2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[butterscotch]

^^^That there is the truth.

[TijmenDal]

Of course Bridger has no lift lines when it hasn't snowed in weeks. Any decent pow day though and it's a frenzy up there. Slushmans can have up to an hour lift line, and inbounds gets tracked out very fast on these days. On big days when Slushmans is closed, it's nose to but going up the ridge hike for fresh lines. You can make this cluster fuck more tolerable by following (if you can keep up) a rare Bridger female. It can take time to get to know where to go and when, but the greatest thing about Bridger is getting to know your own nooks and crannies to hit first on a pow day. There is nothing better than when it all comes together for you at Bridger, which is why the locals are such degenerate dirtbags. The best strategy is to make the most of the 2-5 inch days and just mentally prepare for the shitshow that always accompanies big dumps. If it snows more than 5 inches any day of the season, everyone takes off work and school and you drive up there among a train of cars that can stretch for miles.

Holy shit. Sounds like a fucking nightmare. An hour! Damn... That blows....

[bushman]

When Slushmans opens on a big day you can go against the flow and skin up Bradleys Meadow or ski trees off the Alpine lift and you will have lots of elbow room. Or hike da Ridge.
It would take more than one season to find all Big Sky has to offer.

[ODHGABFE]

Tijmendal, yer gonna have fun no matter where ya go, i promise.

Skied some beautiful corn down the 4th of July couloir in Beehive this am, was ripe for the harvest just before 10. The snow actually froze last night and I had the basin all to myself. Smile.

[Bobcat Sig]

Of course Bridger has no lift lines when it hasn't snowed in weeks. Any decent pow day though and it's a frenzy up there. Slushmans can have up to an hour lift line, and inbounds gets tracked out very fast on these days. On big days when Slushmans is closed, it's nose to but going up the ridge hike for fresh lines. You can make this cluster fuck more tolerable by following (if you can keep up) a rare Bridger female. It can take time to get to know where to go and when, but the greatest thing about Bridger is getting to know your own nooks and crannies to hit first on a pow day. There is nothing better than when it all comes together for you at Bridger, which is why the locals are such degenerate dirtbags. The best strategy is to make the most of the 2-5 inch days and just mentally prepare for the shitshow that always accompanies big dumps. If it snows more than 5 inches any day of the season, everyone takes off work and school and you drive up there among a train of cars that can stretch for miles.

That's the cold hard truth right there. I will say though, that waiting in the Slushman's line is still worth it on big days. Likewise, you'll have just as long of a wait up Big Sky on a big day. Moonlight? Not so much.

It's important to note that with the exception of the Slushman's lift, most of the gnar terrain you see at Bridger is only accessible if you hike. Big Sky, almost all is lift-served. Moonlight is almost all lift-served, as well.

I'm probably not the expert on resort slackcountry around here, but my impression is that there isn't much, especially when measured up against places like Jackson Hole. At Bridger, you head south out Saddle Peak and take your own life in your hands; in short, it's not recommended. There is some to the north in Frazier Basin and such, but I've never accessed it from Bridger.

At Big Sky and Moonlight, there is some slackcountry, but combined, that area is so huge that you honestly don't need it. There is so much to explore at both places that I find it unlikely that in your first season you will get bored inbounds.

All in all, you're coming to a rad place to ski.

To answer your question, I usually buy a frequency card at all three places and wait to see what the snow reports say. That usually means skipping work on the weekdays to hit it at Bridger and doing up Big Sky and Moonlight on the weekends. Works out pretty well and you still maintain some flexibility.

[Norseman]

Yes, fun will be had no matter what lifts you ride.


My humble experience, for what it's worth...

Grew up in Bozeman, had a season pass at Bridger Bowl starting at age five in 1992 through 2011, my last year of college. Skied at Big Sky quite a bit as a kid, but was satisfied with the Frequency card later on. Skied a handful of days at Moonlight. I think for regular skiing from Bozeman, especially as a college student, Bridger is without question the way to go. If you have three hours between classes, you can get two solid hours of skiing since the hill is 20 minutes away. Made it through 5 years of college with no fewer than 85 days per season.

My personal impressions of the three, not including observations on clientele (best reserved for oneself)--

-Big Sky: Big and fast, with a few high-class lines and some decent tree skiing. The high terrain is rad with good viz, but sucks when its in the clouds. My only big gripe is that there's not much lappable expert terrain, with the exception of Challenger lift. Doesn't hold my attention like the Bridgers.

-Moonlight: Quiet, very good steeps (though short), lame lower down, decent park. Snowfield and headwaters are rad. Cold and shady. Wish I would have explored to there more.

-Bridger Bowl: Most technical and interesting terrain... infinite variations. Good slackcountry to the North as far as you wanna walk, potentially dangerous slackcountry South as bobcat notes. Busiest on big days. Big dumps. Expert terrain very lappable.



Bridger has definitely become way more crowded, especially in the last five years or so. If you ski with the powderpussy sheeple, you'll see liftlines regularly... but they are easily avoided as you learn the patterns and ski when others don't. Weekday skiing as a student is the very best thing ever.

Hope that helps your decision, and welcome to a rad zone for skiing and being outdoors in general.

-S

[RootSkier]

Look into Moonlight Basin, inexpensive pass, excellent steeps, best park in the area, usually non-existent lines and I work there!

Also hiring new COO?

[tone capone]

When Slushmans opens on a big day you can go against the flow and skin up Bradleys Meadow or ski trees off the Alpine lift and you will have lots of elbow room. Or hike da Ridge.

Bridger has definitely become way more crowded, especially in the last five years or so. If you ski with the powderpussy sheeple, you'll see liftlines regularly... but they are easily avoided as you learn the patterns and ski when others don't. Weekday skiing as a student is the very best thing ever.

Hope that helps your decision, and welcome to a rad zone for skiing and being outdoors in general.

Word. Follow this advice and you will be happy. Just don't forget to study hard on weekdays too! The best time to study is when everyone else is at the hill and campus is deserted.

[TijmenDal]

To answer your question, I usually buy a frequency card at all three places and wait to see what the snow reports say. That usually means skipping work on the weekdays to hit it at Bridger and doing up Big Sky and Moonlight on the weekends. Works out pretty well and you still maintain some flexibility.

Thanks. Sounds like an idea.

Well... still not an easy decision. If only Bridger wouldn't have park that's incredibly shitty it would be much easier. Pow over park any day, but when there's nothing to do besides park, it's a nice option to have... Bridger sounds like the way to go, because it's so close and because I can probably ski a LOT more than I would be able to at Big Sky/Moonlight because I can just go up the mountain for several hours.

[BigSkyfan]

Norseman makes the best point..."Bridger is without question the way to go. If you have three hours between classes, you can get two solid hours of skiing since the hill is 20 minutes away. Made it through 5 years of college with no fewer than 85 days per season".
Your not going to be able to do that with a Big Sky or Moonlight pass.

[08-15]

Norseman makes the best point..."Bridger is without question the way to go. If you have three hours between classes, you can get two solid hours of skiing since the hill is 20 minutes away. Made it through 5 years of college with no fewer than 85 days per season".
Your not going to be able to do that with a Big Sky or Moonlight pass.

Yeah, but definitely get the Big Sky Frequent Sky card and get a few days in at Moonlight as well, they are all worth it.

[Boom Heir]

Truly dirtbaging involves a midweek Bridger Pass, a Frequency Card, that new card Moonlight has and either a splitboard/AT setup or a severe drinking problem, for the weekends. You can get alot of days in for fairly cheap and can learn some of the skin-to haunts on the weekends, if you can keep up. Or you can just recover on Saturday and Sunday. Either way you avoid thr weekend rush at Bridger.

[TijmenDal]

Norseman makes the best point..."Bridger is without question the way to go. If you have three hours between classes, you can get two solid hours of skiing since the hill is 20 minutes away. Made it through 5 years of college with no fewer than 85 days per season".
Your not going to be able to do that with a Big Sky or Moonlight pass.

I think this is what is most important really. Being able to ski pretty much everyday. Sounds too good.

Yeah, but definitely get the Big Sky Frequent Sky card and get a few days in at Moonlight as well, they are all worth it.

For sure I would like to check all resorts out.

Truly dirtbaging involves a midweek Bridger Pass, a Frequency Card, that new card Moonlight has and either a splitboard/AT setup or a severe drinking problem, for the weekends. You can get alot of days in for fairly cheap and can learn some of the skin-to haunts on the weekends, if you can keep up. Or you can just recover on Saturday and Sunday. Either way you avoid thr weekend rush at Bridger.

Thought about this. Bridger sounds like an excellent mid-week resort (does that include friday's?). And in the weekends when I have time I can ski Big Sky/Moonlight.

There is NO sidecountry at BB.

I'd get a pass at Big Sky/Moonlight...way more Euro, plus they need the business. I'm sure your budget can handle it.

Amsterdam eh? Isn't that right by Manhattan?

Manhattan? I'm probably missing something here...

And how is Big Sky more Euro?
Also: no side-country at BB sound meh...



Thanks a lot for the info everyone. I love how this thread is just all about my decision now, haha. Keep the input coming, really appreciate it!

[MontuckyFried]

Manhattan? I'm probably missing something here...

Lol. Amsterdam's a tiny town about 20 miles west of Bozeman, and a few miles south of Manhattan.

[montpow]

Thanks a lot for the info everyone. I love how this thread is just all about my decision now, haha. Keep the input coming, really appreciate it![/QUOTE]

We are a great bunch here in Montana. I doubt if you would get this much advice from any other big time ski area nuts. And all good advice, you cant go wrong. We live in a great place.

[TijmenDal]

Lol. Amsterdam's a tiny town about 20 miles west of Bozeman, and a few miles south of Manhattan.

Haha, no. I'm from the REAL Amsterdam.
The one with no mountains, or anything that slightly resembles that within a 700km radius.

[Scree Shredder]

If value for your buck is the main priority get a Moonlight Pass. At least when you hike there your not hiking to moguls. When the winds blowing right you can be hiking to fresh tracks at 2:00. Bridger has sweet terrain, but you have to hike to all of it and unless it's before 11:00 on a pow day it is usually pretty tracked. Both mountains are awesome either way, just different styles of riding. Big Sky/Moonlight is more wide open haul ass big mountain terrain and Bridger is more featured lots of little diving boards and and short little pinches mini golf type shit everywhere. In my opinion you just get way more vertical in on Lone peak, and the snow on the high elevation north facing shit just stays good longer in those famous MT droughts. If you wanna hike all day go to the backcountry where there are no tracks. It's a matter of preference.

Speaking of the backcountry holy shit how about that memorial day storm at least 3+ feet up high in the Taylor Peaks. Rode both sides of the Notch in Koch on Wed and it was thick and deep pretty fun on a board. We'll be riding up there for a while longer thanks to that dump.

[Boom Heir]

It definetly includes Fridays. I've been going that route for a few years now and it seems to work well. Get a few days in at BS and MB and it makes taking roadtrips to the smaller resorts more justified in my mind, as i'd be buying passes anyways. Seems to always work out and i rarely kick myself for missing a weekend pow day at Bridger.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using TGR Forums

[TijmenDal]

It definetly includes Fridays. I've been going that route for a few years now and it seems to work well. Get a few days in at BS and MB and it makes taking roadtrips to the smaller resorts more justified in my mind, as i'd be buying passes anyways. Seems to always work out and i rarely kick myself for missing a weekend pow day at Bridger.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using TGR Forums

This actually seems pretty awesome. I would make the trip to BS/MB in the weekends, but not so much during weekdays. I'll look into this and what it's going to cost.
I DEFINITELY want a Frequent pass. You got 20$ of on any day pass as well as other amazing stuff and two weeks of free shredding - for only 49 bucks? Do want!
http://www.bigskyresort.com/activiti...t_Sky_Card.asp

EDIT: Holy shit. Even after you have the frequent pass, a lift ticket will still be 59$ a day? That's INSANE. Looks like I'll be skiing bridger mostly. Is there some discount for people enrolled in college or so? Meeh...

EDIT2: 375$ for a monday-friday pass at Bridger is a really good deal if you ask me. Especially when day-passes during the weekend will be 39$. Won't be necessary to buy an MSU ride-on pass (which will allow you to buy 35$/day passes.)
I can't seem to figure out what the 'Bronze' pass at Big Sky is. I'm hoping for a weekend-pass, but it isn't written anywhere. Or am I just stupid?
BB mid-week (375$) + MB (400) season pass seems like a pretty good option to me so far. A LOT of skiing for not too incredibly much. Still got plenty of time to decide

[tone capone]

Dude, there is definetly sidecountry at Bridger, but the closer stuff gets skied so much it's like inbounds. You can just go a little farther though and have much better conditions on great terrain. You'd be surprised at just how much terrain you can access efficiently from the lifts at Bridger. You definety want to know where you are and what the potential hazards are, but you really can get around in a days work with a pair of skins in your pack. The ridge runs for many miles in either direction from the ski area and there is worthy and interesting skiing on almost all of it.

[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.

[TijmenDal]

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.

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?

[Scree Shredder]

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.

[Bunion 2020]

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.

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

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.

[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.