Distinctly Montana Magazine

in Montana (and endless backcountry), there's no lack of opportunity for all levels of skiing. With fifteen downhill ski areas Big Sky has always been a financial supporter of the free Skyline bus service from Bozeman to Big Sky, and this year increased its contribution to add extra seats. Big Sky partners with Cool Earth, www.coolearth.org/boyneresorts to offset their carbon footprint by funding the purchase and protection of mature rainforest in Brazil. According to Cool Earth, every acre of rainforest protected keeps 260 tons of CO2 where it belongs—in the forest. Big Sky also partnered with the Big Sky Institute to study the effects of the pine bark beetle on Whitebark Pine, which is in severe decline at Big Sky and throughout the Yellowstone region. www.bigskyresort.com The SACC does not rate all ski resorts. A few of Mon- tana's smaller resorts deserve mention for their efforts. DISCOVERY BASIN Discovery Basin, located near Anaconda, is one of the most affordable ski areas in Montana ($38.00 per day), with some amazing back bowls. They use LEED-certified roofing shingles that improve insulation and are promot- ing recycling. Discovery is most proud of their re-used ski lifts. Since 1984, Discovery has installed seven ski lifts, all purchased from other resorts such as Sun Valley, Deer Valley, Park City and Steamboat. It is not just the towers and chairs that are re-used, but also the cables, electric motors, gear boxes, motor rooms, and auxiliary diesel motors. www.skidiscovery.com SHOWDOWN Showdown ski area, in Neihart (near Great Falls), uses biodiesel for heaters in their maintenance shops. In the food service department they have phased out styrofoam in favor of paper products and offer real silverware instead of disposable plasticware. All light fixtures in the main lodge use energy efficient bulbs. A bus to the ski hill is available on weekends, and there are two employee shuttle busses. All power for the resort comes from hydroelectric dams on the Missouri. www.Showdownmontana.com GREAT DIVIDE SKI AREA This is a small ski area located in Marysville, near Helena. Great Divide recently installed a low-energy snowmaking system that uses gravity instead of fans to disperse man made snow, and are working on recycling and composting www.skigd.com 30 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • WINTER 2011

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