|
Yellowstone SkiingSkiing The Big Sky StateBy Valerie SummersMy first visit to Montana took me on a cattle drive ending in Miles City in Custer Country. The summer air was dry and hot and the terrain barren, but the star studded nights presented an unforgettable light show. It became clear that the state’s nickname of The Big Sky State, was appropriately chosen. This winter I enjoyed an opposite landscape in Yellowstone Country, but one with the same unforgettable night sky, when I visited an eclectic collection of ski areas: Bridger Bowl, Big Sky and Red Lodge Mountain.
The weather was perfect and so were the snow conditions in what is referred to as a “bluebird day” as I made first tracks in the velvet corduroy Missouri Breaks run. Cruising along, it seemed that there was no one else on the slopes of my own private mountain. Returning to base, I watched a group of gutsy handicapped skiers get loaded onto the lift and later saw some of them whizzing down the slopes, an example of just one of Bridger’s community outreach programs. As another part of its community service, Bridger also hosts the schools in the area bringing in busloads of children to enjoy a day of alpine skiing. I saw a group of youngsters excitedly jump from a big yellow school bus, which had just stopped in front of the lodge, heading for the ski rentals department eagerly anticipating a day in the snow. Although Bridger Bowl offers no overnight accommodations, Bozeman is just a pleasant 16 mile drive away and features a variety of fine restaurants, shopping, night life and hotels. Skiing always works up an appetite and I enjoyed topping off beautiful days on the slopes both at Montana Ale Works and Looies Down Under. One afternoon I visited the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, filled with a variety of arts and crafts and later stopped at the impressive Museum of the Rockies. In addition to a journey through the 4.5 billion year old history of the Northern Rocky Mountain region, the museum includes the most exotic, artfully designed kite exhibits I have ever seen.
Breakfast was offered in the commodious dining room, with ceiling to floor windows and a baby grand piano in the corner. There’s dinnertime entertainment on weekends. My fuel tank on full, I was eager to explore the area. I pulled on my boots and snapped into cross country skis, then slid off the porch and onto the freshly groomed cross country trails for a morning under azure skies and in virgin snow.
When I awoke the next morning, it was snowing hard. Driving the six miles to the slopes, I arrived in time to witness a fun filled ski race with contestants zooming down the slope inside of floats constructed only of cardboard and tape. This year’s theme was Hippie Days with entrants proudly displaying their Love Bugs, space capsules and Volkswagen buses decorated with peace signs. One entrant, obviously not in touch with the theme, constructed a Hummer, which, from a distance, looked like the real thing, but couldn’t go the distance once the race began. Locals, from every age group participated, crashing into the bright orange net at the foot of the slope while an appreciative crowd cheered them on.
My last day in Yellowstone Country was another bluebird day with sunny skies and a powder dusted mountain….a perfect ending to my sampling of three of Montana’s diverse winter playgrounds. For information:Big Sky Resort Bridger Bowl Buck’s T-4 Lodge and Restaurant Delta Airlines Holiday Inn, situated just off the highway connecting
to Bridger Bowl. Convenient, spacious guest rooms, clean, with good
service. Mountain Meadows Guest Ranch Montana Vacation Rentals Red Lodge Mountain Rocky Fork Inn Bed & Breakfast, a brand new inn located
at the south end of downtown Red Lodge includes six handsomely decorated
suites, each with fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs and overlooking Rock Creek.
|
|
TM
The Montana ski
sampling began in Bozeman where I drove along US 86 towards Bridger Bowl. I
felt a change in the energy surrounding me as I passed through an area of
ancient rock formations alongside the Yellowstone River. Bridger Bowl’s
history began in 1949, with a single rope tow and ended as a unique,
affordable ($35 per lift ticket) non profit winter recreation area.
Bridger’s 1,500 skiable acres lends itself to an excellent family skiing
experience if no one in the family happens to be an extreme skier. It is
also one of the best ski areas I have visited for beginners with its long,
groomed, gentle green runs. Since all trails lead to the lodge, even if
family members or friends ski at different levels, they all end up in the
same place. 
Just off Highway 191 through
scenic Gallatin Canyon leading to the renowned Big Sky Ski Resort, I turned
onto a small, winding road which I followed for eight miles until arriving
at Mountain Meadows Guest Ranch. The setting could not have been more
beautiful or more private with a pine lodge set in 580 undeveloped acres
surrounded by Lone Mountain, the Madison Mountain Range, the Spanish Peaks
and the Gallatin Range. A roaring fieldstone fireplace in the main room
welcomed visitors. At the far end of the spacious room, a pool table and
Thirsty Moose Bar were inviting. The lodge features just seven spacious
guestrooms with private balconies plus two private log cabins, all
individually decorated in western animal themes. From my room I enjoyed an
unsurpassed view of Lone Mountain through an enormous picture window. Early
one morning, I awoke to see an enormous cloud bank hovering outside my
window below the mountain tops while the rising sun shone on the snow
covered Lone Mountain casting a delicate pink hue. 
Lone
Mountain looked incredibly beautiful from a distance, but I was ready for a
closer look, so off I went for an afternoon of downhill skiing at the Big
Sky Resort, ranked among the top 10 ski resorts in North America. With its
3,600 acres of downhill terrain, 122 trails and state of the art facilities,
skiers at any level are assured a memorable ski experience. I was
fascinated by the unique lift ticket which I was instructed to place inside
my jacket, then run my arm along the scanner to access the lifts which
virtually had no wait and where I encountered no attitude. Venturing to the
very top (11,150 feet) of Lone Mountain via the steepest aerial tramway I
have ever ridden, I passed two of the more famous double diamond chutes,
nicknamed Stalin and Lenin, where thrill seeking skiers appearing the size
of bugs, impossibly made their way down the steep pitch of the mountain with
snow flying up from beneath their skis. Exiting, I sidestepped up the small
hill to the peak, awed by the expansive scenic mountain landscape. I
literally felt like I was at the top of the world. Catching the next tram
down, I continued on my way down the groomed Upper Morning Star run to the
village to meet friends for lunch. After, I explored the village,
discovering the diversity of accommodations, restaurants and shopping mall
before returning to the slopes. When the lifts closed, I hungrily made my
way to Buck’s T-4 restaurant, a Big Sky tradition, for a hearty dinner
beginning with a huge salad, then grilled Louisiana crab cakes, followed by
succulent bison tenderloin. 
Next morning I headed down the
highway towards my final destination, Red Lodge. Situated in the heart of
the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, I found Winter Carnival in full swing
when I arrived. Montanans often perk up the long winter days with inventive
activities. All the townsfolk plus lots of visitors enthusiastically
support the festivities. This town has the feel of a mountain community 50
years ago but I discovered a surprising amount of sophistication when I
attended a wine tasting and art exhibit on the second floor of Bridge Creek
Backcountry Kitchen & Wine Bar. Later, I dined at Arthur’s Grill at the
faithfully restored historic Pollard Hotel. After all that food and drink, I
enjoyed the short walk in the brisk night air back to the newly opened Rocky
Fork B&B where I cranked up the fire in the fireplace of my oversized guest
room before crawling into my comfy bed.
When
the race was over, it was my turn to ski… floatless. The conditions were
awesome as a layer of powder covered the slopes. Although visibility was
not great, the sensation of powder skiing more than made up for it. Red
Lodge Mountain, like Bridger Bowl, is a great pick for family ski outings
with a variety of trails covering its 1,600 acres of skiable terrain. That
evening, a group gathered at the foot of the mountain to view 60 skiers, all
carrying red flare torches in each hand, descend from Grizzly Peak down Lazy
M and Barriers runs, creating the effect of flowing lava while fireworks
burst overhead. The audience, oohing and aahing, braved the cold
temperatures, sipping hot chocolate and stomping their feet to stay warm.
Transpack Backpacks, a new
item which I found very convenient, stored ski boots in side pockets and
everything else I could think of in the roomy central compartment including
extra sweater, goggles, sun block and snacks. Slung on my back, my hands
were left free for carrying skis and poles.