This place may have the most appropriate name of any town in the world.
Along the road between here and West Yellowstone, the winter sky seems to expand as if the horizons retreated so awestruck visitors could better appreciate the surrounding mountains.
Above the unincorporated town of Big Sky, the snowy peaks form a distant crown. The town’s hotels, restaurants and businesses feel Lilliputian compared with the landscape — and there are even fewer tourists than in the summer.
The compact town serves as a hub for multitude of winter outdoor activities, some expected (Alpine and Nordic skiing, sleigh rides); others unusual or surprising (fly-fishing in ice-fringed rivers or touring Yellowstone National Park without crowds). For the more indoor-inclined tourists, there are spa visits, distillery tours and museums in Bozeman. And all of them are roughly an hour’s drive from the town.
The primary winter draw is Big Sky Ski Resort, an easy, 9-mile, 15-minute drive up the mountain from the town.
This is a huge mountain with more terrain — 5,800 acres — than anyone but the fittest expert could expect to ski in a week’s stay. The sheer size of the mountain means there are almost no crowds, and despite only 40 percent of the runs being classified as intermediate or beginner, there is plenty of skiing for every skill level.
Much of the advanced and expert terrain is above the tree line, so it is the most visible. Below the tree line, wide cruising runs abound. The 2,300 acres of intermediate and novice terrain is only slightly less than the total available at Copper Mountain in Colorado.
Runs such as Lookout Ridge and Horseshoe are exhilarating and long enough to cause intermediate skiers to pause to catch their breath, which is a good thing because the views are glorious. They can look up at the Lone Mountain peak to see the experts challenging the mountain’s steep upper snow fields.
The Andesite Mountain portion of the resort is filled with a mixture of advanced and intermediate terrain, but it also is home to some outstanding nonexpert glade runs. Dodging among the widely spaced trees on Pomp or Lizette is rollicking fun.
The Andesite area also is home to one of the finer on-mountain dining spots available: Everett’s 8800. Lunch at this sit-down oasis should be saved for a day when skiing ends early. The exquisite fare begs to be matched with a bottle from the extensive wine list, making anything other than a single run to the base a bit problematic. The good news is that Everett’s will be open for dinner Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the 2015-16 season.
But only the most gung-ho skiers are likely to be able to face Big Sky’s challenges for a full week. Tired legs and oxygen-parched lungs will demand a break for most visitors.
Use that time off to visit Yellowstone National Park, which is just 45 minutes by car southeast of Big Sky. If you don’t have a car, your hotel will arrange transportation to the park.
In winter, West Yellowstone is a sleepy town, many of its souvenir shops and restaurants closed for the season, but several firms offer winter tours of the national park. Several different options are available, including some specializing in photography or wildlife.
My visit was with Yellowstone Alpen Guides (800-858-3502, www.yellowstoneguides.com). I rode in an all-wheel-drive van, although in deep snow years the firm uses tracked vehicles. Naturalist guides point out the wildlife amid the apparently empty expanse of the valley. The bears may have been hibernating, but elk and buffalo were everywhere.
The park’s hot springs and alkaline pools melt the surrounding snow, leaving a landscape reminiscent of how old science fiction movies portrayed the surface of Mars. Old Faithful’s eruption was even more of a wonder in the frozen setting.
One alert: The West Yellowstone gate’s season runs from Dec. 15 to March 15.
West Yellowstone also is a center for Nordic skiing, although that certainly is no respite for tired legs. The Rendezvous Ski Trails operation is at the end of Geyser Street in southwest edge of town. The network of trail loops totals more than 35 kilometers of cross-country ski terrain. Single-day trail passes cost $8 and are available at the trailhead. Rental equipment and passes also are available at several merchants in the town, such as Freeheel and Wheel (406-646-7744, www.freeheelandwheel.com).
The drive between Big Sky and West Yellowstone is a photographer’s nirvana. On a sunny day, the vibrant colors and majestic views make you want to stop every mile or so to try to capture the beauty.
The road parallels the rushing water of the Gallatin River. Even in winter, the stream provides ardent fly fishermen with an appealing target in all but the most inclement weather. To try winter fly-fishing, contact one of the outfitters in or around Big Sky, such as Gallatin River Guides (406-995-2290, www.montanaflyfishing.com).
On the way back to Bozeman, whiskey aficionados should check out Rough Stock Distillery (www.montanawhiskey.com) just outside Bozeman. When it opened in 2008, Rough Stock was the first distillery in Montana in more than 100 years.
Whatever your appetite, it probably can be sated in Big Sky country.
Randall Weissman is a freelance reporter.
