2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

I'd go for the Big Sky pass. Moonlight is cool but the A to Z chutes at Big Sky are pretty similar to the headwaters, just a little shorter run. Also, without a Big Sky pass you would not be able to ski Moonlight's North Summit snowfield. I'm a little biased towards Big Sky because I lived there but if I move back to the area, I would go for the Big Sky pass with out a doubt. The tram line can be long on weekends and pow days but there is plenty of other stuff to ski and you won't wait more than 2 minutes (Challenger, Shedhorn, Dakota and tree runs on Andesite are good options when the tram is packed). As for sidecountry, Big Sky doesn't have many options but as another poster said, it's not really something you'll miss. You can drop off of Lone Peak into the Lost Lakes area and eventually get back in bounds if you want. I don't have much experience doing that so but I'm sure others can tell you more about it. Can't really go wrong with any of your options but I like Big Sky the best.

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Originally Posted by osborrc0

I'd go for the Big Sky pass. Moonlight is cool but the A to Z chutes at Big Sky are pretty similar to the headwaters, just a little shorter run. Also, without a Big Sky pass you would not be able to ski Moonlight's North Summit snowfield. I'm a little biased towards Big Sky because I lived there but if I move back to the area, I would go for the Big Sky pass with out a doubt. The tram line can be long on weekends and pow days but there is plenty of other stuff to ski and you won't wait more than 2 minutes (Challenger, Shedhorn, Dakota and tree runs on Andesite are good options when the tram is packed). As for sidecountry, Big Sky doesn't have many options but as another poster said, it's not really something you'll miss. You can drop off of Lone Peak into the Lost Lakes area and eventually get back in bounds if you want. I don't have much experience doing that so but I'm sure others can tell you more about it. Can't really go wrong with any of your options but I like Big Sky the best.

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Sounds good. But so do Bridger and Moonlight, lol. I've been watching some video's on youtube and A-Z looks sick. Very European, like what I'm used to :) How do the Headwaters compare to them?

A-Z's are about 400'-500' vert Headwaters are about 800'-1200' not to mention much steeper. A-Z's are steep for about 30' then get pretty mellow. Headwaters are just a lot more technical and exposed with way more terrain features and variations between chutes. To put it in perspective just about every one of the A-Z's gets straight lined on a fairly regular basis, pretty straight down the fall line not too technical skiing. Don't get me wrong A-Z's are sweet but not even on the same level as Headwaters in my opinion. Your first season here you may not wanna drop the cash on a big sky pass too, but once you catch a glimpse of the stuff you can get to with both passes you might change your mind pretty quick. Having access to the couloir is pretty awesome too. As over hyped as it is it's a pretty incredible lift accessed run that holds good snow for a while after the storm and is pretty easy to walk right into and get multiple laps on a non pow day.

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Originally Posted by osborrc0

I'd go for the Big Sky pass. Moonlight is cool but the A to Z chutes at Big Sky are pretty similar to the headwaters, just a little shorter run.

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And the A-Zs face due south whereas the Headh2Os face due north. But yeah other than that they are the same....:biggrin:

If you are doing school and carrying a big credit load, BB is the answer. If you have the time to invest and don't mind the drive you pretty much have to get the dual pass from BS/MLB.

Just doing one is a waste.

my 2 cents.

Wow. Headwaters sounds really rad! Steep and lots of vertical! Moonlight really doesn't sound too bad, hehe. At first I thought Moonlight was much smaller than Big Sky, but it really sounds quite awesome, ha.

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Originally Posted by TijmenDal

Wow. Headwaters sounds really rad! Steep and lots of vertical! Moonlight really doesn't sound too bad, hehe. At first I thought Moonlight was much smaller than Big Sky, but it really sounds quite awesome, ha.

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Yeah. Moonlight's pretty great. Some insanely good tree skiing there, too. Oh yeah, and when I was there last, I never saw so much as one person waiting for a lift, and that was on a pow day. Probably because everyone was over on Lone Peak. I took one look at the tram line, and after a couple laps off the triple, scooted on over to the Moonlight side. Pretty much had the whole mountain to myself.

The 31st off of Beehive.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7231/7...363163a6_b.jpg

May well be some good skiing the next few days..

Don't be fooled, Moonlight is 1900 acres, Big Sky is around 4800 acres.

Moonlight has 1 aspect, NE to N. Big Sky has every aspect possible.

I worked 11 years at Big Sky and get a BSIA pass as part of my job, I still rarely ski Big Sky but it is a great mountain.

Your photo inspired me, dude.

Good thing cause my buddy Will and I had a perfect 1500' pow run today, 6/7/12 in a nice little zone I like to go to. The snow was so amazingly good, every turn felt like floating in space. I couldn't even feel my knee! First turns since about March 10th, been working really, really hard to get back to skiing and today was so perfect, I am so grateful!

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250801.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250802.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250805.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250811.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250815.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...P1250817-1.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250818.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250819.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250821.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250823.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250834.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250838.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/P1250839.jpg

Not the gnarliest thing around, but perfect turns all the way down. Couldn't be happier with what we found. So stoked I could cry. Gonna eventually get around to the Moab TR from this spring.

tone, thats frickin awesome. i havent skied since march 15. im jonesing HARD but dont think the ankle is quite there yet.

Well played, Tony! Hell yeah...glad the knee was/is cooperative.

Yes, now the thread is back on track.

FKNA Tone, nice work! Looks like ya scored big on snow quality, too, huh? Glad to hear your knee is doing better. Was jealous hearing stories of corn today..

Was full on pow skiing where we were, probly 5 inches of new snow but it skied awesome, didn't feel the base on one turn all the way into the trees. We were able to glide out on snowpack pretty far too, down to about 8000' or so.

Yesterday I was driving home from riding in the west bridgers and I saw just isolated thin clouds over the T roots. It barely looked like it was precipitating out of those clouds and it didn't seem like it was snowing anywhere else, I didn't expect more than a dusting over the corn, but I sure felt lucky when we got there. There wasn't any runnels or frozen roller balls or anything, just smooth clean turns on magic styrofoam. The steeper, rockier, more east facing branches of that line pinweeled out after we climbed by them, but the snow stayed good in our more northerly facing, less steep line. Best run of the entire season for me no matter how you measure it so I couldn't be more stoked on this fine Junuary day. I think I'll try to get out a few more times, as there is more snow out there than you'd think there should be right now.

It was intense to feel all those familiar emotions associated with successul climbing and skiing in the mountains again. It makes me realize that although I love mountain biking, there is nothing on this earth like participating with the snow. Cheers and Vibes to all, thank you for your vibes through the tough times.

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Originally Posted by Bunion

Don't be fooled, Moonlight is 1900 acres, Big Sky is around 4800 acres.

Moonlight has 1 aspect, NE to N. Big Sky has every aspect possible.

I worked 11 years at Big Sky and get a BSIA pass as part of my job, I still rarely ski Big Sky but it is a great mountain.

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What's a BSIA pass? Also: I'm a skiteacher (Austrian degrees), would it be possible to teach at Bridger/Moonlight/Big Sky?

Tone -- think I may have bumped into you a couple times over the years. Don't really post much, but have been lurking and following your troubles this year and just wanted to say I am super stoked for you and glad you were able to get some finally. Nice work! Maybe you can re-align the forces of winter for next season. . .

BSIA=Biggest Skiing in America pass. Big Sky/Moonlight Basin pass.

Big Sky and Moonlight both use part time instructors. Go to their websites and contact their HR depts.

http://www.moonlightbasin.com/site/employment.html

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Originally Posted by TijmenDal

What's a BSIA pass? Also: I'm a skiteacher (Austrian degrees), would it be possible to teach at Bridger/Moonlight/Big Sky?

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It seems like every Austrian I ever met thinks they are a ski instructor

8 inches at the snotel up Hyalite, hopefully somebody reports back!

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Originally Posted by lolkl

It seems like every Austrian I ever met thinks they are a ski instructor

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First of, I'm Dutch, which you could've read because my location is Amsterdam. Second, I actually am a skiteacher. 3 seasons under the belt so far. And yes, I've got my degrees. (Anw+Land+Alpink+Snb-Anw)

8"+ in beehive, dumping hard when I left there at 1. Real light in the morning.

About 40 degrees and pouring rain here in the middle of the state. Hopefully that means the mountains are getting a much needed refresh!

Tone, nice work man! I know the knee was tough on you for a long time. Keep getting some!

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Originally Posted by TijmenDal

First of, I'm Dutch, which you could've read because my location is Amsterdam. Second, I actually am a skiteacher. 3 seasons under the belt so far. And yes, I've got my degrees. (Anw+Land+Alpink+Snb-Anw)

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Dude, you need to chill the fuck out.

Slide up above Fairy Lake today

Saw search and rescue going up there with sleds on my way back from riding in the Bangtails. Vibes to the injured, hopefully not too serious.

Two skiers were taken to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital after being caught in an avalanche above Fairy Lake on Monday, the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office said.

At about 4 p.m., search and rescue teams were called to the Fairy Lake area after a group of four skiers was caught in an avalanche, according to a written statement from the sheriff's office.

Rescuers were dropped off by helicopter and skied a quarter of a mile over steep terrain to reach the first injured skier, who had a broken leg. He was put on a toboggan and skied to a waiting helicopter below the lake.

A second skier with head injuries was located high above the first skier. He was lowered 500 feet on ropes and taken by Carrish helicopter to an ambulance waiting below the lake.



http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com...a4bcf887a.html




Bummer. Glad they're alive.

Glad I didn't roll solo up to beehive today. I was wanting the pow bad. ++++++Vibes>>>>>>to you fellas, thank you search and rescue.

Fuckin' A Mike Carisch coming up big for SAR this year (unless he's their normal helo guy).

Guessing they were skiing The Great One?

Dang. Props to the Search and Rescue team! So glad nobody died. A bit of a sobering moment, though, as it's so hard to resist the temptation of a good mid-June pow day.

yea, the news said they were skiing the "great chutes" or something (aka Great One). I am glad I decided not to go out. Buddy said 8 inch of fresh up Beehive on Sunday.

http://vimeo.com/42945562

Yeah man! Rad line! With powder, no less!

That was a really nice line man.

Great line in great style, wish I could have been exploiting it a little more this spring but great to see the stuff on your blog. Working hard on next year, hope to run into ya.

Looks like a great time, Jup. That's quite the face to ski!


Skied Imp yesterday with George, still in great condition, turns all the way to the moraines. Ran into two nice folks out there and summited with them, and met a guy at the TH who was planning to ski it today. Usually I don't see anyone down there, yesterday saw 2 other parties with the same goal. Imp=played out. Ha! jk


George almost to the saddle
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7246/7...fd44b3b6_b.jpg




Decent bit of snow left up in them there hills..
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7257/7...bcaa8501_b.jpg



George laying into a sweet turn. The snow was great, you could really let 'em run
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7254/7...89351c03_b.jpg




Imp Peak
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8150/7...3af2b1c7_b.jpg

One more from Eaglehead Mountain last week. I skied looker's left, wahoo.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7106/7...237024f1_b.jpg

Looks and sounds really good. Glad you posted this, gonna try and get back to do Echo next Monday Tuesday hopefully. Have yet to be on top of that one, might as well ski down. Gonna go see what the Great One's like tommorow.

Yeah, looks great. Echo looks fat.

Are those radio towers on Eaglehead?

Damn Imp looks sweet. Tone i'd appreciate any info on the great one if you make it up there. Mostly curious if you can drive to the trailhead.

Skied the great one today. Road not open past second gate. Still some snow around the campground. Rode a buddy's junker hartail up there with my stuff and skied around 11:30. Still went through barely without taking skis off, the snow is not great and really peppered with rockall. Fun sporty skiing though, melting fast up there. A few pics soon...