Big Sky Ski Resort, located in Montana, USA, was once the largest ski resort in North America before Park City came into the picture, pushing it to second place. Today, it is still part of the Ikon Pass, offering some of the best skiing in the US.
Getting to Big Sky Ski Resort
The nearest airport is Bozeman, but still an hour’s drive from the ski resort. We drove up from Salt Lake City, which took just over 5 hours, similar to the drive to Jackson Hole. Geographically, Big Sky is north of Yellowstone National Park, while Jackson Hole is to the south, about a 4-hour drive apart.
Driving north from Salt Lake City, we were accompanied by stunning mountain views along the way.
Accommodation
Big Sky is relatively remote, so you have two options: stay near the ski resort in more expensive vacation homes, or stay farther away, at least 30 minutes from the resort. We booked a place on VRBO and were surprised to find out that we had rented one of the guest homes in a massive mountaintop mansion! There are fewer than 10 homes on the mountain, and the drive to ours was a 15 km winding road. We hardly saw anyone else, just a snow-packed trail that likely led to another home.
Imagine the Last Spike Trail at Revelstoke—we wound our way up to the top and finally found a huge mansion at the peak. We knocked on the door to ask if we were in the right place.
At first, we thought this mansion might be a resort clubhouse, seeing the size of the building. A lady greeted us and explained that this was indeed her home, and we were renting two of the guest cabins nearby. She and her husband, along with their four kids, had bought this house at a bank auction a few years ago. They are farmers from Dakota.
She warmly invited us to her large balcony, showing us the view: to the right, the Big Sky Resort; in the middle, Yellowstone National Park; and to the left, the mysterious Yellowstone Private Ski Club!
Our Cabin
We stayed in a charming wooden cabin with a hot tub. I caught a cold while skiing in Salt Lake City, and despite my efforts to rest, my cough got worse after soaking in the hot tub. A quick search online confirmed that there’s such a thing as “hot tub cough”—and I definitely experienced it!
Skiing at Big Sky
We spent one day skiing Lone Peak via the Tram, but the small tram only fits 15 people. We waited for almost an hour in the cold, and after that, we decided not to ski there again. The only comfort while waiting was being able to see the famous Big Couloir in the distance, where expert skiers seemed like tiny ants. This trail requires skiers to buddy up before heading down.
Liberty Bowl was the only black diamond run accessed from the Tram, and it was surrounded by many other black diamond runs!
The background of the next photo shows Lone Peak. I took the photo from a smaller peak to the left, which mainly had beginner runs. Although I wasn’t planning to ski there, the wide trails and surrounding woods were filled with untracked snow. Big Sky is so massive that even after three days, we hadn’t explored all of its mountains, and we left so much powder untouched!
Final Thoughts
Looking back, we regretted not staying longer at Big Sky Ski Resort. Afterward, we went to Jackson Hole, where the snow conditions weren’t as good, and the crowds were much heavier. Jackson Hole has its charm, but I had a much better time at Big Sky. The beauty of the place and the vast terrain made it a perfect skiing destination.
It’s our second visit to Jackson Hole. Comparted to Big Sky, Jackson Hole’s snow was average, thought the views were stunning. The ski resort has more gondolas, and the dining was top-notch. These elements, along with the famous Corbet’s Couloir and the backcountry skiing which I still haven’t tried, probably explain why Jackson Hole is ranked as one of North America’s top ski resorts.
Big Sky Ski Resort quickly became our favorite resort. The snow was amazing, the crowds were small, and the terrain was vast. Whether you’re looking for easy runs or extreme challenges, there’s something for everyone. We spent three days skiing, but we still didn’t ski all terrains.
The trip to Big Sky Ski Resort was made with a group of six including me. We flew from Toronto to Salt Lake City. Photos below were taken by Chris, one of our ski buddies.
The Yellow Club besides Big Sky Ski Resort
The Yellow Club boasts a private mountain with 7 meters of snowfall, 800 meters of vertical drop, and 2200 acres of skiable terrain. Members also have access to 35,000 acres at Big Sky Ski Resort. Membership is exclusive, catering only to the wealthy, with a limit of 1,000 members. Famous members include Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey. To even be considered for membership, you need to buy a property worth at least $25 million, with an initiation fee of $300,000 and an annual fee of $40,000.
