Conditions Report
Report from Sunday, January 11, 2026
After a lean start to this season, the Montana clouds finally opened up, dropping 11 inches of snow over the last 3 days at Big Sky Resort. This snowfall, mixed with some high alpine wind, left the slopes immaculate for the Bluebird day this past Sunday. While coverage on certain portions of the mountain remained spotty, if you know where to look, some fresh untracked snow was your reward.
The morning began with a trip to the Hungry Moose Market for a sausage breakfast burrito on the brisk 12-degree morning. Fueling up, I mapped out the day, knowing a single day isn’t nearly enough to ski all 5,800+ acres.
Cold Morning, Hot Laps
With a full stomach, the day truly started at the brand new Explorer Gondola, the most efficient route to the Lone Peak Tram and Big Sky’s legendary Lone Peak summit. The Explorer Gondola connects the base to the base of the Tram; from there, the Lone Peak Tram whisks you to the 11,166-foot summit. Holding off on Tram laps, I started on a nice warm-up, taking Crazy Horse to White Magic and down to Base while being treated to exquisite views of the surrounding mountains.
In search of powder, and with some insight from a lifty, I took the Swift Current 6 to the South Face area of Lone Mountain. This area of the mountain is usually lightly tracked and often overlooked by skiers who assume it’s strictly difficult to access or is exclusively expert terrain. Heading skier’s right off the lift onto Cow Flats, the Yellowstone Club is directly in front of you, while being just out of reach for us Big Sky visitors.
I spent much of the rest of the morning alternating laps on the Shedhorn 4 and Dakota 3 lifts, enjoying a mix of challenging bowl and glade runs. Hidden stashes of powder were found off Dakota Gully, Bavarian Forest, and Dude Park. However, the wind had shifted the snow away from some areas, so there were some rocks to contend with on Yellow Mule and Larkspur.
Lunch at the Umbrella Bar
After making my way back to the base area from the South Face area, via Skittles Road, it was time for a protein bar and a drink. When I arrived back at base, the vibe at the Umbrella Bar was electric, with a DJ spinning FISHER’s ‘Losing It’ and the sun warming up the base area. For those who do not bring their own meal, there are plenty of options to choose from at the base area. Below is the Mountain Village map that lists out the immense variety of choices to grab a bite to eat.
After resting and recharging the legs for the afternoon, it was time to decide what part of the mountain to ski next. After deliberating with the group, we decided to take the Ramcharger 8 and head up Andesite Mountain.
Andesite & Spirit Mountain
On a previous trip to Big Sky, I had ventured to this side of the mountain, but had not fully explored this side due to a lift being down on the day in question, leading to a lengthy trek back to base. So I decided to start by heading towards the front side, taking the Ambush cattrack to Wolf’s Den. From Wolf’s Den, I found a nice surprise in some fresh powder on Elk Park Ridge.
Taking the Thunder Wolf 4, I decided to save my legs by taking some nice groomer laps on Ponderosa and El Dorado before heading over to Spirit Mountain. This mountain was officially incorporated into Big Sky in 2013 from Spanish Peaks, which previously owned and operated this mountain. Spirit Mountain felt a little light on snow and more wind-affected, so I beat a path back toward the main event: Lone Peak.
End of Day Tram Session
It was pushing 2:30 when I finally made it back to base, so a quick trip up Swift Current 6 and over to the Lone Peak Tram was in order. After a quick $25 autocharge to my Ikon Pass, I was loaded into the Tram and headed up to Lone Peak. While riding the lower part of the mountain, you can tell that this mountain has challenging terrain. But taking the Tram and truly getting the full Big Sky experience is a whole different animal.
From the ride up, you can see skiers and boarders making the trek up from the Challenger 3 or Headwaters 2 lift to ride the chutes on skier’s left.
You can also see the gullies, with just enough snow to entice the real experts into that thrill ride (not me).
After making it to the top of the Tram, I made a pitstop at the Kircliff Observatory. This striking glass structure gives you a sweeping 360-degree view of the three states, two National Parks, and all the incredible terrain Big Sky has to offer.
Following a mental reset after taking in these incredible views (and picking my jaw up off the glass floor), it was finally time to ski Lone Peak. At this point, I was thinking this should have probably been the first thing I had done today, due to it being pretty skied out, I jumped on Liberty Bowl to head down. While the area was heavily tracked, on my way down, I spotted some untouched lines hugging the skier’s left, but unfortunately could not get there without committing to a chute with minimal coverage.
As I reached the bottom, I was notified that the Shedhorn lift was closing for the day, so I decided that I should too. I took the lift up, got on Duck Walk, and headed back towards the front side, not saying it aloud, but telling myself, “one last run.” I decided on Lobo Meadows to Stump Farm as my last hurrah and headed down. This last run was smooth, after avoiding some rocks, and took me to base to call it a day.
Final Thoughts
Fast skiing, untouched glades, and challenging expert terrain were what I had in mind, and that is what I received. While I was not able to make it to the Madison Base on this particular day, the laps I got in were great.
Skiing the Sky Loop, the signature route to hit every part of the mountain, was my goal, but I was happy with the route I took and the runs I did. Big Sky is simply a resort that you need at least 3-full days to cover all parts of the mountain.
This was my 3rd day on the snow this season, and I couldn’t have picked a better spot or better conditions than what I received. While talking with some lifties on their 1-hour ride break, I was reminded why Big Sky is so special. They were telling me about how even in their 3rd year here at Big Sky, they were still finding new terrain, more stashes of powder, and great times.
The best advice they gave me on navigating the mountain was get lost. Get lost in the runs you wouldn’t normally take. Explore the area that no one seems to be in. They said that Big Sky has more to offer in the hidden gems that locals and workers find, so don’t be afraid to go off the beaten track and find them.
Big Sky definitely delivered, and I am counting the days until I can make my way back again.
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