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
 

Bluegrass music.  For many, it brings to mind notions of the Beverly Hillbillies and southern backwoods, moonshine-induced, foot-stomping calls of “YEEE HAWW!”  For others it is indistinguishable from pop country a la Taylor Swift or Tim McGraw.  Still others associate it with free-loving “Festies” or the new generation of Woodstockers.

In reality, all of these nuances are correct in some way.  Bluegrass music today remains highly influenced by its “Father,” legendary Bill Monroe, but is often eclectically mixed with more modern elements and styles.  And while the geographical heart of bluegrass still undoubtedly lies south of the Mason-Dixon, the Rocky Mountains of Montana are becoming prime country to find some of the finest bluegrass picking around. 

Just this past week I took the time to jump on tour with the Grammy-nominated Infamous Stringdusters during their sold out, two-night, Halloween-themed stint in Big Sky Country.  The band donned neon sunglasses to a costumed bunch at Bozeman’s Emerson ballroom, only to be followed 24 hours later with a wild crowd (and head to toe lycra on each band member) at Missoula’s Top Hat. 

The energy each night was, hands down, incredible.  The music – well, it just couldn’t get any better.  The band’s fiddle player and famed vocalist Jeremy Garrett perhaps said it best on his Facebook page after the Bozeman show:  “I had one of the most fun music times I have ever had in my life... I don't know if you really know what that means, but it is true. I love you Montana. I really really love you. Can't wait till tomorrow.”

Garrett elaborates more on the band’s website: “The type of people who listen to the music that we play, and are coming to the shows, are also people who go on epic hikes, or ski, or ride mountain bikes, or get out and experience life from all angles.  The new song on our latest record called ‘Night On The River’ has been going out to a lot of people.  Rafters come up after the show to talk about it…The music sort of sets up the background for your life.”

And perhaps the ultimate intersection of bluegrass and Montana life can be found mid-February at Big Sky Resort.  Big Sky Big Grass, gearing up for its 7th annual festival in 2013 has become a can’t-miss event for Bluegrass lovers, skiers and just about everyone in between.  Unlike its larger, summertime counterparts such as Telluride, BSBG Festival-goers ski and ride powder at the Biggest Skiing in America by day and stomp their heels to some of the industry’s finest by night.  This year’s lineup includes The Sam Bush Band, The Del McCoury Band, The Emmitt-Nershi Band and The Special Consensus, just to name a few.  Past acts will tell you there truly is something special about the unique mountain setting paired with the onstage (and offstage) picking.

No, it isn’t Nashville here in Montana.  But then again, we like it that way.

Online Ticket sales for Big Sky Big Grass begin on November 15th.  Stay tuned to www.bigskybiggrass.com and be sure to “like” Big Sky Big Grass on Facebook for the latest updates.

- Margo Humphries

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