Big Sky Resort: Montana Winter Vacations

Big Sky Installs New Lift on Lone Peak - Read More Here

In 1995, the Lone Peak Tram was built to take courageous riders to 11,166 feet and giving Big Sky one of the nation's largest total vertical drops at 4,180 feet. Skiers and Snowboarders can enjoy 78 runs on over 3,500 skiable acres. The resort has set the standard for nonexistent lift lines and uncrowded slopes.

Big Sky has a variety of runs to choose from, ranging from the tame, wide beginner slopes of Southern Comfort to the steep chutes, narrow couloirs and wide open powder fields of Lone Peak, and plenty of intermediate terrain in between. Skiers of every age and ability will find terrain to suit their skill and comfort level. And most importantly, they'll be able to enjoy their favorite runs in relative solitude.

Shredders also have something to cheer about now: Big Sky's new state-of-the-art terrain park with half-pipe, board jumps, banked turns and kickers. The park will feature an interpark rope tow, piped-in music and snowmaking capabilities.

Mountain Facts

• Base elevation 6,800 feet
• Top elevation 11,160 feet
• 3,812 acres
• 4350 skiable vertical
• 150 named runs covering over 85 miles on three separate mountains
• Longest run 6 miles
• Average annual snowfall over 400 inches
• Season runs mid-November to mid-April

Trails

• 21% expert
• 37% advanced
• 25% intermediate
• 17% beginner

Lifts
15-passenger tram, 3 high-speed detachable quad chairlifts; 1 4-passenger enclosed gondola; 1 quad chair, 4 double chairs; 4 triple chairs and 4 surface tows.

Big Sky Resort Lift Tickets Winter 2009-10

Season Opens Nov. 26, 2009 and closes April 11, 2010
Weather permitting, the lifts run from 9:00am-4:00pm daily.

All rates subject to change (07/22/09) Non-transferable.

Big Sky Installs New Lift on Lone Peak

Dakota Lift Provides Improved Access to Open Bowl and Gladed Terrain

Big Sky continues to prove itself as an industry leader in providing the most lift accessible terrain and uncrowded slopes with the introduction of Dakota Lift. The triple chair will improve access to Bavarian Forest and the recently opened 212 acres of Dakota Territories adding more capacity to the biggest skiing in America.

Big Sky has long focused on keeping lift capacity comfortably higher than the demand, now boasting an uphill lift capacity of 25,000 riders per hour with an average of 2,000 skiers and riders per day. Big Sky will offer 3,812 acres of skiable terrain accessed by 21 lifts and Lone Peak Passholders have access to over 5,500 acres.

The Dakota lift is located on the south face of Lone Mountain below Liberty Bowl. The fixed-grip lift will load below the Hippy Highway and the top station is located near Gate 2 of Bavarian Forest. The Dakota lift is 3,100 feet long and has a vertical rise of 1,210 feet. The lift ride time will be eight minutes.

Dakota Territories is primarily open bowl skiing at an intermediate angle. The run out includes well-spaced, natural glades that border Bavarian Forest, which offers endless variations of black diamond glades through the trees that are both natural and thinned. Both runs contain plenty of natural rollers and kickers before reaching the bottom.

The lift is the first half of a two-lift system providing a second access point to terrain on Lone Peak, currently being serviced by the Lone Peak Tram. The second lift, planned for construction next year will take skiers up to the Yeti Traverse accessing Big Sky's famous wide-open, steep, above tree-line runs like Marx, Lenin and the Dictator Chutes.

"This is a skier's mountain first and foremost," said Big Sky Resort General Manager, Taylor Middleton. "Skiers have flocked from across the world for the massive terrain off the Lone Peak Tram. Our new Dakota lift just makes America's Biggest Skiing even bigger."