Day 77
Location: Big Sky, MT
Resorts: 39 out of 50
Moonlight Basin has been my home hill for the last three seasons. Smaller than Big Sky, they won me over with their near empty slopes and the kick-ass Headwaters Basin. Well that, and their season pass was a whopping $800 cheaper than Big Sky.
The first bluebird powder day in two months brought out all The Snow Junkies including my two buddies, Taco and Wrap Shack Jay. Riding Moonlight was like a greatest hits album. I hiked the ridge all morning hitting up Firehole, Hellroaring, and one long hike out to Three Forks. After a season out on the road, it’s made me realize that Moonlight has some of the best in-bounds terrain in the West. So tired that I couldn’t possibly pull off a fifth hike, we scooted around to all my favorite tree stashes.
I’ll just let the photos talk for themselves:
The Cheat Sheet:
Moonlight Basin
1020 Montana Highway 64
Big Sky, MT 59716
Mountain Stats
Snowfall | 400 in (1,016 cm) |
Top Elevation | 11,166 ft (3,403 m) |
Bottom Elevation | 7,000 ft (2,134 m) |
Vertical Drop | 4,150 ft (1,265 m) |
Area Size | 7 lifts| 92 trails | 1,900 acres (769 ha) |
Night Skiing | No |
Terrain Park | Yes |
Halfpipe | No |