Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 67 D URING THE EARLY 1900S, the world's interest in skiing was on a dramatic rise. This was when leather boots were bound to wooden planks used to descend snowy mountain slopes. Word of this skiing phenomenon would soon spread to Montana, where locals viewed their very own spectacular mountains and dreamed of skiing them. At the beginning of the 1930s, resort skiing was rapidly gaining popularity; Montana joined the excitement in 1936 with the opening of the state's first ski resort, Kings Hill, later renamed Show- down Mountain, found only an hour outside of Great Falls. Today Montana is home to over 15 ski resorts. From Turner Mountain in Libby to Big Sky Resort near Bozeman, Mon- tana's diversity of ski resorts is as vast as its big sky! Montana is also home to some of the most beautiful and pristine mountain ranges in the Rockies, and with beautiful mountains comes spectacular skiing. Montana is known to have some of the best and most exciting skiing in the world, with Whitefish Mountain regularly rating in the top five ski resorts in North America. Big Sky Resort, Whitefish Moun- tain Resort, and Bridger Bowl represent what skiing is all about in Montana, with enough room on the hill for begin- ners eager to get into the sport as well as more extreme big mountain skiers. Highlighted below is what makes these resorts so great. BIG SKY RESORT Founded in the 1970s, Chet Huntley and Big Sky Incorporated proposed a plan for a ski hill to begin con- struction near Lone Peak Mountain some 40 miles southwest of Boze- man. After government approval, construction began immediately, and in the winter of 1973 the first year of chairlift skiing began at the new Big Sky Mountain. Today, Big Sky boasts some of the largest skiing in America, with 39 lifts (one of which is the fastest in the U.S.), over 5,800 acres of skiable terrain, a town center and a newly opened five-star hotel. Big Sky is now a hub for every type and ability of skier. The days of slow lifts and minimal amenities aren't soon forgotten by Big Sky locals, who during the early days of the resort had to hike multiple hours from the top of the lifts to the summit of Lone Peak. Today an additional ticket gives you access to a tram ride that brings you to the summit of Lone Peak (11,167') and some of the longest, steepest ski- article and photos by SETH ANDERSON

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