Good but not exceptional.
Written: Jan 26 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: No lift lines.
Good terrain for all levels.
Cons: Not the hospitality of other resorts.
Flying into Bozeman is difficult and expensive.
The Bottom Line: While respectable, there are other resorts that offer the same skiing, have better hospitality, at a lower cost. I'd wait five years to see if they have changed.
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| mce63's Full Review: Big Sky |
I've skied at most of the ski resorts in the West. I’m the kind of skier who goes to ski the most challenging terrain I can find. Apres ski for me is a beer, the hot tub, dinner, and bed. I was looking forward to trying Big Sky because it is a skier’s mountain. What I found was a respectable ski area that has some work to do before it makes the A list.
Transportation: Big Sky is handicapped by the service the airlines provide to Bozeman. Our group had problems with both United and Delta including overbooking, delays, cancellations, and rerouted baggage. On top of that, it is very expensive to fly into Bozeman. Although Big Sky can't directly control this, transportation is part of the trip and does impact the overall experience. Big Sky and Montana's tourism department need to have a little talk with the airlines.
Terrain: They have a wide variety of terrain that should entertain anyone.
Beginners have several options including long, wide groomed runs. There is a long lift tucked out of the that only services novice trails. There are also several novice trails off the main base lifts.
Intermediates have a lot of options all over the mountain. There are wide, groomed trails with good pitches and gentle mogul runs. For those who are trying for more challenge, most of the expert trails other than those off the Tram are within reason for advanced intermediates.
Experts have plenty to keep them challenged but better bring their rock skis. Most of the lower expert trails are pretty good with reasonable pitches and good bumps. The top of the mountain is serviced by a tram with strong warnings that it is for experts only. This keeps the less skilled off the top and out of the way. Most of the top is decent open bowl slopes and chutes that any competent expert can enjoy. There are a few tight chutes and cliffs off the Liberty Bowl side. The interesting sections appeared to be on tram right. This is where there are a lot of exciting chutes and includes their claim to fame, the Big Couliour. They require you to have a shovel and transceiver and to sign in and out with the patrol before you enter it. Unfortunately, when I was there, all the chutes on tram right were closed except for the Big Couloir.
Conditions: Although they talk up their 400 annual inches, don't expect that in mid-January. Before the trip I was concerned about their lack of recent snowfall. I checked their website and they said 67" base at bottom and 43" at mid with 100% terrain open. They also had a little disclaimer about early season conditions and hidden objects. My advice is to pay attention to that last part.
(This part only applies to the expert terrain.) My first day, I realized that 100% of the terrain was NOT open and that the objects were only hidden if I had my eyes closed. It was impossible to ski off of the tram or Challenger chair without multiple rock hits. By the second day I had to decide whether to keep skiing the terrain I came there for and tossing my skis at the end of the week or to look for entertainment down lower. Even choosing the later, I had to have full tunes and base welds done on the skis twice that week. I know that snowfall is beyond anyone's control but a little honesty would be nice. I would have brought rock skis instead of brand new skis.
I had chocked the rock problem up to the lack of snowfall but the guys in the repair shop said that rocks are an issue there even with good coverage. My recommendation is that if you are looking for challenging terrain, bring rock skis.
Amenities/entertainment: I was pretty much a captive of the resort. They had everything I needed but not a lot of selection. They seemed to be struggling with the transition from a local mountain to big time resort.
I stayed at the Huntley Lodge. This was well run and my room was actually bigger and nicer than the one I had at the Chateau Lake Louise. This is also the one place at Big Sky understood the concept of making the client feel welcome. Even housekeeping seemed to care about each room they cleaned. Our package also included a breakfast buffet everyday. This was a big, well run affair and a great start for the day.
The have several bars ranging from nice slope side to tucked away local dive. Special mention should go to Dante's Inferno. They had a wide selection of beers including my favorite, Sam Smith. They also played the best selection of classic rock I've heard in a while. Almost every song was a favorite or one I hadn't heard in a long time.
Culture: Big Sky seems to be in an awkward transition from local mountain to A list resort. They have nice lodging with plans for more upscale construction. The other side of the coin is that outside of the lodging, most people working there didn’t really make me feel welcome. Some were nice but most seemed indifferent to me being there. I just never felt welcome like I have at other resorts.
Overall: The trip was disappointing. I doubt I will go there again within the next 5-7 years. They have good terrain but nothing that you can't find at many other resorts. There are too many other resorts that can do better for less money.
Recommended:
No
Level of Experience Needed: All
Best Time to Visit: March
Best Suited For: Families
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Epinions.com ID:
mce63
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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