Big Sky, MT in late Feb 2019, cold and snowy

[marzNC]

My week at Big Sky for 2019 is Feb. 21-28, skiing six days on the MCP (3 days) and Ikon (max 5 days) multi-resort passes. Have been trying to get back to Big Sky since 2013. A lot of lift upgrades in the last six years, with more to come in the next few years. Have ridden all the new lifts and they are quite nice. Makes it even easier to get away from the the lift lines from the main base. Not that there has been any question for a while, but Big Sky is a destination resort in every sense. It's in my Top Five for trips out west.

Sharing a really nice condo near Meadow Village with Bill and a couple Divas. Getting lucky with the weather, although we have to bundle up because temps are in the single digits in the morning and not much more than teens by lunch time. Snow started the second ski day, with more predicted the rest of the week.

A few pics from the first day, which may be the only sunny day this trip.

Bill takes a photo of the first view of Lone Peak, on the short 10-min drive from the condo


Powder Seeker lift into the Bowl, 6-seater with bubble


View from top of Southern Comfort lift on Andesite Mtn.


One of the big houses with a view of Lone Peak, that's mostly skiable terrain from the peak!

 

[marzNC]

Not too likely to get any more blue sky pictures this trip. But that's okay because it's because it may snow every day until I leave Montana.

Today was quite a snowy day. Only got windy towards the middle of the afternoon. But I spent most of the day on Andesite Mtn, which has much less wind in any case. Went exploring assorted tree runs, especially in the afternoon when I was skiing with Bill. In the morning, I was giving a few friends a head start on good intermediate terrain on Andesite.

Rented powder skis for Monday. Could be another 5-10 inches tonight after the lifts closed.

 

[marzNC]

For those following this Big Sky trip report, I'm putting weather forecasts for this week in the ongoing regional thread for Montana.

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/i...ridger-whitefish-etc.23167/page-4#post-384211

Officially 7 inches at Big Sky in the last 24 hours, with 4 more expected today. Hopefully will get to explore other terrain today. We've reviewed the trail map and figured out how to get over to Challenger even if Swift Current is on wind hold. From Challenger, it's possible for advanced/expert skiers to get to the Moonlight Basin terrain. Also possible to get to the Powder Seeker to ski the Bowl, but have to plan carefully.

There is a free mountain host tour for Big Sky at 10:45 and 1:00. Bill and I took a tour the first ski day back in 2012 since we started skiing a day before everyone else at Diva West. Had a great guide and a fast group of seniors from a northeast ski club. Covered a lot of territory, including how to get to Moonlight and back. It was more important to know back then because Moonlight was on a separate light ticket. But could ride the Iron Horse lift on either ticket. Moonlight Lodge was public and had a nice little cafe. Now it's become a private lodge. So the only lunch option at Moonlight is at the Madison base.

The Madison Grill doesn't handle a crowd well. Definitely need to be early or late, meaning before 11:45 or after 12:30, if want to sit inside. Also a long wait for food because the traffic flow. Have to stand in line for all hot food except the self-serve pizza slices.

 

[mountainwest]

Rented powder skis for Monday. Could be another 5-10 inches tonight after the lifts closed.

Sounds like fun! Which skis did you rent?

 

[marzNC]

Sounds like fun! Which skis did you rent?

I've got the Rossi Soul 7 from a previous season. At Big Sky, they keep demo skis for more than one season for a lower price than new demos.

Looks like I've got the 2017 Soul 7HD, 162cm, 132/103/122, turn radius 15. Had a very good time with them today in 5+ inches of powder on the sides of groomers, fresh snow on bump runs, and also on groomers. Played with carving them on a green and they worked quite well.

 

[marzNC]

Given the forecast, I'm keeping the Soul7HD for another day at least. The deal at Grizzly Outfitters was essentially $90 for 3 days for the Premium (older demo skis) level. I figured I'd either get lucky and ski powder for 2-3 days, or I could try something else.

One reason I like to be around for the Alta Demo Day in April is to have enough experience to rent appropriate powder skis when I catch a powder storm. Even at $50/day, for me it's not worth buying a pair of powder skis and have to lug them around airports on the off chance that I would want to use them on a trip out west.

 

[marzNC]

Powder Days! Many trails at Big Sky are relatively long. There are places with tree runs off blue groomers. Quite a few sections of trees have been thinned to create various levels of glades, from blue to black.

View of Blackfoot on the first powder day, a short black trail on Andesite Mtn


Far fewer people around on Monday morning, compared to Fri-Sun, Summit building in background
Rented Rossi Soul 7HD for powder turns


Looking down the second half of Lobo, a blue off Swift Current
Andesite blue bump and tree runs on the right, main base just above the trees on the left

 

[marzNC]

The OpenSnow forecast shifted a bit. Even more new snow in the next 24-48 hours!

 

[bsskier]

Temps look much better!

 

[marzNC]

Temps look much better!

Definitely warmer during the snowstorm. Frigid temps return later in the week after the snow is done.

It was DEEP today. Especially in the areas that have been closed for a couple days due to avalanche mitigation work over on Shedhorn and Dakota. Tram hasn't been open since it started snowing.

Fluffy powder for most of the resort. I managed to get over to Dakota. Was lucky finding a ski buddy for a few runs. She was attending a Wilderness Medical conference and was also skiing solo. We did the #1 tree line off Dakota that I learned from @Skisailor a few days ago. Do the top half then pop out onto the Badlands blue. It was plenty deep on Badlands since it wasn't groomed at all. Deep but a little heavy. Very glad I had powder skis. The second run thru the same area was much more fun since we knew better what to expect.

 

[marzNC]

It's quite clear that this week is much less crowded than last week. Apparently last week there were families on a ski vacation because their kids were on winter break (mostly northeast states). Today the parking lot was noticeably emptier than Fri-Sun.

A mountain host noted that there are a reasonable number of "fair weather" skiers/boarders around. Visibility wasn't great most of the day. In the afternoon, when Bill and I went over to Powder Seeker (6-seater for the Bowl), it was running but the Bowl was closed (after 3pm). Don't know if it had been open earlier.

One of the advantages of the Dakota and Shedhorn area is that there is less wind and better visibility on snowy days. However, do need to be able to negotiate the open area called Upper Sunlight to get to the cat track called Mule Skinner that goes to the Dakota lift. When I went over around noon, there were enough skiers to follow so it wasn't too bad. The wind was gone once on Mule Skinner.

 

[bsskier]

Not sure if this is the right location to post, but .... So happy to have caught up with marzNC and Allison Wong (and friend) today for lunch at Big Sky Resort. As a newbie to the forum, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting fellow Divas! Hoping to ski with Allison tomorrow. marzNC, safe travels to you and Bill.

 

[marzNC]

Not sure if this is the right location to post, but .... So happy to have caught up with marzNC and Allison Wong (and friend) today for lunch at Big Sky Resort. As a newbie to the forum, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting fellow Divas! Hoping to ski with Allison tomorrow. marzNC, safe travels to you and Bill.

Glad you made it to lunch! I like The Cabin for a sit-down lunch at the main base. Always feels good to support a local business that's not owned by the resort when that's an option.

Bill and I had a relatively straightforward drive to SLC today. Left around 8am and got to Ogden at 5pm. Couldn't take RT87 to get thru Island Park, but taking US287 to I-15 in Dillon was fine. A little foggy near Pocatello but otherwise pretty much could drive the speed limit. Found a great place for lunch in Idaho Falls. Then went shopping at 2nd Tracks in Ogden. Perhaps usual, I left with something unexpected.

I think @alison wong and her friend rented slightly wider skis for today.

I had a good time with the Rossi Soul 7HD for the last 3 days with all the new snow. There was certainly no reason to switch to anything narrower.

 

[teppaz]

I've got the Rossi Soul 7 from a previous season. At Big Sky, they keep demo skis for more than one season for a lower price than new demos.

Looks like I've got the 2017 Soul 7HD, 162cm, 132/103/122, turn radius 15. Had a very good time with them today in 5+ inches of powder on the sides of groomers, fresh snow on bump runs, and also on groomers. Played with carving them on a green and they worked quite well.

I'm always looking for ways to bring down the cost of a ski trip so I love being able to rent last season's demos for a lower price. I was at Big Sky for three days (thanks for the condo hospitality!) and thoroughly enjoyed skiing on last year's Salomon QST 99s — only the topsheet changed for the newer model, so why spend the extra bucks? You can find that old-demo deal at Grizzly Outfitters (off mountain at Meadow Village) and at Lone Mountain Sports (on mountain, right outside of where the parking shuttle drops you off).

As for Big Sky, it was my first trip and I loved it. I could see myself going back sooner rather than later.

 

[marzNC]

Made it home without any travel issues. Bill and I drove from Big Sky to Ogden/SLC on 2/28 and only had to slow down in one section of Idaho when the fog got thick. Had to take a longer route because all the roads around Island Park were closed due to blowing snow and snow drifts. We opted to take MT84 to US287 to MT41 to I-15 instead of I-90 via Butte to I-15. With clear weather, going thru Ennis and Monida only adds about 30 min compared to going thru Island Park and Rexburg to Idaho Falls. Going thru West Yellowstone is the quickest way in good weather.

I stayed in an airport motel last night, then flew out on a Southwest flight via PHX that meant no plane change. That option seems to be seasonal because I've never noticed it before. Since I left my skis and Sportube with Bill (next trip out west is Alta in April), I could check my little suitcase and rolling bootbag with little worry since no plane transfer was required. Ironically it was colder when I arrived in Raleigh than it was in SLC yesterday afternoon.

 

[marzNC]

For the record, here are some snow conditions and weather reports from the past week. As it turned out, it warmed up quite a bit by Wed. It was 29º at the base at lunch time. That meant the fresh snow was heavier than earlier in the week. Still fun, but a foot of dense snow is quite different than a foot of fluffy Cold Smoke that's 3-4% water. Definitely was glad I had rented wider skis.



My ski days at Big Sky were Feb. 22-27, after skiing Bridger Feb. 19-21 where it dumped 10-20 inches on Feb. 20 and Big Sky got only an inch officially. For both places, there can be quite a difference between different sections.

 

[marzNC]

The restaurant we found in Idaho Falls is called the Arugula Deli. I'd never had "fried quinoa" before. Turned out to be like fried rice. Came with a side salad, for which I got the Piña Colada salad dressing. We also tried the Brazilian Lemonade, which is actually limeade with a little coconut milk. All quite yummy!

Started eating before I remember to take a picture

 

[marzNC]

While I'm thinking about it, here are the places around Big Sky that I put on a list for future reference.

* Lotus Pad, Thai and Asian fusion, in Meadow Village; reservations recommended, opens at 5:00
* Gallintin Riverhouse Grill, a few miles south on US191 (on the left just past the school); no reservations taken, opens at 3:00

* The Cabin, above Lone Mountain Sports in the Big Sky village; good for a sit-down lunch, can access via Silver Knife (blue) or by walking thru the main base, independently owned
* Everett's 8800, at top of Ramcharger 8, pricey but good food; reservations recommended at least 2 days in advance for lunch

We discovered that a few places that serve dinner are not open on Sundays, so that could be a good night to eat in if staying in a condo with a kitchen. Roxy's in Meadow Village is a pretty good supermarket that has prepared food, pizza, and meals ready for a microwave or oven. So there is less need to stock up in Belgrade/Bozeman before driving to Big Sky.

 

[marzNC]

Big Sky has two public bases at this point. There are also two private club houses that are near lifts for Spanish Peaks and Moonlight Lodge. The public bases are called Mountain Village (near Huntley Hotel, The Lodge, the Summit, and ski in/out condos) and Madison Village (on Moonlight Basin side). Mountain Village is the main base. There is free parking with open shuttles with seats. Madison Village has a parking lot pretty much next to the base buildings. Probably the more convenient base for families with kids doing ski school. Moonlight Basin was developed as a separate ski area and incorporated into Big Sky by Boyne Resorts a few years ago.

At Mountain Village, there is a resort rental shop, a resort repair/tune shop, and an independent ski shop called Lone Mountain Sports. Highly recommend LMS for renting skis. Much better prices and a decent selection. Can rent demo skis from previous seasons for less. Something like $42 for a day instead of $55, with multi-day discounts possible. I did a personal demo day out of LMS in 2012 that worked out quite well. It's right on a groomer off Andesite Mtn, riding Ramcharger 8.

The Mountain Mall is a 2-story building with the current cafeteria, places to boot up, shops, Starbucks, a bar & grill, and a General Market. The plan is to demolish the building after the 2019-20 season and build something more appropriate in size and scope.

The way Mountain Village was laid out, presumably back in the early years, there are quite a few steps to walk up from the parking drop off area to the base of the lifts. It's my least favorite aspect of skiing at Big Sky. We considered parking at Madison Village but for this trip we were meeting up with other folks who were staying in the main village so it wasn't really an option. After the first day I decided to drop off my boot bag in the Mammoth Room (2nd fl, round tables), then carry my skis up to a ski rack near the base of the lifts before going in to put on boots and get all set for skiing.

It's possible to pay to leave skis overnight at the Ski Valet. It's a free service if you rent from the resort ski shop.

One advantage of being at Big Sky when it's snowing steadily is that you can keep skis on until pretty close the shuttle pick up area when finishing for the day. The sidewalks near the Huntley are heated but not the main plaza.

Looking up at building with ski school, Ski Valet (ski check) on left


Mountain Village plaza


Mountain Mall, the cafeteria is on the second floor

 

[marzNC]

If you have an Ikon pass, it's direct-to-lift. That's nice.

If you have an MCP pass, then need to stop in Base Camp to get a 2-day or 3-day (bonus day) plastic pass, with picture, for the included days. Afterwards, need to get a day ticket for each additional day. My 4th day, I had my Ikon but hadn't detached the MCP pass. The liftie tried to scan the MCP and it beeped as invalid.