Northern Rockies/Alberta Big Sky 2018-19

[skidrew]

Looks like Big Sky will have four lifts going tomorrow: Swifty, Powder Seeker, Challenger and Explorer in addition to a magic carpet or two. Should be plenty of skiing for opening day and a far cry from the years when the mountain opened with man made snow and the magic carpets.

Sounds like a pretty great opening. Hope you got in some nice turns!

 

[milkman]

Ok. Can’t get there for two weeks but can’t wait to here from some of you “early adapters”. How’s the skiing now and what’s expected next week?

 

[Talisman]

Ok. Can’t get there for two weeks but can’t wait to here from some of you “early adapters”. How’s the skiing now and what’s expected next week?

I have been on the road since opening, but heard from reliable sources this has been the best early season in 10 to 15 years. Bring p-tex. There are concerns about whether Sheddy will be completed before Xmas as all resources are going to getting the 8 going.

 

[skidrew]

I have been on the road since opening, but heard from reliable sources this has been the best early season in 10 to 15 years. Bring p-tex. There are concerns about whether Sheddy will be completed before Xmas as all resources are going to getting the 8 going.

Thanks for the report . . . not surprising re conditions.

I imagine that Shedhorn also faces a challenge of access, given all the snow. Can't speed things up. Would be a real problem not to have that open once that side of the mountain is skiable.

 

[SShore]

I was there on Friday and conditions were good for opening weekend, BUT it was getting pretty rocky in the tight spots. Bring your rock skis.

 

[SShore]

Thanks for the report . . . not surprising re conditions.

I imagine that Shedhorn also faces a challenge of access, given all the snow. Can't speed things up. Would be a real problem not to have that open once that side of the mountain is skiable.

I talked to a guy on the lift that said Shedhorn being a work in progress is limiting opening the terrain off of the tram, specifically, Marx, Lenin and the Dictator Chutes, because they don't want people in the work area. Liberty Bowl has been open off and on but that doesn't drop you where the work is going on.

 

[Talisman]

Bring your rock skis.

Aren't all skis rock skis at Big Sky?

 

[Talisman]

Liberty Bowl has been open off and on but that doesn't drop you where the work is going on.

Don't you have ro ski back on Duck Walk from the Liberty Bowl? It seems like only Marx would avoid the top of Sheddy

 

[SShore]

Don't you have ro ski back on Duck Walk from the Liberty Bowl? It seems like only Marx would avoid the top of Sheddy

I wasn't up there, but I assume to exit via Screaming Left and take Middle Road back. I don't see how else you could get to the front side from Liberty.

 

[Analisa]

Hitting Bridger and Big Sky with my brothers this year, and the dates they chose overlap for both Montana & MSU's spring break. Anyone got insight to how crowded it is over that time of the year?

 

[BS Slarver]

First real season for us here and opening weekend was great ! Friends with 15+ years of opening weekend experience said it was exceptional.
Challenger on Sunday was skiing really nice after the 10- 12" of flurries Friday / Saturday.

Anyone up for a few runs on Ram Charger 8 on the 15th ?

 

[Talisman]

Anyone up for a few runs on Ram Charger 8 on the 15th ?

Yes, let's connect on the 19th! I am on the road again for a few weeks.

 

[Talisman]

I wasn't up there, but I assume to exit via Screaming Left and take Middle Road back. I don't see how else you could get to the front side from Liberty.

Middle Road back from Liberty & Screaming Left is a loooong run out to Swifty. An early season thigh burner.

 

[TonyPlush]

Middle Road back from Liberty & Screaming Left is a loooong run out to Swifty. An early season thigh burner.

Is middle road a fun run? Or just a catwalk traverse?

 

[SShore]

Is middle road a fun run? Or just a catwalk traverse?

a catwalk traverse. There is a cutoff or two you can take to relieve the boredom.

 

[SShore]

And I saw today that Marx, Lennin and the Chutes were not open.

 

[skidrew]

And I saw today that Marx, Lennin and the Chutes were not open.

Oddly the Shedhorn lift update, which says the haul rope is being spliced this weekend, says while Liberty Bowl/Middle Road are closed Marx and Lenin are unaffected.

https://bigskyresort.com/shedhorn

So maybe just conditions . . .

 

[Talisman]

Hitting Bridger and Big Sky with my brothers this year, and the dates they chose overlap for both Montana & MSU's spring break. Anyone got insight to how crowded it is over that time of the year?

There are few more people during spring break at Big Sky. I haven't been to BB in awhile, but BS is usually less crowded. Even when BS is "crowded" there are fun places to ski with no lift lines, like Dakota.

 

[skidrew]

Even when BS is "crowded" there are fun places to ski with no lift lines, like Dakota.

I haven't worked my way over there yet, but what's the terrain like? The maps show a couple of blacks and a blue (plus a double-black) and what look like gladed areas.

 

[Talisman]

I haven't worked my way over there yet, but what's the terrain like? The maps show a couple of blacks and a blue (plus a double-black) and what look like gladed areas.

The cat track "Mule Skinner" isn't snowboard friendly and many visitors never make it to the area or even see the Dakota lift. The trail map doesn't do the area justice as it is big and full of stashes. The hanging valley is wide open with some long traverses to some fun steeps, some hike to spots and "shark's teeth" in spots between the gullies. Be careful coming out of the hanging valley not to get too low or you will have to go uphill to the lift. As you mentioned Dakota has glades galore and getting back to the lift is intuitive because of the cat tracks.

I expect Dakota to get more popular with the Sheddy double getting replaced by a HSQ.