Big Sky Resort Named #1 Ski Resort in the West by SKI Magazine
Recognition follows decade of transformation shaped by the Big Sky 2025 vision
BIG SKY, Mont., October 28, 2025 – Big Sky Resort has been named the #1 ski resort in the West by SKI Magazine’s annual Reader Survey Awards, a prestigious honor that reflects the lasting impact of the resort’s Big Sky 2025 vision.
Over the past decade, the biggest transformation in North American skiing has been underway at Big Sky Resort. Thirteen new state-of-the-art lifts have enhanced accessibility and comfort while preserving the uncrowded conditions that have become synonymous with the Big Sky experience. This ambitious 10-year vision has placed the resort in a category of its own as North America’s most technologically advanced lift network. Beyond the slopes, elevated dining experiences and landmark lodging investments throughout the Big Sky community are redefining what the American mountain experience can be.
"This honor belongs to everyone who has been part of Big Sky’s transformation: our dedicated team and the entire community that has rallied behind our vision to make Big Sky a world-class destination,” said Troy Nedved, president and COO of Big Sky Resort. "Being named the number one resort in the West, right as we complete Big Sky 2025, is an incredible validation that our decade-long investment has delivered on its promise. This recognition feels like both a milestone and the beginning of a new chapter.”
Since 1976, Boyne Resorts has led Big Sky Resort with an enduring spirit of innovation; not just following the industry but forging it.
“Big Sky's transformation over the past decade is the result of a true community collaboration to elevate the guest experience, and it’s just the beginning,” said Stephen Kircher, president and CEO of Boyne Resorts. “We remain committed to continuing the innovation and investment that will keep Big Sky at the forefront of the industry.”
The SKI Magazine honor comes as Big Sky prepares to debut several new additions this winter. M by The Alinea Group, a four-month culinary residency led by Michelin-starred Chef Grant Achatz, will bring a bold new dimension to Big Sky’s culinary scene. The two-stage Explorer Gondola, opening December 20, will complete a new base-to-summit lift network, allowing pedestrians to reach Lone Peak’s summit in winter for the first time. At 11,166 feet, Kircliff, an all-glass alpine summit observatory, is cantilevered out over the mountain’s edge. Offering sweeping, 360-degree views across three states and two national parks, Kircliff is unlike anything else in the American West.
In the span of one month, Big Sky Resort was named the #2 Ski Resort in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler, the 2026 Expedia Destination of the Year, and the #1 ski resort in the West by SKI Magazine.
