Big Sky, MT: situated about 30 minutes south of Bozeman, so small it's barely a town, home to three resorts. Moonlight Basin I've already sung the praises of; The Yellowstone Club is a bit out of my income bracket. The third and largest resort is none other than Big Sky Resort. Owned by Boyne, Big Sky has recently purchased Moonlight Basin from Lehman Brothers and is now, along with the terrain acquisition from Spanish Peaks, truly home to the Biggest Skiing in America (BSIA).
I could write about the terrain stats, etc., but if you really care you can check that out on their website. It's big, has significant vertical thanks to access to the 11,166' peak, and the views are spectacular. The Big Sky side of things can be divided into 4 zones: Shedhorn and Dakota lifts on the southern exposure, Challenger lift and the A to Z chutes on the eastern exposure, Lone Peak, and the rest of the resort.
The majority of the resort (excepting those zones I mentioned) is a mix of fun groomers, some glades ranging from challenging to a breeze (and none of which are cut as well as their neighbors on the northern exposure at Moonlight); there is a good spread of beginner and intermediate terrain, and a couple good more challenging runs. Things get more fun of the Challenger lift; all of this terrain is advanced or expert terrain (plus hiking access to the A to Z chutes and the Headwaters at Moonlight, the latter requiring the full BSIA lift ticket), and conditions can make this area either a powderwhore's paradise or a true test of technical ability. Be careful of bad weather here; a friend of mine was stuck on the old double that serves as the Challenger for an hour once during a wind hold.
On the opposite side of the resort is the Shedhord/Dakota zones. I haven't spent much time over there, but if you like glades, shorter lift lines, and good powder stashes this is the place to go. Again, this is primarily more advanced terrain, and the traverse back to the rest of the resort is time-consuming, so plan accordingly. There is a small shack to grab a bite to eat so you don't need to head all the way back to the Mountain Village base, or there's always the more cost-effective mode of packing bars and sandwiches.
Overlooking the entire resort is my favorite zone: the terrain served by the Lone Peak Tram. Reaching a height of around 11,120', the tram deposits you at the top of some really fun expert terrain above treeline. You have the option to take Otter Slide (when it's open) to the top of Marx, Lenin, and the Dictator Chutes. If you keep skiers left on Marx you can peel over the ridge and hit up any of the six Gullies (or even keep left again and lap the tram). If you traverse right of the entrance to Otter Slide you can bomb down Liberty Bowl and hop on the Shedhorn lift back up. Alternately, you can traverse back to the left at the top of Liberty bowl and hit up the same runs that Otter Slide accesses, but with an easier top section than Otter Slide itself. If that's not doing it for you, make sure you have full avy gear and a partner; signing out with ski patrol at the peak allows you to get a time slot for the Big and Little Couloirs, or with BSIA tickets you can ski down the North Summit Snowfield into the Moonlight side of things.
I only had one season at Big Sky, during which I worked for their Snowsports school, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I hadn't enjoyed the attitudes of the employees before I worked there but everyone has been pleasant recently (even when I was unrecognizable out of uniform). My only complaints are the costs (food and tickets are more expensive than they really have a right to be), and some of the clientele. Big Sky is not Aspen, but some of the hoity-toity definitely treat it that way, and many do not have the skills to be on the terrain they select. So just be wary of other and you'll have a blast. I do suggest packing snacks instead of buying food (there's even a microwave in the cafeteria so you can have warm food like soup on those chilly powder days), and take time to enjoy apres at a bar in either the Mountain or Meadow Villages (it's Montana, so few are fancy but most are fun). If you go up in the spring you can buy beer at the grocery store at the base and sit out on the deck to work on an epic goggle tan.
My biggest advice with visiting any Bozeman resort (MLB, Big Sky, or Bridger) is stay in town and either drive or take the ski bus ($5) up. That way you get to experience awesome skiing and then you can party with the super chill people of Bozeman by hitting up Main Street in the evening. There you can find nightlife to suit any lifestyle: Plonk offers overpriced drinks and a New York-y atmosphere, while R Bar is the most Bozeman, the Crystal is super dive-y, and Bar IX (nine) lets you embrace your inner frat boy/girl and play roofie roulette. The possibilities are endless.
Big Sky, I'll be seeing you soon!
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