Distinctly Montana Magazine

d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a • s u m m e r 2 0 1 5 56 Lots of Big Sky activities encourage kids to get active, including the Big Sky Resort's Plaza-area pursuits from the Bungee Trampo- line — go ahead and try a backflip — to the Climbing Wall, High Ropes Course and Ziplining. Archery, Skeet Shooting, Scenic Lift Rides and Disc Golf provide exhilarating adventures under the watchful eye of trained guides, there to check harnesses, interpret the scenery, and even snap photos for guests. (Not for kids only.) "EEEiiiiieeee," shouts 16-year-old visitor Abe Muwali as he feels the adrenaline-surge on the Giant Swing, where swingers climb the 30-foot-tall structure, are harnessed into a swing seat, and launch off the platform's ledge for a heart-stopping thrill. "So fun! You've got to try this!" So many things to try, Abe noted, and one of the don't-miss adventures, he says, is the Lone Peak Expedition to the summit where he and friends boarded a chairlift, then expedition vehicle, and finally the Lone Peak Tram to 11,166 feet elevation. "We threw snowballs in July!" he laughed. "And we saw the mountains in Yellowstone." Yellowstone National Park's 2.2 million acres of wild lands roll out just 18 miles south of Big Sky. It's here among the bison, bear, elk, and wolves that visitors witness one of the most intact ecosystems in the lower 48. One of the best ways to experience Yellowstone is with an outfitting company whose experts drive Yellowstone's back roads while guests glimpse the park's famous headliners, 67 mammal species, and of course, the geysers: Old Faithful, Steamboat, and Echinus Geysers, are some of the 10,000 thermal features here. Outfitters offer hike trips and trail rides too. Big Sky's visitors will find elegant dining and evening activities. Between the resort and the community, some 40 eateries serve savory and sweet such as Tuscan lamb at Andiamo Italian Grille, giant steaks at Bucks T-4, best burgers ever at e Corral, and fresh-caught fish at Arata Hawaiian Style Sushi. New this sum- mer is mountaintop dining at Everett's 8,800, open for lunches and group functions. Fluffy pillows also await Big Sky guests at a few dozen moun- tain lodges and local hotels and resort cabins, among which Big Sky Resort's Signature Collection of slope-side villas just might have the fluffiest of four-star amenities from pools to pillows and more activities just out the door. Play 18 holes on the Big Sky Re- sort Golf Course, a 72-par Arnold Palmer-designed public venue. Nap after a spa session at Solace Spa and Salon where mas- sage therapy and body treatments leave guests rejuvenated and ready for more summer fun, such as a rafting float on the Gallatin River. is is the perfect way to see Montana from the caddis fly's viewpoint, inches above the flecked river rocks, and with stops at swimming holes for splashing battles. Now Big Sky is not just famous for its winter skiing but also for its variety of offerings in the summertime where the living is easy. a B i g S S u m m E r K y CONTiNUeD in the DM archives, find articles about other Montana cities; Helena, Bozeman, Missoula, Whitefish DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL Big Sky resort's plaza

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