Bridger Bowl and Big Sky conditions

[backpackingmom]

Hi Divas!

Thought I would post the current skiing conditions for Bridger and Big Sky -

Bridger - they state a base of 33" but we see dirt peaking thru on several runs. With that being said, last week we got some snow which made for some great skiing. However, the days after reverted to hardpack and some dust on crust. The mountain is full on weekends with the parking lot filling up by 10:30 am or so. The coming week has temps of 35-40 and no snow in the forecast (or hardly any). Current conditions mostly call for carving skis.

Big Sky - currently, the Moonlight Basin side is skiing softer and better than the Big Sky side of the mountain. However, Moonlight still has quite a few rocks strewn throughout some runs so one must always be constantly aware. The south side is hardpack. I had my DPS 112s on and wish I had my carving skis on.

Forecast looks grim up to mid-February.

Hope this helps anyone headed to Montana to ski.

We also skied Showdown (closest town is Great Falls) a few weeks ago and it was terrific! Small, Indy resort with three lifts and long runs. We happened to get lucky and show up and it started to snow so by mid afternoon the skiing was stellar. They offer a $299 season pass one day only sale on March 1 good for this season and next season. I am loving the Indy resorts more and more.

Happy Skiing!

 

[marzNC]

Hope this helps anyone headed to Montana to ski.

I think @teppaz is on her way to Bozeman today.

 

[teppaz]

I am indeed. I've been looking at snow reports as well as posts from Big Sky on another ski forum, so I'm aware of the conditions. I packed my new Rossignol 86 Ti's for their maiden voyage — and I'll watch for those rocks! I'm actually looking forward to working on my carving.

I'm skiing Big Sky on Sunday-Wednesday then Bridger on Thursday. I realize the conditions at Bridger are dicy but I've never been and wanted to have a look.

 

[contesstant]

We're headed to Big Sky next Wednesday and are skiing Thursday through Saturday. Caveat is we might skip Saturday and ski Targhee instead, or Jackson Hole.

 

[marzNC]

I'm skiing Big Sky on Sunday-Wednesday then Bridger on Thursday. I realize the conditions at Bridger are dicy but I've never been and wanted to have a look.

Definitely worth a look at Bridger!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

@contesstant
I have not been to the Ghee but heard that the snow was good. The forecasted warm temps might adversely affect that. JH is ok. Not a lot of rocks on groomers but some small patches here and there. The cold has been helpful.

 

[contesstant]

@contesstant
I have not been to the Ghee but heard that the snow was good. The forecasted warm temps might adversely affect that. JH is ok. Not a lot of rocks on groomers but some small patches here and there. The cold has been helpful.

Thanks! If it’s sunny we’ll ski GT. Have a lesson scheduled with Brenna Kelleher at Big Sky!

 

[MsWax]

@contesstant and @teppaz , I'd love to get a conditions update or trip report if you have one. We head out there on Sunday. Thanks!

 

[teppaz]

I thought Big Sky skied well considering they hadn't had fresh snow in a while. The Andesite side is quite good, and we even managed some tree/bump runs without wrecking our bases (Lizette was excellent, Pump less so).

Liberty Bowl was in excellent condition thanks to natural grooming from the wind. Runs off Swift also good, though the trees were dicey.

On the other hand I hit a few rocks on some of the Madison side groomers. Nothing too bad but I'll get a wax on my next trip early March.

Very good conditions, under the circumstances, at Bridger Bowl. No rocks there and the South Bowl was creamy.

 

[bsskier]

@MsWax Big Sky needs snow, but there’s still plenty to ski. The place is known for its rocks even in good years so any new snowfall and coverage is joyous. Expecting snow starting possibly tonight through Wednesday. Maybe this is the start to a real kickoff of storm cycles. Let’s pray!

To add about Pomp and Lizette. Although they’re both blue tree bump runs, Pomp actually has a steeper pitch which classifies it as a sleeper cell in my book. We pulled a couple kids out there early this season and DH got hung up in Pomp early in 2021 season. For such a little fun tree bump run it can turn all sorts of weird when the snow doesn’t push in there.

 

[MsWax]

@teppaz and @bsskier, thank you both! I think we did Pomp in Feb 2020 and the bumps were huge, but they had gotten ~5' of snow in just a few weeks before we got out there. There were not a lot of rocks poking up, and my kids (somehow) convinced me to take them down Marx...they did great, and I survived. I'm a little nervous about how the hard trails (those off the tram and challenger lifts...maybe headwaters too) will compare to what "hard" was 2 years ago.

I'm guessing we'll just have to take things slow on day 1 to find where our ability line is based on current conditions.

 

[teppaz]

@MsWax Big Sky needs snow, but there’s still plenty to ski. The place is known for its rocks even in good years so any new snowfall and coverage is joyous. Expecting snow starting possibly tonight through Wednesday. Maybe this is the start to a real kickoff of storm cycles. Let’s pray!

To add about Pomp and Lizette. Although they’re both blue tree bump runs, Pomp actually has a steeper pitch which classifies it as a sleeper cell in my book. We pulled a couple kids out there early this season and DH got hung up in Pomp early in 2021 season. For such a little fun tree bump run it can turn all sorts of weird when the snow doesn’t push in there.

Sorry Pomp, not Pump! And yes, it was dicey. I did Lizette a few times but once was enough for Pomp.

Speaking of pulling out kids… On Thursday I did the South Bowl off the Pierre's Knob lift at Bridger several times because the snow was so good. On one run I spotted a young woman struggling to click back into one ski. I went to see if she needed any help and saw that she was on long skinny skis and in rear-entry boots, and the bindings were moving around in a weird way. She said they were her mom's skis and boots! She managed to click back in, traversed 10 feet, fell and popped out again (I have no idea how she'd made it that far down the run).

Anyway, just as I was pondering the next move, a woman from ski patrol turned up. She took one look at the girl's gear and I could tell she was dumbfounded. I mean, I'm old enough that I knew what I was looking at but that ski patrol woman was in her late 20s/early 30s so she was looking at foreign museum pieces! The whole thing would have been funny if that poor girl had not been in dire straits. Ski patrol assured me they were ok so I took off. I didn't see them (or a toboggan) on my next ride up the lift so I assume there was a happy ending.

And that was my Bridger Bowl action.

 

[marzNC]

I'm guessing we'll just have to take things slow on day 1 to find where our ability line is based on current conditions.

If Big Sky is doing free mountain tours, they are well worth it. The hosts will know where the best conditions are for all ability levels. Even if they aren't doing tours, I'm sure there will be hosts around the base who are happy to answer questions.

 

[santacruz skier]

I think I need to put Big Sky on my list.... @DebbieSue is headed there I believe.....

 

[teppaz]

If Big Sky is doing free mountain tours, they are well worth it. The hosts will know where the best conditions are for all ability levels. Even if they aren't doing tours, I'm sure there will be hosts around the base who are happy to answer questions.

They’re doing free hosted tours twice a day, 10:45am and 1pm. Look for the people in green jackets by the Swift lift.

 

[santacruz skier]

They’re doing free hosted tours twice a day, 10:45am and 1pm. Look for the people in green jackets by the Swift lift.

We missed you in Taos, btw.

 

[teppaz]

Awww, that’s sweet. If only I could spend a couple of months every year skiing.

 

[contesstant]

I was disappointed in Big Sky, despite pretty decent conditions on the day we took the lesson (which was incredible.) It was stupid busy, and nothing that was served by the Southern Comfort chair was groomed on day 2 due to lack of snow. Holy moly so many rocks. The trees over there were fun, but you really had to watch for logs and limbs.

So yes, some of it was lack of snow related, and we were with a few who were not up to venturing into more challenging terrain which I wish we could have done, but it just wasn't the fun experience I had there last year, mostly due to long lift lines and hard hard hard pack on Friday plus rocks rocks and more rocks. We actually skipped skiing there Saturday and drove to Targhee instead.

 

[MsWax]

We did a free tour in 2020, but it felt like they guide had to take us the "approved" tour. He pointed out certain trails, but wasn't allowed to actually take us on any of them. The kids hated it (it was like dangling treats in front of them but telling them they couldn't eat any), and after 1.5 hours we had to politely part ways.

 

[MissySki]

I was disappointed in Big Sky, despite pretty decent conditions on the day we took the lesson (which was incredible.) It was stupid busy, and nothing that was served by the Southern Comfort chair was groomed on day 2 due to lack of snow. Holy moly so many rocks. The trees over there were fun, but you really had to watch for logs and limbs.

So yes, some of it was lack of snow related, and we were with a few who were not up to venturing into more challenging terrain which I wish we could have done, but it just wasn't the fun experience I had there last year, mostly due to long lift lines and hard hard hard pack on Friday plus rocks rocks and more rocks. We actually skipped skiing there Saturday and drove to Targhee instead.

Wow, I have luckily never had an experience like this at Big Sky. I can definitely see how Big Sky is NOT the place you want to be with low snow though. The rocks there are no joke even in good snow years.