Intro
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The Ski Mountain
The Ski Mountain
| We drove to Montana in our Chateau op Wielen (small RV),
which worked out very well. The 13-hour drive was much more
comfortable than it would have been in a car. We even used the RV during
our stay to keep food cold for breakfasts and snacks.
Once at Big Mountain, we stayed at the Alpinglow
Inn, which was reasonably priced despite being conveniently located at
the bottom of the lift lines [right]. It was also comfortable, offered all
necessary amenities (including a good restaurant), and the staff were
helpful and very friendly. |
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Our first day of skiing (Tuesday) was wonderful. The
sky was blue and clear, and the snow was perfect for skimming swiftly down
the slopes. The views were spectacular: from the top [left] for miles in
all directions one can see the white peaks of Glacier National Park and
the Canadian Rockies, as well as down the slopes to Whitefish Lake and
beyond. Up top were "snow ghosts" in various states of
contortion.
The second day, Cameron attended a morning ski class while the adults
tried some new runs. Then we rejoined for lunch and afternoon skiing.
Cameron learned a lot in four hours, perfecting his parallel turning so
that he finally had the confidence and ability to attack just about any
slope. (By the end of the week, he was beating Mom down the hill.)
Although the view was still tremendous, the clouds were coming in,
blocking some of the previous day's sunshine. |
On Thursday, our legs began to protest from disuse. Also, clouds had arrived
overnight and it was snowing lightly, so there was much less visibility than
before. We decided to take the day off and visit Whitefish (see
next page).
The clouds dumped 8 inches of new snow, so our last day of skiing was in
terrific new powder, but it was a bit of a struggle with our ancient long skis.
Cameron took another morning class but learned less because of the deep snow.
The weather was also colder and the visibility murkier; nevertheless, Cameron
and Jan skied until the lifts stopped running.
| Big Mountain is well set up for families. Besides ski
lessons, there is a day care for kids, which we did not use. Every day
after skiing free family activities are available.
Tuesday afternoon the Village offered marshmallow roasting and sled dog
petting.
Wednesday we visited the Moguls Village Pub, where the ski patrol was
honoring the "klutz of the week" with a free beer, and we
watched vintage movies featuring footage from Big Mountain.
Thursday afternoon we attended a kids' piņata party.
Friday night we heard the yodeling "Cowboy Singer" at the Village
firepit and then were given a personal magic show at our table during
dinner at the Buckin' Horse Steakhouse. |
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Big Mountain was established as a ski resort in 1947. It is
among the ten largest ski resorts in the U.S. and was voted #1 in Montana
in the "Top 60 North American Ski Resorts" review by Ski
Magazine four years in a row.
The mountain offers more than 3,000 skiable acres, eleven lifts, and
two high-speed quads servicing 2,500 vertical feet and 85 marked runs,
including vast amounts of bowl and tree skiing. Of the runs available to
skiers and snowboarders, 25% are for beginners, 50% for intermediate, and
25% advanced skiers. Night skiing is available Friday and
Saturday.
Big Mountain's average snowfall is 325 inches. The base elevation is
4,500 ft, and the summit is at 7,000 ft. The longest run is 3.5 miles.
We were particularly impressed by the friendly "Mountain
Ambassadors," who give free 1-hour tours of the mountain twice a day.
Several times an ambassador approached us at the bottom of the mountain
and asked whether we wanted help locating anything.
Several cafeterias are available for lunch. We tried the Trail's End
Cafe at the the bottom and the Summit House at the top, from which the
views were magnificent. Other restaurant choices are numerous and easy to
reach, since the Village sits at the base of the ski lifts. |
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Oops!
All part of a great time! |
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