12/14/2012 5:31:00 PM

NOTHING PUTS THE BIG in Big Sky quite as well as the Lone Peak Tram, and now that it’s open, Big Sky’s season just hit full stride. After the ludicrous storm cycle we’ve been happily stuck in (nearly 60 inches of snow in the last week), our upper mountain base depth has grown to over 55 inches and the skiing/coverage reflects it.

As someone who now calls Big Sky home, nothing truly marks the start of ski season quite as well as stepping foot into the tram for your first run off the top of the Peak. And nothing gets the early season leg burn going quite as well as a top to bottom lap down Liberty Bowl. Upon exiting the Tram, my buddy Chris and I clicked/strapped in and headed for the top of the south face. With another storm socking in the peak, we dropped in to Liberty nearly blind. While it wasn’t the hip deep powder we’ve been skiing the last few days, it still made for an awesome run with the snow reminding me of what you’d usually find in the Pacific Northwest (dense, soft, and springy). With a blanket of springy, rippable snow below us, Chris and I navigated our way through the storm towards the bottom of Liberty where it began to clear and we were able to begin to really open it up. Once we both reached the bottom, patrol dropped the rope to the Dakota Territory and we headed for Gate 4 which accessed some of the newly gladed terrain. We were both stoked on how well it skied too; great spacing and open meadows were abundant and have made for a welcome addition to the area. With a bit more snow, even the large burn piles scattered throughout the area will add to the fun by providing little ledges and logs to pop off of while bopping around in the trees. After a quick discussion on where to go, we decided the only logical decision would be to burn another hot lap so we headed to the Dakota lift for round 2.

-Kipp Proctor