Bridger Bowl Ski Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bridger Bowl |
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Base area in March 2005
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 Bridger Bowl
Location in Montana
Bridger Bowl
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gallatin National Forest Gallatin County, Montana  United States |
| Nearest city | Bozeman: 16 miles (26 km) |
| Coordinates | 45°49′05″N 110°53′49″W / 45.818°N 110.897°W |
| Vertical | 2,600 feet (790 m) |
| Top elevation | 8,700 feet (2,650 m) |
| Base elevation | 6,100 feet (1,860 m) |
| Skiable area | 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) |
| Runs | 75 |
| Longest run | 3 miles (5 km) |
| Lift system | 8 chairlifts - 1 Quad - 6 Triples - 1 Double |
| Snowfall | 350 in (29.2 ft; 8.9 m) |
| Snowmaking | minimal |
| Website | bridgerbowl.com |
Bridger Bowl is a popular ski area in the western United States. It is located close to Bozeman, Montana. This ski area is a favorite spot for people living in Gallatin County. It is also a big hit with students from Montana State University.
Bridger Bowl sits high up at 8,700 feet (2,650 m) above sea level. It offers a thrilling vertical drop of 2,600 feet (790 m). This means you can ski down a long way from top to bottom! The slopes here face east, which is great for snow.
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What is Bridger Bowl?
Bridger Bowl is special because it is a non-profit ski area. This means it is owned by the local community. It aims to provide fun and affordable skiing for everyone. The area is known for its amazing terrain and lots of fresh snow.
The ski area and the mountains around it are named after Jim Bridger. He was a famous mountain man from a long time ago. You can get to Bridger Bowl easily from Highway 86.
What's New at Bridger Bowl?
Bridger Bowl has a main lodge at the bottom of the mountain. There is also a lodge halfway up. A brand new main lodge opened in 2005. It gives skiers a great place to warm up and relax.
Since 1988, there's been a cool way to know when new snow has fallen. A blue light flashes on top of the Baxter Hotel in downtown Bozeman. It turns on every time Bridger Bowl gets two inches (5 cm) of fresh snow. The light stays on for 24 hours. This special signal helps everyone know it's time to hit the slopes!
New Lifts for More Fun
Bridger Bowl has added new chairlifts to make skiing even better.
- Schlasman's Chairlift: In 2008, the new Schlasman's chairlift opened. This was the first time they added new ski terrain in 30 years! This lift used to be at Snowbird in Utah. It takes you up 1,700 feet (518 m) higher. It also opens up 311 acres (1.26 km2) of new ski area. This new area is only for expert skiers. If you want to ride this lift, you must carry an avalanche transceiver. It is also a good idea to bring a partner and a shovel for safety.
- Powder Park and Alpine Lifts: For the 2013–14 season, Bridger added two more new lifts. These are called Powder Park and Alpine. These new lifts made it three times faster to get up the mountain. This means more time skiing and less time waiting!
The Ridge: For Expert Skiers
Bridger Bowl is famous for a challenging area called "The Ridge." This area is only for expert skiers. It has six different sections. These include Schlasman's, D Route, C Route, B Route, A Route, and Northwest/Hidden Gully Areas.
To ski or snowboard "The Ridge," you must have an avalanche beacon and a shovel. Most of "The Ridge" requires you to hike to get to the best spots. It is a very exciting challenge for experienced skiers!
Hosting Big Ski Events
Montana State University has hosted the NCAA Skiing Championships many times. These big college ski races have been held at Bridger Bowl eight times. The cross-country events take place at Bohart Ranch nearby. This shows how great Bridger Bowl is for competitive skiing!
List of Runs
Here are some of the ski runs at Bridger Bowl, grouped by how hard they are.
- Difficulty ratings
Green |
Blue |
Black Diamond |
Double Black Diamond |
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| Sunnyside | Timmy's Road | Buck's Run | Flippers |
| Glenn's Glade | White Lightning | Devil's Dive | Zits |
| Moose Meadows | Boot Hill | Southbound | High Traverse |
| Coyote Flats | Elk Run | Three Bears Bowl | The Nose |
| Sawmill Gulch | Upper Sawmill Gulch | Avalanche Gulch | Exit Chute |
| Summer Road | Good Clean Fun | Bronco | Tight Squeeze |
| Mully Road | Bobcat | Brush Run | Out of Sight |
| Mogul Mouse | Wolverine | The John | DRCS |
| Chalet Road | Maverick | Sluice Box | |
| Lower Limestone | Cross Cut | Freedom | |
| Limestone | Crazy Woman | Easy Money | |
| Alpine Run | Alpine Return | Ptarmigan | |
| Rugrat | Deer Park Road | Deer Park Face | |
| Alpine Access | Alpine Face | North Bowl Road | |
| Porcupine | Three Bears Traverse | Powder Hog | |
| Montagne's Meadow | Thunder Road | North Bowl Run | |
| Powder Park | Last Chance | ||
| Sacajawea | Mayo's | ||
| Powder Horn | Kurt's | ||
| Bitterroot | Emigrant | ||
| Bridger Run | |||
| Pierre's Return | |||
| Pierre's Road | |||
| Southern Drawl | |||
| Missouri Breaks | |||
| Colter's | |||
| Hanton's Hollow | |||
| Emil's Mile | |||
| Powder Puff |
