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focker

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Doing 3-4 loops an hour off of Thunderwolf is some skiing that takes "quads of steel" that aren't easy develop on a smaller hill. A lap off the T'wolf even down ELk Park Ridge without stopping gets my thighs screaming early season.

You can always tell who the mid-west skiers are out west. They're the ones resting on the side of the trail. :roflmao:
 

Talisman

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You can always tell who the mid-west skiers are out west. They're the ones resting on the side of the trail. :roflmao:

I'm told plenty of good skiers got their start at Buck Hill. There is always the "altitude" excuse for stopping and admiring the soaring rocky mountain splendor.
 

focker

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I'm told plenty of good skiers got their start at Buck Hill. There is always the "altitude" excuse for stopping and admiring the soaring rocky mountain splendor.

We're just not used to more than 500' of continuous vert. I don't think I've made more than 10 runs out west over 2000' of vert without stopping at least once to rest. It's also just amazing to stop and take in the view for a second.
 

SShore

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When the clouds cleared the peaks around noon today you could see they got some snow above the tree-line in the Madison Range.:golfclap:
 

milkman

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Getting some real Alpine skiing experience is high on my list for the family. They've only skied whitefish and while we love it they don't have much of that feel there, if any.

My pick for the best BS Alpine experience, If you have the ability, get on the Tram early, ski down Liberty then lap Dakota and Shedhorn until you need nourishment. Stop at the Yurt for lunch then repeat until your thighs beg for mercy. You'll have trees, bumps, steeps and cruisers all (hopefully) in the sun. :yahoo:.

A more easily accessed area with better snow would be skiing both sides of the Challenger chair. Not quite as dramatic but great variety from one chair.

Third choice, very challenging, Headwaters area off the Headwaters chair
 

MattSmith

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One of my favorite runs from visiting 2 years ago was "Wounded Knee". Looks like the name changed to "Spotted Elk". I'm curious if the resort thought skiers would avoid a run named "Wounded knee" or if they are sensitive to our First Nation Americans. Never know these days...
 

Talisman

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One of my favorite runs from visiting 2 years ago was "Wounded Knee". Looks like the name changed to "Spotted Elk". I'm curious if the resort thought skiers would avoid a run named "Wounded knee" or if they are sensitive to our First Nation Americans. Never know these days...

Two things: yes, Wounded Knee was seen as negative and the run now has a bermed mountain bike course through it which changed the "flow" a lot. Spotted Elk is named for a Native American chief in keeping with the theme set from the early days of Big Sky
 

mdf

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One of my favorite runs from visiting 2 years ago was "Wounded Knee". Looks like the name changed to "Spotted Elk". I'm curious if the resort thought skiers would avoid a run named "Wounded knee" or if they are sensitive to our First Nation Americans. Never know these days...
I just watched a "spotted elk" you tube video. That's a long trail!
 

DanoT

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My favourite name for a run at BS is "Stump Farm". I am retired now but formerly worked for a logging contractor on British Columbia's west coast under government tenures called Tree Farm licenses. When the tree planters arrived post logging, they called the cut blocks "Stump Farms".

OTOH, if I owned a ski area I don't think I would use a run name to publicize what lies beneath the snow.
 
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MattSmith

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Two things: yes, Wounded Knee was seen as negative and the run now has a bermed mountain bike course through it which changed the "flow" a lot. Spotted Elk is named for a Native American chief in keeping with the theme set from the early days of Big Sky
Thank you for the intel. Perhaps the berms create an opportunity for more time in the air. :daffy:

I'll look forward to skiing it again. It has a nice pitch and good spacing between the trees.
@mdf - "long" is relative to the pace in which you ski :yahoo:
 

Lake n Ski

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You can always tell who the mid-west skiers are out west. They're the ones resting on the side of the trail. :roflmao:

Born, raised and now live in state featued on your icon. Respectfully disagree. I was raised skiing 400 ft vertical sheer ice hills. Numerous family members have been either nationally or internationally ranked as well as featured in ski films. In fact, my family owned the first chairlift in MN. My in-laws are from CO and feel they are hardcore CO skiers....we absolutely ski circles around them. Laughable the talent difference. The Midwest has some PHENOMENAL skiers.
 

DanoT

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You can always tell who the mid-west and eastern skiers are as they are the ones that are laughing when the westerners start complaining about "icy conditions".
 

mdf

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You can always tell who the mid-west and eastern skiers are as they are the ones that are laughing when the westerners start complaining about "icy conditions".
I was chatting with someone on a lift who asked about conditions on run XYZ. "It's a bit icy at the top and then again at a roll-over about half way down, but not too bad."
More conversation for the rest of the ride, during which I realize they are from the NorthEast. "I retract my former comment. The snow on XYZ is wonderful the whole way down."
 

Bill Miles

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You can always tell who the mid-west and eastern skiers are as they are the ones that are laughing when the westerners start complaining about "icy conditions".

Thje owner at the lodge I used to stay at in Aspen was originally from back East and when somebody came in complaining about ice he would tell them that its not ice unless it was a foot thick and you could read a newspaper threough it.
 

focker

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Born, raised and now live in state featued on your icon. Respectfully disagree. I was raised skiing 400 ft vertical sheer ice hills. Numerous family members have been either nationally or internationally ranked as well as featured in ski films. In fact, my family owned the first chairlift in MN. My in-laws are from CO and feel they are hardcore CO skiers....we absolutely ski circles around them. Laughable the talent difference. The Midwest has some PHENOMENAL skiers.

It was a joke. Take it easy...
 

David Chaus

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I don’t think the quoted post was about talent, rather about being aclimated to skiing resorts with 3,000’ vertical (with runs typically 1500’ vertical) at elevations around 10,000 ft.
 
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