Big Sky Resort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Sky |
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Big Sky Resort in 2006
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 Big Sky
Location in Montana
Big Sky
Location in the United States
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| Location | Big Sky, Madison County, Montana  United States |
| Nearest city | Bozeman - 50 mi (80 km) |
| Coordinates | 45°15′0″N 111°25′0″W / 45.25000°N 111.41667°W |
| Vertical | 4,350 ft (1,326 m) total |
| Top elevation | 11,166 ft (3,403 m) |
| Base elevation | 6,800 ft (2,073 m) Lone Moose 7,500 ft (2,286 m) Mountain Village |
| Skiable area | 5,800 acres (23.5 km2) |
| Runs | 250+ - 15% beginner - 25% intermediate - 60% advanced |
| Longest run | 6 miles (10 km) |
| Lift system | 36 lifts |
| Snowmaking | 10% |
| Website | bigskyresort.com |
Big Sky Resort is a super cool ski resort located in the western United States, specifically in southwestern Montana. It's about an hour's drive south of Bozeman via U.S. Highway 191 in Big Sky, Montana. Did you know it's the second-largest ski resort in the whole U.S. when you look at how much land it covers?
This amazing resort first opened its doors in late 1973. Today, Big Sky Resort boasts over 5,800 acres (9.1 sq mi; 23.5 km2) of awesome ski terrain and a huge vertical drop of 4,350 feet (1,330 m). In 2013, Big Sky Resort got even bigger! It added 200 acres (0.8 km2) from Spirit Mountain and then joined up with Moonlight Basin, another resort right next door that shared Lone Mountain.
Besides skiing and snowboarding, Big Sky Resort also has places for meetings, weddings, and company events.
Contents
The Story of Big Sky Resort
Big Sky Resort was started by a Montana local named Chet Huntley. He used to be a famous TV news anchor! The resort officially opened in December 1973. Its main base area is super high up, at about 7,510 ft (2,290 m) above sea level, on the side of the 11,167-foot (3,404 m) Lone Mountain. This mountain is one of the tallest in Montana!
Early Days and New Lifts
When it first opened, Big Sky had three main lifts. There was a gondola, which is like a small cable car that carries four skiers in an enclosed cabin. It climbed 1,525 feet (465 m) up the mountain. There were also two chairlifts: the Lone Peak triple chairlift, which took skiers to 9,800 ft (2,985 m), and the Explorer double chair, which was for beginners.
A fourth lift, the Andesite double, was added on Andesite Mountain. It was later renamed Ram's Horn and then replaced with a faster Ramcharger high-speed quad in 1990.
New Owners and More Growth
After Chet Huntley passed away in 1974, Boyne Resorts bought the resort in 1976. Over the next few decades, the resort grew a lot! They kept adding more lifts and tripled the amount of land available for skiing and snowboarding.
In 1979, they added the Mad Wolf double chairlift, which made the ski area even bigger by lowering the starting elevation. This increased the total vertical drop to over 2,800 ft (855 m). This lift was later replaced by the Thunder Wolf high-speed quad in 1994.
The 1980s saw more additions, including Gondola Two (which ran next to the first gondola) and the Challenger double chair for expert skiers. Gondola Two was later replaced by the Swift Current 4 high-speed quad in 1997. Another lift, Southern Comfort, was added in 1990 and later upgraded to a high-speed quad in 2004.
Reaching the Summit
In 1995, Big Sky installed the amazing Lone Peak Tram. This tram takes you right to the 11,166-foot (3,403 m) summit of Lone Mountain, giving access to some really challenging terrain. The Shedhorn double chair was also added that year on the lower part of Lone Mountain.
The tram made Big Sky's vertical drop even bigger, reaching 4,180 ft (1,275 m). In 1999, they lowered the base elevation even more with a new lift at Lone Moose Meadows, bringing the total vertical drop to 4,350 ft (1,330 m)!
Modern Upgrades and Mergers
In the 1990s, new buildings like the Shoshone Condominium Hotel and the Yellowstone Conference Center were built. In 2000, Boyne Resorts announced big plans for improvements, including the $54 million Summit Hotel and the Village Center Complex.
In 2007, Big Sky expanded its skiing on the south side of Lone Peak by moving the original Southern Comfort lift and renaming it the Dakota chairlift. This opened up a new area called Dakota Territory. The very first Gondola One was taken down in 2008 because it was getting too expensive to fix.
A big change happened in October 2013 when Big Sky's neighbor, Moonlight Basin, officially merged with Big Sky Resort. This made Big Sky even larger!
Big Sky 2025 Project
As part of a huge 10-year, $150 million project called BigSky2025, Big Sky Resort installed two new Doppelmayr chairlifts in 2016. The Lone Peak triple chairlift was replaced with Powder Seeker, a super modern six-seat high-speed chairlift with heated seats and bubble covers! The Challenger double chairlift was also replaced with a triple chairlift that has a conveyor belt to help you load.
In 2018, Big Sky made history by installing North America's first-ever high-speed eight-person chairlift! This amazing lift, called Ramcharger 8, replaced the old Ramcharger quad. It has heated seats and bubble covers, just like Powder Seeker. It opened on December 15, 2018, and is known as one of the most advanced lifts ever built. The original Ramcharger high-speed quad was moved to the south side of Lone Peak to replace the Shedhorn double chairlift.
Fun Things to Do
Big Sky Resort offers lots of fun activities! Of course, there's amazing skiing and snowboarding on the mountain. You can also enjoy Golf and horseback riding near the Meadow Village, which is at an elevation of 6,300 feet (1,920 m).
Skiing Terrain Directions
The ski runs at Big Sky face different directions:
- North: 37%
- West: 2%
- East: 36%
- South: 25%
Lone Peak Tram
The Lone Peak Tram is an aerial tramway at Big Sky Resort. It starts at the top of the Powder Seeker chairlift and takes you all the way to the very top of Lone Mountain, at 11,166 ft (3,403 m)! This tram opened in 1995. It has two cabins that carry 15 passengers each, traveling in opposite directions. It climbs 1,420 ft (433 m) over a distance of 2,828 ft (862 m). The tram gives you access to the most difficult and exciting terrain at Big Sky Resort, including areas that used to be part of Moonlight Basin.
Since the summer of 2012, Big Sky Resort has offered daily summer tram rides called The Lone Peak Expedition. This lets visitors ride the tram to the top of Lone Peak even when there's no snow!
Images for kids
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Lone Peak, the top of the resort mountain
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Inside the Swift Current 6 lift at the resort, a six-person lift with bubble covers
