Tips/Big Sky:
- The closest airport to Big Sky resort is in Bozeman, Montana. You’ll want to rent a 4 wheel drive to get through the icy/snowy roads. (Make sure they supply a snow brush for the car-in winter!) It will take about 1hour and 15 minutes to get to Big Sky Resort. On the way, you will drive by the town of Big Sky where you will find a hospital, some shops, a grocery store, some restaurants and bars.
- Reserve your accommodation ahead of time! Hotels get booked up very quickly close to the bottom of the mountain.
- We stayed at the Big Sky Lodge because it was the only affordable option left (at $369/night, breakfast included). It was very rustic but perfect for just sleeping. They also had a shuttle from the hotel to the mountain.
- Many other options include:
- Via the Big sky resort website, you can find everything that’s available and managed through the mountain resort (cabins, rooms, condo style, etc)- click here.
- Locals also recommended using Vacasa website.
- New Marriott property opening up in May 2019: Residence Inn Big Sky/The Wilson Hotel. All other Marriott properties were in Bozeman.
- 7,200 ft elevation warning: I noticed the side effects right away. Shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, puffy eyes… and because it’s winter and the heating was on everywhere it was VERY DRY.
- The mountain: I never actually made it to the slopes because we got invited to go to the Yellowstone club for the 2 days we were there. I would love to go back and try it!
Impressions/Big Sky:
Seemed to be a cute little ski village at the bottom of the slopes, wedged between mountains and a lot of snow!
Impressions/ Yellowstone Club:
I cannot stress how lucky I feel to have been invited to this exclusive mountain. Yellowstone Club is a 15,200 acre private residential community set amidst the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains*. The Club’s superior amenities, Montana charm, and overwhelming natural beauty present an incomparable venue for mountain living, year-round recreation, and creating cherished family traditions*. Skiing and boarding at the Club includes over 100 runs, 2,700 skiable acres, and 2,700 vertical feet that suit enthusiasts of all abilities – with a perfect mix of beginner terrain, intermediate runs, expert chutes, trees, and gullies*.
I’ve never experienced anything like this. Ultimately the most perfect snowboarding conditions I’ve ever witnessed: a mix of powder and groomed trails, wide terrain with powder, no one on the slopes, no wait time at the chair lift and the best part, gondolas and bubbles over the chairs on most of the lifts.
The weather was pretty good as it snowed most of the time we were there. We did get caught in a wind+snow storm at the top of the mountain. It was a complete whiteout and challenging!
I’d never been in so much powder! SO MUCH POWDER.
I would have loved to get one day of perfect blue sky as the view from the top sounds phenomenal. Maybe next time?
We were extremely fortunate to also have snowboarding coaches/guides that brought us all over the mountain! What a luxury not to have to look at maps or look for trail names!
Another great perk on the slopes are the secret snack shacks scattered around the mountain. Some are full of sweets & hot chocolate, others have healthier options such as nuts, cheese, soup, hydrating drinks, etc…and it’s all ‘free’. If you’re a snowboardaholic like me, you will greatly appreciate this feature as you can just keep going all day and enjoy the slopes for 7hours straight. They also have wonderful restaurant options at the bottom of the hill as well as at the top.
Their locker room is also FULLY stocked. I mean sunscreen, hand lotion, mouthwash, but also every medicine you can imagine, eye drops, feminine products toothpicks, water, etc!
If you’re going with your family & kids, they’ll enjoy the playroom which includes a basketball court, arcade game, climbing wall, etc!
I simply cannot express how EXTREMELY PRIVILEGED I FEEL to have been able to experience this weekend at Yellowstone club. As my mom said- how can you go back to the everyday snowboarding life after that?
*(information collected from their website)
