Montana Snow Resort Updates
Here’s your Guide for what’s new on the slopes
By Diane Rudholm
Photo at right: Ski vacationers heading to Whitefish can take advantage of Amtrak’s roundtrip routes from Seattle or Portland. Photo by Brian Schott
Big Sky Resort
Glading projects over the summer have opened up more skiable terrain—including four new ski runs—at Big Sky Resort this season, bringing the “Biggest Skiing in America” to 5,800 acres.
After being closed for two years, Pinnacle Restaurant will have a grand reopening this winter at the top of Andesite Mountain.
Delta Airlines has increased air service from Seattle this season. www.bigskyresort.com
Bridger Bowl
With some of the lowest lift-ticket prices around (youth – $18, adults – $52 and seniors – $26), Bridger Bowl is a popular family bargain with 50 percent of its lifts offering beginning and intermediate terrain. The resort also offers kids’ and women’s programs, ski and snowboard lessons and equipment rentals with plentiful lodging close by.
New this year, visitors will enjoy its brand new Powder Park and Alpine triple chair lifts and 500 more acres of skiing and snowboarding for the beginner and intermediate group. And everyone can relax at the new Alpine Cabin lodge—a 2,500 square foot respite featuring restrooms, food and a soul-warming Tulikivi soapstone fireplace.
Located just 16 miles north of Bozeman, its longest run is a whopping three miles long. www.bridgerbowl.com
Montana Snowbowl
Earlier this year, the Forest Service gave a greenlight to Snowbowl for a significant expansion, which would increase its size from 1,138 acres to 2,243 acres; the expansion adds more skiable terrain specifically for beginners and intermediates.
Development is expected to take place in phases and may extend over a 10-year period.
Snowbowl has taken steps to improve the safety and skiing experience for skiing in treed areas this season. www.montanasnowbowl.com
Whitefish Mountain Resort
Whitefish Mountain Resort is heading into the 2014–2015 season with more than $2.4 million in improvements, including the installation of a fixed-grip triple chairlift to the north side of the mountain this season.
The new chairlift opens up access to new runs and glading from the top of Flower Point creating an additional 200 acres of lift-served terrain.
Renovations have begun on the Base Lodge, and a new parking lot is being built that will accommodate up to 300 cars and an additional shuttle van for free transportation between the Base Area, Upper Village and lodging areas. www.skiwhitefish.com
More Montana Ski Areas!
www.visitmt.com
Blacktail Mountain: www.blacktailmountain.com
Discovery Ski Area: www.skidiscovery.com
Great Divide: www.skigd.com
Lost Trail: www.losttrail.com
Maverick Mountain: www.skimaverick.com
Red Lodge: www.redlodgemountain.com
Showdown Mountain: www.showdownmontana.com
Teton Pass: www.skitetonpass.com
Turner Mountain: www.skiturner.com
