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"Big Sky Big on Families"
by Heather Burke
January 2005
 Montana is not usually lead conversation in skiing circles. It is more of a fly-fishing, bison chasing, bighorn sheep-spotting kind of state. We told friends we were taking the family skiing in Montana, and they gave us that peculiar cocked-head puppy look. As we flew into Denver, all the skiing families deplaned on their way to the bustling strip of Colorado ski areas. We received more bizarre looks as we told our new in-flight friends we were headed to another gate to catch a puddle jumper to Bozeman. Perhaps that is what makes Big Sky Montana such an intriguing ski destination – it is still a pretty big secret amongst schussers. They call it the last, best place. I was hooked on Montana since I had heard the free for kids promotion. Big Sky is big on families. Not only do kids 10 and under ski free (and stay free on certain lodging packages), Kids’ Club is a free daily après ski program of the arts and crafts, games,  s’mores and face-painting ilk. All this and its proximity to Yellowstone National Park made it a must see and ski destination for us.This southern Montana ski resort, 45 miles from Bozeman airport, was started in 1973 by news anchor Chet Huntley. While Huntley was no skier, he saw the potential of this stunningly beautiful Montana mountain range, particularly 11,166-foot Lone Peak that resembles the dramatic Matterhorn of Zermatt. The Summit Hotel at the base of Big Sky is the place to stay – location and luxe (the most expensive building in Montana). I enjoyed watching the cowboy clad bellhops lug our gear to our elegant western-themed suite. My husband could keep an eagle eye on the slopes from our 8th floor room. Our kids quickly found the hotel’s outdoor heated pool. From our prime spot, we were an easy stroll to the resort’s dozen shops and restaurants – and of course the lifts.  With all this Big Sky skiing, plus elevations of 11,000-feet, our family got a bit winded and weary. Taking a day off the slopes to take in the phenomenal sites of Yellowstone is a must. Daily snow coaches leave the resort for full day tours. Our witty and engaging guide Dave explained that the vast majority of the three million annual tourists flow through Yellowstone in the summer. We found the Park spectacular blanketed in sparkling snow, with the bonus of easier tracking of wildlife (and dramatically reduced pesky humans about).  From the comforts of our snow coach van, we spotted big horn sheep, elk, bison (the proper name for buffalo in North America), coyotes, and eagles. Our lunch stop was well timed to Old Faithful’s exciting eruption. It was education meets recreation as Dave walked us around dozens of steaming geysers, aqua colored thermals, and the quirky bubbling mud pots.If you prefer, you can snowmobile Yellowstone, but don’t expect to buzz around solo on your sled. Snowmobiles are herded single file behind a guide and governed to pokey speeds along the Park roads. Only the wild animals roam freely, nature’s justice.  After a day of bison counting, followed by bison eating at Montanans’ favorite eatery Buck’s T-4, we were primed to ram-charge down the slopes of Big Sky again.
 Amazingly, the kids were gung-ho at the top to ski Liberty Bowl – bravery and bonding in Montana for our sea-level living family from Maine.Another thrill is the aptly named Challenger chair (without safety bars - yikes), where the core locals “hang.” Don’t be intimidated by all this extreme talk, Big Sky had actually long been nicknamed “Blue Square,” before the addition of these aforementioned lifts in recent years. We found plenty of gentle cruisers served by high-speed lifts and a gondola just steps from our hotel. Big Sky also offers a topnotch ski school for pointers or all-day ski camps for the kids. We met ski movie magnate Warren Miller at Big Sky. When I gathered my courage to speak to the famous filmmaker, I managed a two-word question, “Why Montana?” Miller replied in his iconoclast voice, “I was finding Colorado was just getting too crowded for skiing. Montana is where I like to ski now.” I should mention that while Montana’s outdoors is wild and rugged, the nightlife is tamer. When our kids were amused in the pool or at an organized Kids’ Club activity, Greg and I could saddle up to the Carabiner bar to unbuckle and unwind with  Moose Drool micro brew and buffalo empanadas. We listened to good local talent, while we toasted ourselves for roaming to Montana with our posse. Whether it was the groomed cruising of Elk Park for me, big bumps on Crazy Raven for the kids, or the steeps of the Dictator Chutes for my mate – Big Sky made a big impression on our ski family. One more thing, the sky really is big and blue. If You Go: Big Sky Resort in Montana, 1-800-548-4486 Yellowstone Tour Guides, 1-888-493-2260 Buck’s T-4, 1-800-822-4484 |
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