Northern Rockies/Alberta Big Sky 2019-2020

[Tiki]

Knee deep in powder today. I was not graceful, but I was happy!

 

[dovski]

Triple blacks are what were previously double blacks with a asterisk. * Serious Big Mountain runs, self arrest skills needed, avalanche awareness required, Avi gear encouraged plus go with someone who has been there before. It’s about more than just steep.

So I will be skiing there with my 9 year old son. We will both have beacons, but not planning to bring my full kit and my son does not have all the gear. Sounds like it may be best to just stick to the regular double blacks this trip.

 

[Talisman]

@milkmanGot to spend a day at the club today for a day of pampering and a side order of 6-12 of POW

Yesterday was an amazing powder day at Big Sky, but I do have YC envy.

 

[milkman]

So I will be skiing there with my 9 year old son. We will both have beacons, but not planning to bring my full kit and my son does not have all the gear. Sounds like it may be best to just stick to the regular double blacks this trip.

 

[milkman]

Good thinking. Most steeps have had so much avi blasting they’re not that good now anyway.

 

[Beach Bum]

Studying up on the area and trail map(s) there is something very odd and "cult" like it seems. Areas of the mountain way to one side that are for private club members. Then the whole Pioneer Peek behind it looming on Google Earth like another major ski resort yet no recognition whatsoever.

Are there celebs and other elites in and out of Bozeman airport all the time? What's going on here?

 

[BS Slarver]

Beach bum
Google the Yellowstone Club

Suffice to say we get a few A- listers and heads of state here from time to time.

 

[Tiki]

Don’t look over there.

 

[Talisman]

Are there celebs and other elites in and out of Bozeman airport all the time?

There is a private terminal so the elite don't have to mix with those who have to fly on commercial aircraft.

 

[dovski]

There is a private terminal so the elite don't have to mix with those who have to fly on commercial aircraft.

We flew up commercial with a nice couple who live at the Yellowstone Club. Now they did not invite us to ski with them there but they did tell my nine year old about the sugar shacks. My solution to keep my son happy was a $2 bag of gummies he seems to feel having candy in his pocket is way better than a sugar shack

 

[dovski]

We flew up commercial with a nice couple who live at the Yellowstone Club. Now they did not invite us to ski with them there but they did tell my nine year old about the sugar shacks. My solution to keep my son happy was a $2 bag of gummies he seems to feel having candy in his pocket is way better than a sugar shack

Good day at Big Sky today, a light dusting of powder and blue sky, who could ask for anything more.

Just to update folks from our earlier post in advanced runs at Big Sky. We spoke with the patrol today and as of this year you only need a beacon and a buddy to ski those areas. That said they still need more snow to open most of that terrain.
Tomorrow we plan to ski liberty bowl if the tram lines are not to bad after which we will head over to headwaters.

 

[milkman]

I think BS has good conditions everywhere but the steepest runs. I was told a late Fall rain storm set up unstable snow conditions that caused a number of problems with some of the great runs off the Peak and Headwaters. Snow this past week helped restore the base on some of these slopes to their mid December depths.

 

[skidrew]

I think BS has good conditions everywhere but the steepest runs. I was told a late Fall rain storm set up unstable snow conditions that caused a number of problems with some of the great runs off the Peak and Headwaters. Snow this past week helped restore the base on some of these slopes to their mid December depths.

Yeah, I was out there this past weekend and hear something similar from a few people - basically the runs off the peak have a base that's not really holding new snow well, so if they're open they're mediocre. Or they're just not open.

But F-S-Sun were great - the 6+ inches on Thursday provided some lovely turns all over the hill. Avoided getting stuck in the Shedhorn shutdown on Sunday - we got to ride the lift to the top and ski out, but others weren't so lucky and had to hike back out to Cow Flats to ski down to the main base. Several people were telling me the old Ramcharger lift was, well, old and a bit wonky.

If it hasn't been said clearly, Swiftcurrent replacement starts the day after they close . . . a race against time, but expectation is the 6 seat bubble will be turning on Thanksgiving (snow conditions permitting).

 

[Tiki]

Ramcharger 8 was on a mechanical hold this AM sending the masses to line up at Swifty. Other than long lines, (which I didn’t have to deal with thanks to private clinic sessions), skiing was beautiful today from first tracks to close. I feel so lucky to spend time here.

 

[Talisman]

Ramcharger 8 was on a mechanical hold this AM sending the masses to line up at Swifty.

While the masses were lined up at Swifty, Thunder Wolf was still running and those inclined for a short walk and ski down Low Dog Road had the northside of Andesite to themselves.

 

[skidrew]

While the masses were lined up at Swifty, Thunder Wolf was still running and those inclined for a short walk and ski down Low Dog Road had the northside of Andesite to themselves.

For reference, how far up does one need to walk from Summit (or the Arrowhead Mall) to get to the downslope of Low Dog?

 

[Talisman]

For reference, how far up does one need to walk from Summit (or the Arrowhead Mall) to get to the downslope of Low Dog?

It depends on plowing, but typically walking/shuffling no further than the Black Bear Poma base gets you to where you can skate/glide down to Thunder Wolf on "lower" Low Dog Road which eventually drops on to the ski trail past the houses. If the paved part of "lower" Low Dog road is plowed to blacktop and there are no "tracks" in the plow piles along the road it can get tricky. Be aware of vehicles around the houses who may not expect skiers. An alternative is a 15 minute uphill stroll on "upper" Low Dog Road (the ski trail) to the saddle point at the end of Colter's Hell.

 

[focker]

Advice needed gang. I'm finally going to get to ski Big Sky this year. The issue is we're only skiing 1 day there, either 3/11 or 3/12.

That being said. Give me some tips on how to ski the mountain with only 1 day to do so. I know some of the basics already like forget trying to take the tram (too much time). What other things should I be thinking about? I'm trying to maximize my families experience. We enjoy long groomers, wide trees (except tight ones) and moderate steeps.

Was thinking about starting off on Andersite for a few runs (Big Horn, Elk Park Meadows, etc), then heading to ski the easier blacks off Challenger and then hitting the Powder seeker for a few and finish up with the long blues off swift current until our legs give out. Our main goal is get get in as much time above tree line and in the tress as much as possible since we haven't done either much out west yet.

Is there anything obvious I'm missing that are must do's? We're just not going to have the time to get a 2nd day there and I'm not sure when we'll be back.

 

[dovski]

Advice needed gang. I'm finally going to get to ski Big Sky this year. The issue is we're only skiing 1 day there, either 3/11 or 3/12.

That being said. Give me some tips on how to ski the mountain with only 1 day to do so. I know some of the basics already like forget trying to take the tram (too much time). What other things should I be thinking about? I'm trying to maximize my families experience. We enjoy long groomers, wide trees (except tight ones) and moderate steeps.

Was thinking about starting off on Andersite for a few runs (Big Horn, Elk Park Meadows, etc), then heading to ski the easier blacks off Challenger and then hitting the Powder seeker for a few and finish up with the long blues off swift current until our legs give out. Our main goal is get get in as much time above tree line and in the tress as much as possible since we haven't done either much out west yet.

Is there anything obvious I'm missing that are must do's? We're just not going to have the time to get a 2nd day there and I'm not sure when we'll be back.

I would actually recommend starting with Swifty to Powder Seeker first thing in the morning. Sometimes you can beat the lines and walk right onto the tram with no wait. If you can it is totally worth it as it opens up an additional 2K of vertical. You can ski down Liberty Bowl straight into Shedhorn and then on to Dakota. If the lines on the tram are too long you can ski off Powder Seeker and over to Challenger and from their you have lots of options like Headwaters or Sixshooter.

The only lift the seemed to get backed on busy days while I was there was Swifty but not if you were there early

 

[focker]

I would actually recommend starting with Swifty to Powder Seeker first thing in the morning. Sometimes you can beat the lines and walk right onto the tram with no wait. If you can it is totally worth it as it opens up an additional 2K of vertical. You can ski down Liberty Bowl straight into Shedhorn and then on to Dakota. If the lines on the tram are too long you can ski off Powder Seeker and over to Challenger and from their you have lots of options like Headwaters or Sixshooter.

The only lift the seemed to get backed on busy days while I was there was Swifty but not if you were there early

See I've kind of written off the idea of even being able to get to Dakota or Shedhorn. I've love to, don't get me wrong, but I just don't think we'll have time to get all the way back there.

I'm worried about going up the tram and my wife not being comfortable skiing Liberty Bowl depending on the conditions as well. It's not that she can't, but if it's 1000 vertical feet of bumps she's not going to be happy lol.

I think for the most part my family would like have more fun getting over to the Moonlight area and some of the trees runs and long groomers served by a high speed lift that are offered.

So maybe we should be thinking of something more like Swifty -> Powder Seeker -> Challanger -> Moonlight and then try to get over to Andersite for a few runs right before closing.