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

Spring Break - Big Sky Style

3/26/2013 7:32:00 PM
Nordic under Lone Peak

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

Big Sky with Friends
 
Kari and Heidi
 
Kari Nordic
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Skiing Big Sky's Private Powder

3/22/2013 9:07:00 PM

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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

REI Snowboard Shoot 3-18-13
Snowboarding the Bone Crusher trees
 
Parker sending it in Rockville 3-20-13
Parker about to send it in Rockville  

Sunset Poolside at the Huntley 3-21-13
Huntley Hot Tub: The ideal place to unwind after a day on the mountain

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Spring Skiing and Chasing the Sun

3/15/2013 9:52:00 AM
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EVERYONE LOOKS FORWARD to the joys of spring skiing. When tackling the Biggest Skiing in America there are multiple faces and aspects to deal with. Think about finding the good snow early and chasing the sun is key to having a great experience. While the weekend forecast is calling for more snow and cooler temps, the last few days of spring like weather encourage a quick overview of how to follow the sun around our giant Peak.

First thing in the morning (9-10:30am) seek out fresh groomers, head for either Southern Comfort or Mr. K and Upper and Lower Morning Star. These fresh groomed runs will offer a great opportunity to get your legs under you before heading elsewhere. The sun will be shining almost directly on the runs and the snow will still be fast, enjoy.

Mid-morning (10:30am-noon) start heading for more groomed runs down either Elk Park Ridge (off Ramcharger/Thunderwolf) or venturing into the Bowl/other off-piste areas around the Triple Chair. By this time, the sun  have softened the snow up enough to be playful and carvable and is the ideal spot to get your legs going just a bit more before venturing up the Tram.

Early afternoon (noon-2:30pm) is a great time of day to head for the The Lone Peak Tram or tackle some of the gladed/back bowls in the Shedhorn and Dakota areas. When the weather permits, the southern facing aspects off the tram will “corn up” and provide an unmatched soft snow experience with over 1,500 vertical feet of above tree line skiing.

Late afternoon (2:30-4 or on a Saturday, 5pm) head back to the lower mountain to finish the day off playing around once again on Andesite and Swift Current. Be sure to head for Andesite on Saturdays when you can ski Ramcharger until 5pm and celebrate the extra hour of daylight.

While spring kindly poked its head in to say hello, winter weather is once again in the forecast so pack some layers because she’s coming back for an encore. See you on the hill!

-Kipp Proctor

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Marcel Silhard - Dakota

Marcel Silhard - Challenger - 3-13-13
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Showing Old Friends the Ropes

3/12/2013 5:29:00 PM
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The Shedhorn Grill was the place to be for lunch last Saturday as the sun kept everybody on the deck nice and warm

Last weekend I had the opportunity to show three former college roommates around Big Sky Resort for an awesome day of skiing and sunshine. The four of us have a long history of skiing together, mostly on the East Coast where we went to school. While I am used to tram laps and hiking to find the powder stashes, my buddies are for the most part intermediate skiers, and I was looking forward to giving them the full mountain tour.

We started our day at the Moonlight Lodge where they purchased Biggest Skiing in America tickets. After a few cruisers at Moonlight, we made our way to the Mountain Village base area just as the sun really started to shine. After a quick run down Calamity Jane, we headed up Andesite to chase the sun. We started with the wide open feel of Ponderosa down to the Southern Comfort lift, then enjoyed the perfect corduroy down Bighorn and Elk Park Ridge. Feeling hungry, we ripped down Tippy’s to the base area, up Swiftcurrent and then down Cow Flats over to the bottom of Shedhorn.

With the peak looming above, we enjoyed a leisurely and delicious lunch in the sun at the Shedhorn Grill, then I tested their skills down Larkspur and Jock Strap. We did two laps in the Sunlight Bowl—easily the best turns of the day in the soft, springy snow—before taking the Duck Walk all the way over to the Triple Chair. We did two quick laps in the Bowl and Upper Morning Star, before finishing the day with some fun turns down Lower Morning Star and Mr. K.

After getting in nearly 24,000 vertical feet, the East Coast boys were beat, but not too tired to enjoy some well-deserved beers on the deck at the Carabiner to end the day. The next day they were on a plane back home, and I was relishing in the fact that I am able to live in this amazing place we call Big Sky.

-Brian Hurlbut

Brian Hurlbut is the author of the Insider’s Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (Globe-Pequot Press) and Montana: Skiing the Last Best Place (Great Wide Open Press). In addition to previous positions as the Managing Editor for the Big Sky Sun and the Arts and Entertainment Editor for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, his writing has appeared in the Oregonian, Montana Quarterly, Montana Magazine, Luxury Living, Big Sky Journal, Yellowstone-Teton Country, Big Sky Magazine, Western Art and Architecture, Outside Bozeman and more. He lives in Big Sky, Montana.

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Kevin Bailey enjoys the soft snow down Sunlight with Lone Peak looking above
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Experiencing a Few of Montana's Many Wonders

3/10/2013 6:53:00 PM
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SUNSHINE, GREAT COMPANY, wildlife and an endless trail system seem to highlight the Nordic skiing around Yellowstone National Park (YNP). With numerous options for places to ski from Rendezvous to the trail systems in and around the park, you have miles (kilometers if you’re true Nordic skier) of trail to keep you and your friends busy for days and days or as quick way to take in some of the other activies offered around the resort.

Even with a late start leaving Big Sky, my girlfriend Kari and I set out for our adventure to YNP. Enjoying the scenic drive through the park boundaries, wildlife and mountain ranges seem to be a given no matter the day. Catching a glimpse of a Coyote, heard of Elk, and a few Big Horn sheep, the drive alone made the trip worthwhile.

Arriving at Freeheel and Wheel around 1pm, we still had plenty of daylight to rent a pair of classic skis for myself and venture out to the Riverside Trail. Skiing along with the entire groomed trail to ourselves, we had plenty of time to take in all our surroundings.

First stopping at a quick pull off by the river, Kari and I took the time to sit and chat while taking in the breathtaking views. With the Taylor Hilgards in the background and the relaxing sounds of the river trickling past us, we quietly rested and soaked it all in. Just before we left, we spotted a small red fox that seemed to be checking us out, wondering why we were hanging out at his special spot.

Venturing further down river to a second and nearly equally as scenic pullout, we once again took the opportunity to rest and enjoy each other’s company. Spotting animal tracks along the other side of the river that resembled Elk tracks, we figured we must have just missed him/her so we set our sights for the trailhead and eventually Freeheel and Wheel.

The beautiful scenery and an opportunity to experience a few of Montana’s many wonders made for an outstanding day.

-Kipp Proctor

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Nordic with Kari in YNP 3-10-13 b

Nordic Poles 3-10-13

Kipp Nordic 3-10-13
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Skiing With Legends Under Bluebird Skies

3/3/2013 2:48:00 PM
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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

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Skier: Desiree' Leipham     Photo: Freeride Media

Freeride Media 1
Skier: Scott Evans     Photo: Freeride Media

Freeride Media 2
Skiers: Dan Herby and Dan Egan     Photo: Freeride Media
 
Freeride Media 4
Skier: Tommy Frey     Photo: Freeride Media

Freeride Media 5
Skier: Kipp Proctor     Photo: Freeride Media
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Best Piece of Ski Equipment

2/27/2013 6:02:00 PM
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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

brenna top big

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Short waits and Long Laps

2/19/2013 2:55:00 PM
Big Sky-Vail Comparison 2-16-13
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

Base Area b 2-18-13

Base Area 2-18-13
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