New majoar ski area ever again?? - Page 2

Yea, I didn't mean to infer they were podunks on a shoestring budget, it certainly took some huge capital to buy all those high speed lifts! Have you skied there? If so, how does it rate?

Moonlight has some great glade skiing, fun cruisers & the powder holds well there. Big Sky is known for lack of crowds and Moonlight has even fewer skiers per acre. It is lacking in lift-accessible extreme terrain if that's your thing. The best extreme terrain is only accessible from the Challenger chair & tram at Big Sky.....the joint ticket will really help. If in the area & you only have one day to ski go to Big Sky.....it has everything. If you are here for a few days Moonlight is definitely worth a day.

If you have one day, definitely buy the joint ticket. That's the only way you can ski the north exposure of Lone Peak into Moonlight. You also shorten the access to Moonlight's upper terrain from by using Big Sky's Challenger.

If it ever snows there, I just may give them a try.

Lots of confusion here about doings in SW Montana.

Yes, there is a joint pass being offered here this season that will allow for skiing at both Big Sky and MLB. Details of what that pass will offer are being worked out at this time.

What is certain is that with the Lone Peak pass (the joint pass) you will be able to access some of the Headwaters and all of MLB from Challenger and you will be able to access some of Challenger and all of Big Sky from the Headwaters lift. I am not sure that if I had only 1 day, I would opt for the Lone Peak pass. We are talking about an incredibly complex and huge area. You will only get a mere taste of both areas in 1 day. It may be better to pick one and explore it completely. Roger, you really need to spend a bit more time on our side, what we are doing again this year will suprise the hell out of you.

At this time, there is a chairlift being built on MLB property that will access the Headwaters area. It is a short double chair with a ride time of about 5 minutes. Contrary to what Rio says, the terrain accessed by this lift is very steep but a lot is not "Extreme". Maybe having to hike to ski it for the last 2 winters gave it that Extreme label.

Xdog, if you haven't skied here, don't be put off by our low snow totals the last 2 winters. When the ESA was here we were hurting for snow, no doubt about it. The skiing was still very good if you knew here to go. I lived in Utah for 8 years and do prefer the skiing here. We don't get a lot of double digit snowfalls but the snow is usually great.

We opened 2 winters ago with our own operations staff, lifts, grooming etc. MLB is a new ski area and not an expansion of Big Sky.

I also feel that the idea that Big Sky was being snotty is a bit of a misnomer. Boyne has been in the valley since the early 80s. If you owned a business in a remote location, wouldn't you be a bit peeved if another company opened across the street?

A bit of thread drift so to bring it back on track, there is also the new Spanish Peaks development that is taking place here. This is basically a higher end ski in/out real estate venture with its own lifts, staff and operations that will tie into Big Sky and MLB. Sort of a Yellowstone Club Lite if you will.

[quote=bunion] I also feel that the idea that Big Sky was being snotty is a bit of a misnomer. Boyne has been in the valley since the early 80s. If you owned a business in a remote location, wouldn't you be a bit peeved if another company opened across the street?[quote]

My, such understanding, a truely charitible attitude considering the lawsuit last winter, it seemed kinda silly to me from what I read. (One of these days I'll learn to create links to appropriate articles, I ski better than I compute)

*Well, that's just crazy talk.

bunion, glad to hear that things have cleared up in Big Sky country. I look forward to an opportunity to return to the Huntley and ski both areas... A future ESA, perhaps?

new areas?

Somewhere in the archives, there was a post that cited the industry mavens as being concerned with the long term effects on the overall health of the industry.

The prime concern was a prediction that the proliferation of snowboarders and their active long term involvement versus skiers who tend to "ski for life", would lead to malaise.

They argued that the injury rate among boarders (wrist fractures), would take it's toll .... they would not sustain the areas or support additional growth over the long term.

This lack of expansions and new developments is tied to the current 'paradigm' we live in. ..Should there be a shift of a significant nature; 'All Bets Are Off'.

...I don't see the current "House of Cards" standing for much longer; but then again, I am amazed a shift doesn't appear to have already been triggered to bring things back toward operational stability worldwide.




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Here's another one no-one's talked about yet:
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/200...NEWS/107190032
Another private real-estate development like Yellowstone Club, although it sounds like some local residents may be permitted to "energize the area"!

What about Kicking Horse?

I haven't been to Kicking Horse but from what I read wasn't it the expansion and re-naming of an existing ski area?