Montana Snowbowl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Montana Snowbowl |
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| Location | Missoula County, Montana |
| Nearest city | Missoula |
| Coordinates | ACoordinates: Longitude could not be parsed as a number: W {{#coordinates:}}: invalid longitude |
| Vertical | 2,600 ft (790 m) |
| Top elevation | 7,600 ft (2,315 m) |
| Base elevation | 5,000 ft (1,525 m) |
| Skiable area | 950 acres (3.8 km2), lift served, skiable |
| Runs | 39 |
| Longest run | 3 miles (5 km) |
| Lift system | 3 double chairs 1 T-bar, 1 rope tow |
| Snowfall | 300 inches (760 cm) |
| Website | montanasnowbowl.com |
Montana Snowbowl is a fun ski area in the western United States. It is located in the Lolo National Forest in western Montana. The ski area is about 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Missoula.
Montana Snowbowl is famous for its long, challenging ski runs. Some of these are for expert skiers. It also has an old-school feel. There are not many buildings at the base of the mountain. Its two main lifts are older double chairs. The road to get there was improved in 2011, but it is still not paved.
This ski area is also known for its very steep slopes. It has a big vertical drop of 2,600 feet (790 m). The Grizzly Chair takes you up 2,000 feet (610 m) from the bottom. The LaVelle Creek Chair goes even higher, reaching 7,600 feet (2,316 m). When Montana Snowbowl first opened in December 1962, it was said to have the biggest vertical drop in the Pacific Northwest.
Where is Montana Snowbowl Located?
The main part of Montana Snowbowl is near Butler Creek. This creek flows into the Clark Fork River, which is west of Missoula. On the west side of the Butler Creek valley is Television (TV) Mountain. This mountain is 6,817 feet (2,078 m) tall. La Valle Creek, another stream that flows into the Clark Fork River, is west of TV Mountain.
To get to Montana Snowbowl, you take exit 101 from Interstate 90. This exit leads to Grant Creek Road. Grant Creek is in the valley next to Butler Creek. Grant Creek starts on the side of Murphy Peak, which is north of Point Six Peak.
New Plans for the Ski Area
In 2011, Montana Snowbowl and the Lolo National Forest announced big plans. They wanted to make the ski area much larger. These plans included adding more chairlifts and parking spots. They also planned a new restaurant on the mountain.
Part of this expansion would be on TV Mountain. This area used to be home to an older ski area called Snow Park, but it was later closed. The Snow Park expansion finally opened in January 2020.
Montana Snowbowl usually opens for skiing on weekends in early December. More lifts start running regularly in mid-December and stay open into the new year. In the summer, from late June to early September, one lift operates on weekends. This lift is for people who want to hike or ride mountain bikes downhill.
