2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[Bunion 2020]

Pretty much walk on tram day ($ 60.00) visibility was OK and wind grooming was in progress. Rest of the ski area was empty for a holiday weekend.

[Talisman]

The Big Scree has been vey quiet with major lifts ski on even at typically peak times. For a holiday weekend the skier traffic seems like ten years ago. Maybe guests are enjoying other resorts with more snow?

Rest of the ski area was empty for a holiday weekend.

[anotherVTskibum]

The Big Scree has been vey quiet with major lifts ski on even at typically peak times. For a holiday weekend the skier traffic seems like ten years ago. Maybe guests are enjoying other resorts with more snow?

Is it a blackout weekend for a lot of passes?

Here at an eastern outpost of the Boyne empire, the blackout weekends have clearly been effective in managing visitor count, and even changed the ski patterns when we had an MLK powder day a couple of years ago (lifts were reasonably crowded but the woods were relatively unskied).

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[byates1]

Seems like everywhere is quiet this year. Visits are down I would guess. Ski vacations are hella expensive. Ppl getting priced out? Taos was super quiet yesterday.

[yeahman]

There's nowhere reasonable to stay at Big Sky anymore. Bucks T4, the Whitewater, the Corral, and a big chunk of the Huntley all gone over to employee housing. That could be part of the reason. I hope all those Airbnb's are sitting empty.

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[toast2266]

The Big Scree has been vey quiet with major lifts ski on even at typically peak times. For a holiday weekend the skier traffic seems like ten years ago. Maybe guests are enjoying other resorts with more snow?

Similar up in whitefish. We're having a fairly mediocre season, so I'm assuming that lots of people are just booking their trips to the places that are snowing more. Either way, I'm not complaining.

[Bunion 2020]

Either way, I'm not complaining.

I hope all those Airbnb's are sitting empty.

Both of these.

[Talisman]

I talked to visitors who were skiing with their IKON passes and had upgraded from the Huntley to the Summit for $25 a night which is a nice upgrade. I'm not complaining about the light skier traffic but after the past few seasons it is a surprise to see so few people. No where reasonable to stay within an hour's drive likely explains some of it.

There's nowhere reasonable to stay at Big Sky anymore. Bucks T4, the Whitewater, the Corral, and a big chunk of the Huntley all gone over to employee housing. That could be part of the reason. I hope all those Airbnb's are sitting empty.

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[Bunion 2020]

Was talking with a early 30s guy yesterday while riding Lone Tree. His daughter was in PE class skiing out of the Moonlight side with her school group.

His employer had graciously comped him a day ticket otherwise he couldn't afford to ski Big Sky. I mentioned the old MBRT program that Moonlight used to do. (School kids ski free if they raise or maintain their GPA). He laughed and said yeah I was one of those kids. He talked about how nice a Blue or a Flex pass would be but he has a family so that money is needed elsewhere.

Big Sky offers a similar program but the pass costs are at least a couple hundred bucks. Skiing at "resorts" is expensive.

[The AD]

Both of these.

Sorry I'll be contributing to the AirBnB problem during my upcoming trip, but glad to hear things have been uncrowded so far this season.

Strange thing is I looked at the Big Sky site many months ago for lodging and it came up with no availability. That seemed odd, but maybe what someone said upthread about some properties being used a lot for employee housing has something to do with it.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

FYI/FWIW for anyone with the Delta sky-miles card. Spend $500 at Big Spend and get $125 back.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/amex-o...m_medium=email

[Bunion 2020]

Sorry I'll be contributing to the AirBnB problem during my upcoming trip, but glad to hear things have been uncrowded so far this season.

Don't give it a second thought, I don't dislike the folks who are renting, I am less thrilled by the folks who bought up housing to turn it as VRBO or BnB as an investment. Besides you are a Mag so you don't count.

[yeahman]

I talked to visitors who were skiing with their IKON passes and had upgraded from the Huntley to the Summit for $25 a night which is a nice upgrade. I'm not complaining about the light skier traffic but after the past few seasons it is a surprise to see so few people. No where reasonable to stay within an hour's drive likely explains some of it.

Personally I'd rather stay at the Huntley than the Summit, but in any case I would be willing to bet Big Sky had some sort of nefarious motivation behind this supposed "upgrade." Long story not worth getting into, but I've experienced stuff like that firsthand from them.

Anyway, hoping for some snow this week because I'm coming down with my 16 yo Thursday/Friday for a couple days of tram skiing.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I think lower Ikon numbers is at least partially contributed to this: In 2020 and 2021 many families did their first and only trip to Big Skree. For the average vacationing family maybe only a few of them are actually really super into skiing. The majority is there to ski a few laps each day and not even ski many days of the trip. The reality is that Big Sky still doesn't have THAT much to do besides actual skiing......especially when families compare to places they have been such as Breck, Vail, Tahoe, Park City, etc...

Theres a handful of shops in the Meadow. Mountain Village has very little. It's hard to get to. It's cold....like real cold. It gets dark quick especially in December and especially if skiing on the MB side.

Even when it does snow you have to kinda know how to follow the wind or enjoy skiing in the milk bottle off the top.

All reasons we love it, but average families may just end up taking their trips to places a little sunnier/warmer/more shops/more restaurants/more slope side accomodations/etc etc.

[ski counselor]

"All reasons we love it, but average families may just end up taking their trips to places a little sunnier/warmer/more shops/more restaurants/more slope side accomodations/etc etc."

We can only hope.

[toastybroski]

Great divide was unreal today. No idea how it was that fantastic. Also no idea how the parking lot can be completely full yet I only see a dozen people on the mountain and no lines.

A few park rats that I see a lot built an absolutely massive jump on hi voltage. Anyone know who they were so I can try and see if they have video of them hitting it?

[WMD]

Sorry I'll be contributing to the AirBnB problem during my upcoming trip, but glad to hear things have been uncrowded so far this season.

Strange thing is I looked at the Big Sky site many months ago for lodging and it came up with no availability. That seemed odd, but maybe what someone said upthread about some properties being used a lot for employee housing has something to do with it.

I've got a condo at Big Sky that my family used for skiing that we rented AirBnB when we weren't using it. This helped us afford skiing there. Once we moved out of Montana we rented it long term to Big Sky employees (way below market) to help with the housing problem. I know others who own places in Big Sky for their own use who airbnb when they aren't using them. This helps keep these Montana families skiing. No reason to feel bad renting from these folks.

[swimmy]

[swimmy]

[Gnar_Shralp406]

Hop turn kind of day

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[HobieTony]

I love how the colors pop, especially the chargy air guy. Looks like fun snow! I assume BS? I'm back in MT, I'll look for you at Bridger. I skied friday, and until then it seemed like it had stayed cold, snow was packed but not hard. Friday was warm enough that I assume Sat am felt way different.

[singlesline]

Begrudgingly went up Whitefish this morning at opening with my carving skis because I had a 12:45 flight for a work trip and at least wanted to get in a few turns.

Actually had quite a nice time and cranked out 11.5k vert in an hour and a half.

i mean…zero visibility at the top and rain at the bottom…but a couple inches of fresh snow on top of fresh corduroy and zero lines (skied onto the chair all but once). Left with a smile on my face.

[toast2266]

Begrudgingly went up Whitefish this morning at opening with my carving skis because I had a 12:45 flight for a work trip and at least wanted to get in a few turns.

Actually had quite a nice time and cranked out 11.5k vert in an hour and a half.

i mean…zero visibility at the top and rain at the bottom…but a couple inches of fresh snow on top of fresh corduroy and zero lines (skied onto the chair all but once). Left with a smile on my face.

Yeah, I had to leave around 1, but it was starting to get decent. Hopefully it keeps coming.

[upallnight]

Wow!

Great pics, all of them, but these 2 in particular really POP for me! Thanks for sharing.

[swimmy]

I love how the colors pop, especially the chargy air guy. Looks like fun snow! I assume BS?

Welcome back...you didn't really miss much.

But yeah, that was Big Sky. Bunion's report from the day before got me motivated me to go. Chased the wind around but once you found the right aspect it was fun skiing.

Wow!

Great pics, all of them, but these 2 in particular really POP for me! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks! Been a while since I broke out the 70-200. That lens is so fun...and both of those skiers could rip.

Headed back down for a morning sesh.