marzNC
Angel Diva
Since not everyone can see the Divas Only section, thought I'd post a general trip report from Diva Week West at Big Sky. I added a few days at Bridger for nine straight days of skiing. A day warming up and acclimating at Bridger (20 min north of Bozeman), a week at Big Sky (an hour away from the Bozeman airport), and a final weekend at Bridger just after more than 4-6 inches of fresh powder. Invited a couple ski buddies to join me for Diva Week. We had Blue bird skies on decent snow left over from small storms the week before for the first half of the week, then fresh snow but no visibility for the top of the mountain at Big Sky, good visibility and fresh snow at Bridger to finish. All in all, I'd love to go back again.
Big Sky is . . . well, big. About 7000 to 11,000 ft, over 4000 vertical, over 5000 skiable acres. Highly recommend the mountain tour given for free at 10:45 and 1:00. The one I did lasted 2.5 hours (no tipping allowed) and covered all areas, including the lift shared with Moonlight Basin. Our host has given tours for seven years. We learned a lot! Plus she was a great skier to follow on blue groomers . . . on Auras and going fast since the group could keep up.
The 15-person tram to the top of Lone Peak gives access to great views (can go up without skis and ride down), some very extreme chutes, as well as some relatively accessible big bowls on the back side. There are two smaller mountains in addition that provide plenty of fun when visibility or wind is an issue higher up. Andesite Mtn has a bunch of glades that were cleared even more last summer. Plus a great huge meadow between groomers for those just starting to play with bumps or powder. When it snows, Big Sky grooms a few green runs but leaves the rest alone for several days.
My ski buddies and I did Liberty Bowl the afternoon before the snow started. JC did it the day before with some Divas. The clouds cleared shortly after lunch so we went for it. Glad I did. Other Divas did the other bowl on the back side (Lenin & Marx) earlier in the week. There is a great video we got to see at the Diva pizza party.
Big Sky Mountain Village base
Tram to the top of Lone Peak viewed from the triple - look for the two trams in the center of the pic in front of the ridge line)
Lower Lone Peak and Andesite Mtn (right side)
The Bowl off Lone Peak Triple . . . lots of fun in the sun!
Lone Peak late afternoon
Liberty Bowl - take tram up, work down backside while watching out for rocks, ski the steeper top carefully, enjoy the rest of the bowl, end up above Dakota and Shedhorn lifts; in theory can keep going all the way to the base for a run that's 6 miles long but includes a cat track in the middle
Looking up Liberty - it's big, some of those dots are skiers!
For my other pics, look here
https://photobucket.com/BigSkyDivaPlus2012
For more pics, become a Diva and after you have 25 posts you can check out the Big Sky threads in the Divas Only section.
Big Sky is . . . well, big. About 7000 to 11,000 ft, over 4000 vertical, over 5000 skiable acres. Highly recommend the mountain tour given for free at 10:45 and 1:00. The one I did lasted 2.5 hours (no tipping allowed) and covered all areas, including the lift shared with Moonlight Basin. Our host has given tours for seven years. We learned a lot! Plus she was a great skier to follow on blue groomers . . . on Auras and going fast since the group could keep up.
The 15-person tram to the top of Lone Peak gives access to great views (can go up without skis and ride down), some very extreme chutes, as well as some relatively accessible big bowls on the back side. There are two smaller mountains in addition that provide plenty of fun when visibility or wind is an issue higher up. Andesite Mtn has a bunch of glades that were cleared even more last summer. Plus a great huge meadow between groomers for those just starting to play with bumps or powder. When it snows, Big Sky grooms a few green runs but leaves the rest alone for several days.
My ski buddies and I did Liberty Bowl the afternoon before the snow started. JC did it the day before with some Divas. The clouds cleared shortly after lunch so we went for it. Glad I did. Other Divas did the other bowl on the back side (Lenin & Marx) earlier in the week. There is a great video we got to see at the Diva pizza party.
Big Sky Mountain Village base
Tram to the top of Lone Peak viewed from the triple - look for the two trams in the center of the pic in front of the ridge line)
Lower Lone Peak and Andesite Mtn (right side)
The Bowl off Lone Peak Triple . . . lots of fun in the sun!
Lone Peak late afternoon
Liberty Bowl - take tram up, work down backside while watching out for rocks, ski the steeper top carefully, enjoy the rest of the bowl, end up above Dakota and Shedhorn lifts; in theory can keep going all the way to the base for a run that's 6 miles long but includes a cat track in the middle
Looking up Liberty - it's big, some of those dots are skiers!
For my other pics, look here
https://photobucket.com/BigSkyDivaPlus2012
For more pics, become a Diva and after you have 25 posts you can check out the Big Sky threads in the Divas Only section.
Unlike our instructor neighbor, who went too far and took a lower level class into "Marlborough Country" (taking two and a half hours to escape, more or less unscathed), we knew enough to turn out at the slash piles and didn't end up going straight down (a la War Dance). I wish I knew how to post photos: it sure was gorgeous! We still haven't had another day as pretty as the ones during Diva Week. But I guess you can have snow or you can have bluebird days, not both. 
