Distinctly Montana Magazine

Winter 2011

Distinctly Montana Magazine

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SHOWDOWN MONTANA WHERE: SIZE: Neihart # LIFTS: 1,400 ft, 34 trails 3 TERRAIN: u30% n40% l30% SNOWFALL: 240” VIBE: Showdown is as western as western ski areas get. You are just as likely to see cowboy hats as Northface jackets. It just goes to show you that Show- down has a little for everyone with great groomed runs on the front side to world-class powder and moguls on the back. After a few runs, the lifties will probably ask for your name— and remember it. DON’T MISS: Glory Hole is Showdown’s famous double-black bump run, offering 1,000-ft. zipper lines and some of the best moguls in Montana. Around noon, stop at the base lodge for tacos that would make any ski area cafeteria proud. Stop in White Sulphur Springs for a soak in the rustic namesake hot springs. www.showdownmontana.com TETON PASS WHERE: SIZE: # LIFTS: Choteau 1,010 ft, 26 trails 2 TERRAIN: u19% n35% l46% SNOWFALL: 300” VIBE: Inbounds Teton pass is pretty tame, offering blue cruiser skiing and some confidence-builder black diamond runs. With such a low ticket price and no lines, this is a great area for a beginner or first time skier. Advanced ski- ers see below. DON’T MISS: From the top lift at Teton Pass, skiers so inclined may hike up an additional 1,200 ft to the top of Mt. Lockhart for avalanche-controlled, side-country skiing. The wind is known to push snow around up top, so look for chutes with the best snow. Skiers who trek out must be equipped with avalanche rescue gear, including a beacon and shovel. www.skitetonpass.com BEAR PAW SKI BOWL WHERE: SIZE: Rudyard # LIFTS: 900 ft., 25 trails 1 TERRAIN: u19% n35% l46% SNOWFALL: 140” VIBE: Bear Paw Ski Bowl is an entirely volunteer-run ski area. The skiers here herald from ranches and farms across the Hi-Line and Carhartt is in vogue. For you ladies who are hard up for the $20 ski ticket, a bikini run gets one free. Male bikini runs pay double. 62 DON’T MISS: Augie Dogs and Hermie burgers for lunch and then Group Therapy on the mountain after the hill closes. We are not exactly sure what “group therapy” is, but it prob- ably involves high-proof cinnamon schnapps. www.skibearpaw.com RED LODGE MOUNTAIN RESORT WHERE: SIZE: Red Lodge # LIFTS: 2,400 ft, 71 trails 7 TERRAIN: u14% n29% l57% SNOWFALL: 250” VIBE: Red Lodge is the biggest of the small Montana ski areas, with a formidable vertical and a high percentage of advanced runs. Check out Red Lodge for big ski area ter- rain at small ski area prices. DON’T MISS: The on-hill bar and party deck, The Bierstube, has been a classic for decades. “Ski the Stube!” www.redlodgemountain.com BIG SKY WHERE: SIZE: # LIFTS: Big Sky 4,350 ft, 150 trails 17 TERRAIN: u17% n25% l58% SNOWFALL: 400” VIBE: Big Sky has everything—park, steeps, powder, and persistent groomers. You can find skiers here from all walks of life—from Gucci-clad trophy wives wearing $300 perfume to duct-taped ski bums who smell like the burgers they were just flipping. They put “Big” in the name for a reason as Big Sky has the longest continuous vertical of any ski area in the lower 48. DON’T MISS: The tram up to the top of lone peak—the skiing is great and the view is breathtaking. If you don’t want to ski the black diamond runs back down, hop back on the tram and get a ride. Yes, people will think you are a dork. It’s worth it. www.bigskyresort.com MOONLIGHT BASIN WHERE: SIZE: Big Sky # LIFTS: 4,166 ft, 76 trails 6 TERRAIN: u23% n41% l36% SNOWFALL: 400” VIBE: Moonlight is an undiscovered treasure. It got a bad rap in its early days due to lack of challenging terrain. In the last several years the owners added two chairlifts, which access some of the most varied and steep terrain in Montana. A long line at Moonlight is five minutes. It has the desired north aspect, which means that powder can be found days after a storm. DISTINCTLY MONTANA • WINTER 2011 WHITEFISH MOUNTAIN RESORT / BRIAN SCHOTT

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