Big Sky, Montana
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The Best Ski Resorts in the U.S. and Canada: 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards
For our 32nd annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey—yes, more than three decades—a record 600,000 registered voters weighed in. They were hot to share their thoughts on the best hotels in the world and best cities in the world, but also on the best skiing. From Montana to New Hampshire, Nevada to Quebec, these ski resorts were picked by our readers as the best in the world for their trails, lifts and lines, and spots for après-ski. Whether you consider yourself an expert on the moguls or someone just there for the scene, these ski resorts ticked all the boxes for you.
23. Big Sky, Montana
It’s called “the biggest skiing in America” for good reason: The first thing you register when you buckle in at Big Sky is the complete lack of crowds. With 5,850 skiable acres (which adds up to about an acre per skier on the busiest day), you almost never see a lift line. The mountain has the most consistent powder dumps in the Northern Rockies, which blanket a drop of 4,350 vertical feet from Lone Peak (there are more than 2,300 acres of beginner and intermediate slopes, too); thanks to the $150 million Big Sky 2025 investment initiative, it also has some of the most technologically advanced chairlifts, with heated seats and weatherproof bubbles. The recent debut of Vista Hall delivers a much-needed upgrade to the base area dining scene with stations for sushi and ramen, tacos, and stone-fired pizza. It might not be the most happening place at night, but you’ll be too wiped from all of that shredding to care. And now it’s easier than ever to get to nearby Bozeman, with nonstop flights from 17 U.S. cities.
Where to stay: Huntley Lodge in Mountain Village is right by the lift area. The Wilson Hotel, Big Sky’s first branded hotel (Marriott) is walking distance to Big Sky’s growing Town Center shops & restaurants. New One&Only and Montage hotels are slated to open at neighboring Moonlight Basin and Spanish Peaks in the next couple of years.
Stats: 38 lifts for 300 named trails. One-day lift tickets range from $55 to $168; on the Mountain Collective Pass.
From Beantown to Big Sky
How CrossHarbor Capital’s Sam Byrne revitalized Yellowstone Club and realized a vision for the Big Sky we know and love today. If you’ve spent much time in Big Sky, you might have run across the name Lone Mountain Land Company. It’s the outfit behind the development of Town Center, Moonlight Basin, and Spanish Peaks Mountain […]
How One Resort Is Changing the Montana Ski Scene in Just Its Second Season on the Slopes
Perched on 3,530 acres of Montana’s Spanish Peaks mountain range, Montage Big Sky has managed to swiftly redefine luxury skiing in the area since opening in December 2021. Checking into Montage Big Sky this past December, I was immediately blown away by the resort’s design. Natural wood and stone blend seamlessly with modern touches to create a charming and sophisticated […]
The 8 Best Ski Resorts in the U.S.
Not everyone wants to spend a winter vacation skiing or snowboarding. But what makes the U.S.’s best mountain destinations so spectacular is that there’s so much else to do, meaning you never have to fasten planks to your feet if you don’t want to. Whether you’re interested in designer shopping, a see-and-be-seen après-ski scene, locavore dining, or exploring historic […]