy playground just daring you to show up with your A game.

Although, some of you reading this may already be friendly with so-called blogger, I promise I am not going to expose his desire for anonymity but only share with you what he shared with a (I’ll admit it) self-absorbed skier/blogger from Utah and my crew of little men who found a new stomping ground deep in the southwest corner of Montana.

Over the past few weeks I have been continually asked why I decided to take my family to Montana for spring break to ski when I live in a state which is overrun with out-of-towner’s during March, who specifically come to Utah for world class skiing. I love Utah. I love skiing, living, and playing in the Beehive State but, every once in awhile I need the unknown, something unfamiliar and different. I need to go somewhere that gets my blood rushing and I need to ultimately step out of the Utah bubble for just a moment. Generally, this desire sends me packing to Wyoming and the steeps of the Hole but, I have begun to know that mountain like I know the Cottonwood’s and it was time for something completely foreign.

Although, flying into Bozeman was an option, the drive from Salt Lake City to Big Sky was a breeze. Five hours to West Yellowstone and another forty minutes through some of the most spectacular country in America. I wouldn’t have traded that drive for a quick flight any day. I may have traded out my two boys though...

Who knew Big Sky was so close and so accessible? I sure didn’t. I guess that is why it has taken so long for this Utah transplant to discover what you guys reading this have known about forever. Thanks to your ambiguous blogger who happens to be a little higher up the totem pole than social networker, my family and I were able to crash at the best Big Sky has to offer (although, I believe a dorm room at the hostel would have been satisfactory to have been able to ski three days at your mountain).

I know, I know, I am a bit jealous of myself even as I sit in my house looking out at the snow capped Wasatch writing this. I was just thinking this morning that I wish my boys, Noah (10) and Isaac (7), could eat at the Summit’s breakfast buffet every morning. It would save so much time and energy (for myself). That buffet killed it! It was hard to ski afterwards but, trust me...we did! In fact, most of the food we had in Big Sky was fantastical.

From here on out, I am going to refer to your completely rad blogger who ended up not only being the person behind the e-mails and text messages but who ended up being a guide, friend and even (whether he liked it or not) Isaac’s favorite play thing, as K. Bottom line is, K hooked us up (maybe not with some certain nachos) but he made our trip. Generally, I run into a small mountain office on these writing gigs of mine, say hello, shake a hand, grab some tickets, promise to send finished copies of articles written and that is that. Peace out. K became part of our experience. It was unexpected but in a perfectly good way.

I am sure I could have picked up another cute guy to show the fam around or someone else to lead my 10 year old into the Dictator Chutes or someone to race down the widest, most perfect cruisers I have ever seen, but no one would have been more successful than K. Even when K wasn’t around, he sent us off with good directions and recommendations. My husband was also impressed. Okay, this blog just got boring...he’s taken ladies. My husband and K, they are both taken. A few years and you might get lucky enough with Noah or Isaac. Keep your fingers crossed. Anyways, the bottom line is that your locals, especially K, know and love your mountain and are happy to share it with outsiders.

Some things that I learned about your neck-of-the-woods is that the town of Big Sky is MUCH smaller than I expected. This is not entirely bad as Bozeman is bigger than I anticipated and a short drive away. K says he can drive back from shopping in Bozeman and his ice cream is still frozen. I don’t necessarily buy that one. Certainly, the liquor laws are a far cry from Utah’s...I swear the beer runs freely from the taps here. I learned that although alcohol is a primary food group at Big Sky, the locals don’t seem to notice or mind the dizzying amount of white crosses that dot the roadsides. I came to Big Sky to ski BIG terrain but, bring a shovel, beacon and probe as they won’t let you into the serious stuff without it...dang (sort of). I learned that the big in Big Sky really means BIG! Who knew that there are two other skiable mountains within steps of Big Sky? Moonlight Basin and The Yellowstone Club (Although, unless your Bill Gate’s illegitimate child, you are probably not skiing the club any day soon) make this skiable playground the largest in America! Your mountain is huge in a million ways. I was also blown away by all the beginner and intermediate terrain that your mountain has to offer. Shocked...completely shocked! This mountain should be on any diverse families hit list! I learned that I couldn’t possibly ski or come to know your mountain in a measly 3 days of skiing...it is that BIG!

When it comes time to be putting the seriousness into my articles for Big Sky, I will look back and remember the fun to be had in Montana because of K.

Thank you for letting us come and explore the mountain that you love so much. We all need an entire season to really understand and explore the steeps and deeps as well as the expansive gentleness of Big Sky’s wide open spaces so, don’t be surprised to see us again someday soon.

Sincerely, Rachael Hodson

P.S. Thanks K for crushing me and putting me back in my rightful place....all that vertical....ahhhh

Noah arcing turns and laying trenches down Dictator 1

The Bowl in all it's unbumped spring wonder

Isaac and I (K) goofing around at the base

K skiing Chicken Bowl

Tags: skiing, montana, big sky resort, yellowstone, yellowstone national park, big sky, technical terrain, tram, lone peak, dictators, castros beard,

Montana | Skiing | The Way I Ski It | General

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Spring Break - Big Sky Style

3/26/2013 7:32:00 PM

THERE'S NOTHING BETTER than spending spring break in Big Sky Montana. I drove an easy 12 hours from Minnesota across the flat lands of North Dakota and ended in my favorite place, Big Sky. As I drove up the mountain toward towering Lone Peak, my heart began to race with excitement. I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish this spring break and skiing was at the top of my list.

I got to spend my first day on the mountain getting my legs back under me on some long groomers. Big Horn, being one of my favorites, was a nice long blue to start things off. Throughout the week my skiing returned to what I was used to and before I knew it, I was back to taking on the steeps of Lone Peak.

Every time I ski at Big Sky I am brought down a new route, and it always amazes me the amount of great skiing that is out there. Throughout the week I was lucky to be able to ski with my boyfriend Kipp and good friends. I got some beautiful sunny spring skiing in, and a couple days of fresh snow as well; something a girl would write home about.

One of my favorite Nordic venues in the nation is Lone Mountain Ranch (LMR) and just a 5 minute drive from the resort. LMR has 2,200 vertical feet of manicured groomed trails winding through the woods with open meadows that offer breathtaking views of Lone Peak.

Taking a day off from Alpine skiing to get my cardio on, my good friend Amber drove down from Bozeman to join me for a day out on the trails. We started in the meadow where the skiing is easier and progressed up towards the tree trails. After a few hours of kicking and gliding we set out for the upper mountain to enjoy a drink and a snack at Carabiner by the warm fire.

Friends, fresh air, and fresh snow are what spring breaks in Big Sky mean to me.

-Kari Lunemann

Tags: skiing, montana, big sky resort, yellowstone, yellowstone national park, big sky, powder, technical terrain, face-shots, nordic skiing, nordic, lone peak, lone mountain ranch, spring break, big horn, challenger,

Montana | Skiing | The Way I Ski It | General

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Skiing Big Sky's Private Powder

3/22/2013 9:07:00 PM

Ben Brosseau getting deep

AFTER GETTING A brief glimpse of spring last week, winter resumed and we were happily reminded that ski season is not over. Beginning late last Saturday, winter returned in a BIG way depositing 5-7 inches of snow on the lower-mountain with even larger totals found on the peak and since then we’ve received well over a foot of snow setting us up for another great weekend.

No matter where I went on the mountain and no matter the day, the skiing was great. Big Sky’s wind grooming machine was hard at work the days we didn’t get any new snow overnight and our consistent storms provide the powder it feeds on.

After our most recent storm from Wednesday night that dropped 10+ inches in pockets across the mountain, my friends Sharron, Mark, Aaron, and Hartman headed for Dakota and Shedhorn where were royally treated to what seemed like our own private powder playground. First hitting up Dude Park before venturing to Dakota and Rockville, the lack of tracks we crossed 2 days after the storm only added to great terrain we had to play on.

Before parting ways and to finish the morning off on the right foot, we sought out Chicken Bowl and its untouched steep shots. The silky smooth powder was a treat and I gladly opened it up arcing a few big GS turns out the bottom before meeting up with rest of our crew. After exchanging high fives and pole taps we went our separate ways with emails and projects beckoning me back at the office.

Another great day skiing Big Sky’s many secrets.

-Kipp Proctor

Snowboarding the Bone Crusher trees

Parker about to send it in Rockville

Huntley Hot Tub: The ideal place to unwind after a day on the mountain

Tags: skiing, montana, big sky resort, yellowstone, yellowstone national park, big sky, technical terrain, powder, dakota, shedhorn, rockville, dude park, big sky's secrets, private powder

Montana | Skiing | The Way I Ski It | General

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Conquering Lone Peak

3/6/2013 10:07:00 PM

WHEN IT COMES to conquering mountains, Lone Peak is one hell of a monster to take on. Whether you’re tackling on the steeps of Challenger or the high alpine exposed terrain from atop Lone Mountain’s 11,166 ft. summit, Big Sky is sure to challenge. So when my friend Johnny who was visiting said he was up to task, I gladly agreed to show him the ins and outs of what makes Big Sky BIG.

Day 1: Having never skied off the summit we first tackled Liberty Bowl. While the peak was socked in, we navigated our way through the snow fences and straight to the gut. I informed him to follow the green dots down and to use them as a point of reference. The powder was deep and after reconvening at the bottom, I knew Johnny was thrilled by his trademark large grin. We ventured on to the base and finished our day poking around the lower mountain in the trees chasing powder.

Day 2: Having had a taste of what Lone Peak offered, Johnny wanted more. Since he had already checked off Marx with another friend of ours the day before, we decided the best next step would be to take on Lenin. While offering the same southern aspect as Marx, Lenin is steeper with a bit more of a pinch than what most vacationing skiers are used to, but that didn’t stop Johnny. He confidently took it on as if we were skiing Mr. K and once again show up at the bottom (maybe a bit more out of breath than other Mr. K) with another huge grin.

Final Day: Still wanting more, Johnny requested that we seek the peak once again in hopes of checking off one more steep, technical run. After having seen the Dictators while skiing Lenin a few days prior, we set our sights on D1. With a storm quickly moving in, we headed straight for the tram. Traversing from the top of Lenin we made our way to the top D1. Looking down the rock walled run we pointed our tips downhill and went for it. Johnny precisely navigated his way down and we met up just above the traverse to Lenin. Pole taps/high fives were a given and of course Johnny’s smile accompanied them.

We next ventured to Challenger to check off the final steeps that Johnny hadn’t skied yet. Once again Johnny killed and we headed for the base. Sending Johnny on his way wishing him safe travels back to LA, we exchanged hugs, a few fist bumps, and of course the plan to take on the rest of the peak next year.

Interested in checking out some of these great spots? Look into the mountain guide program offered through Mountain Sports School.

-Kipp Proctor

Tags: skiing, montana, big sky resort, yellowstone, yellowstone national park, big sky, technical terrain, tram, lone peak, powder, liberty bowl, face-shots, dictators, marx, lenin, conquering steeps, challenger, challenging skiing,

Montana | Skiing | The Way I Ski It | Snowsports

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Skiing With Legends Under Bluebird Skies

3/3/2013 2:48:00 PM

Skier: Dan Herby Photo: Freeride Media

CONSISTENT SNOWFALL, FREE refills and good friends have made for an amazing few weeks here at Big Sky Resort. Whether it’s a fresh 6 inches overnight or a bluebird day with knee deep recirculated powder, the mountain has been skiing great.

While entertaining Freeride Media earlier this week, we were treated to soft snow off the peak and a bluebird day to remember. Joined by skiing legends and a stellar film crew that not only can shoot but also rip, we roamed the mountain in search of the perfect shots. Finding excellent steeps through the Dictators off the Tram and fantastic gladed shots in Dude Park off the Shedhorn lift, we compiled a ton of footage that’s sure to please.

Interested in checking out some of these great spots? Look into the mountain guide program offered through Mountain Sports School. Or if you want to see more of these great photos here are 2 albums from their visit: Day 1, Day 2.

-Kipp Proctor

Skier: Desiree' Leipham Photo: Freeride Media

Skier: Scott Evans Photo: Freeride Media

Skiers: Dan Herby and Dan Egan Photo: Freeride Media

Skier: Tommy Frey Photo: Freeride Media

Skier: Kipp Proctor Photo: Freeride Media

Tags: skiing, montana, big sky resort, yellowstone, yellowstone national park, big sky, technical terrain, tram, lone peak, lone peak tram, shedhorn, dictators, skiing legends, freeride media, consistent snowfall, dan egan, dan herby, powder, fresh snow, bluebird,

Montana | Skiing | The Way I Ski It | General

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Best Piece of Ski Equipment

2/27/2013 6:02:00 PM

Ski trips can be rather daunting; between the travel time, lesson sign up and gear gathering, honestly, I cannot understand how people have the energy to ski. As a ski instructor at Big Sky, one of the main pieces of equipment commonly over looked is ski boots. People get rental gear, not quite certain on how boots should fit and head out on to the hill. Here are a few tips on picking boots and what to look for.

First, ski boots should fit snug, not to the point the foot falls asleep or cuts off the circulation, but so the foot does not move around inside the boot, this can affect performance. The boot should feel snug around the foot conforming to the heel, arch and toes. There should be absolutely no lateral movement in the foot and the cuff should be tight around the lower shin allowing for limited range of motion in the ankle.

Finding good rental boots can be challenging. Obviously, rental boots are made to fit a wide variety of people. If you ski two or three days in a year, rental boots are the way to go; but if you come out and ski a least a week every year purchasing boots can be beneficial to both fit and skiing performance. It is the constant in your ski trip and familiar. It can also help streamline a trip if you just need skis and poles.

Bottom line, ski boots are the most important piece of ski equipment so whether you are renting or buying take the information above into consideration . Use the resources at the resort and if taking a lesson, instructors will more than likely take a look at your foot wear. If they don’t, ask for their advice.

I am Brenna Kelleher and that’s the way I ski it!

-Brenna Kelleher

Tags: skiing, montana, big sky resort, yellowstone, yellowstone national park, big sky, technical terrain, tram, lone peak, bootfitting, boot fitting, ski instructing, bootfitter, big sky sports, good fitting boots,

Montana | Skiing | The Way I Ski It | Snowsports | General

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Early Ups and the Big Couloir

2/23/2013 6:23:00 PM

BEATING EARLY UPS is a hard thing to do; especially on a powder day. Saturday, luck was in my favor when I was invited along by extreme skiing legend Dan Egan and his Steep Camp for the special opportunity to get first tracks through the Big Couloir with a few eager and fearless first timers.

Put on by the resort’s First Tracks program, we skied the lower mountain off Andesite until 8:45 before heading for the Tram. The fresh snow from overnight was super fluffy and provided a great opportunity to warm up and get our legs under us.

Once warmed up we set sail on Swifty and headed to the Peak. After checking in with Ski Patrol Director Jimbo Humphries and a quick safety talk with Ryan Ayers, we clipped into our skis and ventured around the back of the peak to the entrance of the Big. From the top, we sent groups of 2 down the resort’s most illustrious run. The deep snow that had filled in the Big from the previous few days was unbelievable and was an experience that the group participants (Leslie, Mike, and Scott) were stoked to check off.

After skiing the technical top section, I veered out of the Big Couloir proper and headed for the Secret. Thigh deep fluff awaited me as I dove into my first turn, and every turn thereafter until just above the Cue Ball. Reconvening with our group just above the Triple, we exchanged high fives and pole taps after giving everyone a BIG congratulations.

Live big, play hard: BIG SKY.

-Kipp Proctor

Tags: skiing, montana, big sky resort, yellowstone, yellowstone national park, big sky, technical terrain, tram, lone peak, dan egan, powder, early ups, first tracks, big couloir, ski clinics,

Montana | Skiing | The Way I Ski It | Snowsports

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Short waits and Long Laps

2/19/2013 2:55:00 PM

Big Sky base area vs. Vail

WHEN I GO SKIING I want to ski. Busy trails and endless lift lines seem to always come to mind when planning a trip over a holiday weekend; unless you’re skiing Big Sky Resort. We’re not kidding when we boast about our nonexistent lift lines and the 3,832 acres of nearly private skiing.

Whether you’re a long time local or guest, it’s hard to complain when you take into account what other resorts in the Rockies experience (Vail for example) during high traffic periods. Even with one of our busiest years to date, lift lines at the base area have remained sub 10 minutes and are more often than not walk-on/ski-on. They’re also an added blessing when they fall on weekends (like this last one) that deliver over 16 inches of fresh snow and all you want is get back up top to make another lap. I'd gladly pass on fighting Vail's crowds and helplessly watching my favorite line getting poached.

Short waits and long laps; Big Sky is the ticket.

-Kipp Proctor