Ski Resorts in Montana

I'm going to be heading on a short road trip over Christmas/New Year from Vancouver taking in Mount Baker and then heading over to Schweitzer Resort in Idaho. While over there I thought I would check out some resorts in Montana. I can be in Montana from 26th and have to be in Fernie by 1st January which gives me a good five days to have a look around.

Anyone got any ideas on good places to ski in North Montana. Whitefish is one candidate at the moment and it takes me to the Canadian boarder. What about Snowbowl just North of Missoula? Any others that could be worth a look...?

Any local mangs out there fancy meeting up, give me a shout. And any Vancouverites who fancy getting in the road trip, give me a shout. Will be leaving evening off 22nd to return to Vancouver on 1st Jan. With a bad hangover no doubt. Will be hiring a car at the moment but anyone with wheels, get involved.

I would skip Montana & Idaho and hit interior BC, like Fernie, Kicking Horse, etc.

I hear interior BC sucks. Either small hills or not enough snow, I'd stay away.

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Originally Posted by Sufferfest

What about Snowbowl just North of Missoula? .

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Well Snowbowl has 2600 continuous vertical feet. It's a good enough place that I know a number of folks who have lived as ski bums since the seventies, have skied all over the country, and have stopped migrating at Snowbowl. Great tree skiing. It's wild, irregular, mostly ungroomed terrain (the bowls above the outrun are ungroomed all season), with slow, two-seat chairs, and no safety bars. If you hit a dump it is sublime, otherwise it is a pretty kickass mountain.

If you decide to come this way, I can show you around. Shoot me a PM beforehand. I ski every day, at least for a few hours. You might consider staying on the mountain, as their packages (lodging + ticket) are pretty cheap (but confirming the room ahead of time is key especially if you expect to arrive after the lifts close). The rooms are small and plain, but the double beds are comfortable, though not large (I wouldn't want to share one with a guy ;) ). There is good food available in the Snowbowl lodge, and the Last Run Inn (the bar) at prices which will make you forget you are at a ski area.

It might be a bit boney still that early in the year (although I actually have a very good feeling about this season) so don't bring skis you would cry over scratching.

There's your beta, give me a shout if you have questions.




BTW everyone ignore what I have just said, it is doubtlessly drunken hyperbole inspired by drunken attention seeking. There is nothing to see here, move along....

Whitefish fits the bill perfectly if your going from Sandpoint to Fernie.


If you time it right though, you can hit a Montana secret stash, Turner Mtn outside of Libby. If you hit it right (They are only open a couple days a week) there is great pow, no lines and is quite the Montana ski experience. http://www.skiturner.com/

I'll be in Whitefish after Xmas visiting the parents, so if you want of tour of Big Mtn, let me know.

Discovery is about 1.5 hours east of Missoula and had some of the best conditions in the state last year, during the early season. It has a down to earth/ mom and pop feel, with some nice off-piste terrain on the backside. Also stopping at fairmont hotsprings(in anaconda) on the way out, hot laps on the slide are requisite.

Good suggestions so far. My favorite places are Snowbowl, Discovery, Big Mountain. I like the small resorts, Big Mountain is pushing that envelope. If you like mom and pop, you should hit Snowbowl, it is a place like no other. Cheap, trees, steep, lots of duct tape and drinking. Disco is great but not much of a party scene.

If you were in Missoula for a couple of days you could ski Snowbowl, Discovery, Lost Trail and then swing north to Big Mountain before heading to the border.

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Originally Posted by Gripen

Whitefish fits the bill perfectly if your going from Sandpoint to Fernie.


If you time it right though, you can hit a Montana secret stash, Turner Mtn outside of Libby. If you hit it right (They are only open a couple days a week) there is great pow, no lines and is quite the Montana ski experience. http://www.skiturner.com/

I'll be in Whitefish after Xmas visiting the parents, so if you want of tour of Big Mtn, let me know.

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Seconded, Swietzer to Turner to Fernie, the snow at Snowbowl is not the greatest. Disco is pretty sweet and lookout has the highest snowfall in the area. but they are kind of out of the way for driving.

You're welcome to stay at our place for a night or two if you want to hit Big Mountain. Unfortunately whitefish is pretty far from everything else. Snowbowl has great terrain but shitty ass snow and TONS of people (imo). However, if Lost Trail or Discovery is doing good snow wise I might be down for the drive and show you those two places. Lost Trail is notorious for the pow and if Disco gets the snow it has an uber gnarly backside with lots of steep and good drops. I'll pm you more later.....

superchief, you've never skied at the bowl on a good day, have you?

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Originally Posted by SuperChief

Seconded, Swietzer to Turner to Fernie

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That would be a GOOD trip, but only one of those is in MT.

Silver Mtn in Kellogg, ID has been recommeded if traveling through NW Idaho and Montana...easy to get to right off the I- 90.

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Originally Posted by RootSkier

superchief, you've never skied at the bowl on a good day, have you?

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Root, you need to post in this thread and let your avatar do the talking.

About the Bowl, some people don't like it there, and that's what makes it so rad.

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Originally Posted by Sufferfest

I'm going to be heading on a short road trip over Christmas/New Year from Vancouver taking in Mount Baker and then heading over to Schweitzer Resort in Idaho. While over there I thought I would check out some resorts in Montana. I can be in Montana from 26th and have to be in Fernie by 1st January which gives me a good five days to have a look around.

Anyone got any ideas on good places to ski in North Montana. Whitefish is one candidate at the moment and it takes me to the Canadian boarder. What about Snowbowl just North of Missoula? Any others that could be worth a look...?

Any local mangs out there fancy meeting up, give me a shout. And any Vancouverites who fancy getting in the road trip, give me a shout. Will be leaving evening off 22nd to return to Vancouver on 1st Jan. With a bad hangover no doubt. Will be hiring a car at the moment but anyone with wheels, get involved.

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ummm, hard to be in Fernie and Vancouver on Jan 1st- not impossible, just difficult, especially if you plan to ski in Fernie?

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Originally Posted by hialtitude

Root, you need to post in this thread and let your avatar do the talking.

About the Bowl, some people don't like it there, and that's what makes it so rad.

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Thats what makes it rad?!?! It doesn't matter if SOME don't like it cause its filled with people who don't go anywhere else. Snowbowl does have some of the best terrain in Montana but the snow can suck big time (its like skiing on wood) and that added in with the clusterfuck of missoulians at the bottom can make for a shitty day.

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Originally Posted by Altaholic

I would skip Montana & Idaho and hit interior BC, like Fernie, Kicking Horse, etc.

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Interior BC is definitely the nuts but I did a season in Kicking Horse a couple of years ago and know the resorts pretty well as a result. So really keen just to have a look around some other spots and Montana is supposed to be stunning!

I give a strong vote for Snowbowl in Missoula. Before Big Sky put a lift up the ridge the Bowl had he the most vertical in Montana. It is not a destination resort so you don't have crowds, just excellent steep terrain. It's only 10 miles off the Interstate. A friend of mine who was a ski rep and skied all over the west used to say his 3 favorite areas were "The Bird, the Hole and the Bowl." The Bowl is the real deal with friendly people and no b.s., just good skiing.

Thanks for all the posts, guys. This is really helpful. This is what makes TGR such a great forum!

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Originally Posted by AsheanMT

Thats what makes it rad?!?! It doesn't matter if SOME don't like it cause its filled with people who don't go anywhere else. Snowbowl does have some of the best terrain in Montana but the snow can suck big time (its like skiing on wood) and that added in with the clusterfuck of missoulians at the bottom can make for a shitty day.

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Snowbowl is sweet because it's a no-frills resort. Many people don't like it because it is often overcast, shitty grooming, old lifts, bad snow years, etc. I like it for the character, there is a really high percentage of people who fucking rip, on any conditions, boilerplate or powder. That is why the Bowl is rad. And that clusterfuck (as you put it) can make one hell of a party.

I know it isn't for everybody, but it is definetly worth checking out if in the area. That's all.

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Originally Posted by RootSkier

superchief, you've never skied at the bowl on a good day, have you?

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Hey Root you got me there, I've never had a good pow day, that wasn't beat down before noon, plus it's mostly south facing, so the snow just doesn't last. Plus the place can be a zoo. If i get to MT this winter I'll hit ya up for a tour of the bowl, I've only had a couple days of local guided skiing there. My opinion is they have the terrain but not the snow.

I'm partial to the Big Mountain, I know all the traverses in the trees, the steep lines, the safety meeting cave and the high speed quad that lets you get a days skiing in before 1:00pm. They may not get the big dumps but it consistently snows there during the week. Plus the canyon creek is nice sidecountry especcially if you have a bile. Overall I think Big is the best when you look at snowpack, terrain and getting there. Big Sky kicks it's ass in terrain but I don't like the destination resort feel.

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Originally Posted by AsheanMT

You're welcome to stay at our place for a night or two if you want to hit Big Mountain. Unfortunately whitefish is pretty far from everything else. Snowbowl has great terrain but shitty ass snow and TONS of people (imo). However, if Lost Trail or Discovery is doing good snow wise I might be down for the drive and show you those two places. Lost Trail is notorious for the pow and if Disco gets the snow it has an uber gnarly backside with lots of steep and good drops. I'll pm you more later.....

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I wouldn't let this guy show me around, he obviously doesn't know the areas very well...Snowbowl TONS of people? Where do they come from? The TONS of people fromo Missoula ski at either Lost Trail or Discovery. Where do the rest of the tons of people come from? Perhaps he was here over Gelande Weekend, for the Freestyle championships, last day?

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Originally Posted by barbiekiller

I wouldn't let this guy show me around, he obviously doesn't know the areas very well...Snowbowl TONS of people? Where do they come from? The TONS of people fromo Missoula ski at either Lost Trail or Discovery. Where do the rest of the tons of people come from? Perhaps he was here over Gelande Weekend, for the Freestyle championships, last day?

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Don't listen to me I don't know what I'm talking about. I only lived in Missoula for ten years and ski'd the bowl every winter. I have nooooooo idea what I'm talking about. They must get the best dumps and the least amount of people. All those college kids without gas money go everywhere else cept Snowbowl so those uber fast two seater lifts never have a line. Especially on the backside. You'll never see a line back there. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: (gee I wonder why all those missoula peeps go to LT and Disco? Must be because the Bowl is just too cool for them eh?!)



IF Snowbowl has good snow then its worth it. Otherwise, the only reason to go there would be to party your ass off. No where in the country can party like ZooTown!

Man, the Bowl rules!!!

Though I suggested Turner as its on your way from Sandpoint to Fernie a little detour to the Bowl is well worth it. I have no idea what AsheanMT is talking about with crowds. It is a great bare-bones, no frills, awesome terrain and SNOW MT resort. (Though not as bare bone and no frills as Turner). The fallline is a little funky, but you learn to ski the fall line, not the stupidly cut trails....

+1 for the Bowl.

Going to have to go ahead and disagree with the statement,"snowbowl has some of the best terrain in montana" It is a far distant fourth or fifth behind Big Sky, Big Mountain, Bridger and perhaps Lost trail. If I were kicking around that neighborhood I would definitely put lost trail on the list. It has a much better feel and it is actually crowd free most days.....But missoula is the best place to booze it up in the state, hands down.

It's a good thing Snowbowl has as much vert as it does, that way you only have to ski on mush in the rain for the second half of your run. I've heard it's good on a good pow-day, but how many of those does it get? Yeah, yeah, I've heard about that great powder day back in '88 about 25 times now, shut the fuck up!

After 14 years on living up here I've got to say there's a good reason why most MT ski areas are still Mom and Pop operations - it's because the skiing is consistantly shitty. If there was a consistant snowpack here there would be big commercial developments.

Don't talk to me about Big Sky - it was developed so that people from the mid-west could come out and feel good about themselves at the bar afterwards while they boast to their fat-ass buddies about "dropping into this shot" on a low-level blue square cruiser. Other than the tram, what the fuck is so great about pig sty unless you like 50 yd wide buffed low-angle highways? Ever ski the tram on a busy day? What a waste of time. Of course, if there's snow, and it's there's not many people there it can be great, but how often do those two stars align? It's a place for people without skiing skills to come a drop a shitload of cash and feel good about themselves.

Bridger Bowl - Easily the most overrated ski area I have ever been to. Put the fucking chairlift up to the top of the Ridge! Lift-served terrain is a generally a short vertical drop to a long slog over the flats to the bottom of the lift. Follow that up with a long slow chairlift ride back over those same flats for another tiny little shot of vertical. Or, you can join the groove-army and hike up the ridge for a sanitized "backcountry" experience on avalanche-controlled, patrolled terrain. Eat up the whole morning or afternoon for about 3 runs. If I wanted to bc ski why would I buy a lift ticket and go somewhere where hoards of trustafarians rip up the powder by noon? Apparently the best thing about it is that you get to wear your beacon and shovel on the lifts and around the lodge to let all the other groover a-holes know what a rad skier you are. I fucking hate that Bozeman hipster scene ...

Which leads us to Snowbowl. Shitty warm snow, the slowest shittiest, unreliable lifts in the state (and that's saying something), and maybe some good terrain if you know where you're going. The Missoula hipster scene rivals Bozeman's in its ability to turn your stomach. Can't these people move beyond the fact that they weren't in the cool clique in high school and get on with their lives? There's this faux local ski-bum scene going on at BB, SnowBowl, and even The Great Divide (which is a total fucking joke of a "hill") that their respective hill is the bitchin'est, and that therefore simply skiing there a lot somehow makes them rad skiers. When in reality they are all (except for the GD which is lame no matter how you slice it) pretty medicore hills unless all the stars line up and you have a good base, with a good amount of fresh snow on top. If you really live to ski so much - go somewhere where it snow fer chrissakes

Swear to God - people out here refer to 6" of new as "a dump" Fuck me.
Of course it's great on a great snow day - what fucking ski area sucks on a great snow dayt?

Big Mountain - FogHorn Leghorn? Hope you like skiing on cat trails, 'cuz that's a lot of what you'll be doing in between relatively short vert sections.

Lost Trail - Can't say nothing bad about it. It is what it is, and it doesn't try and pretend otherwise.

Disco - ditto.


If it doesn't snow up here this year I'm going to lose my shit ...