Tag: Big SKy

Big Sky, MT in winter

Published on by JilianLeave a comment

After having the opportunity to see Big Sky during the summer, we HAD to see it in the winter!

We chose February due to a lot of March and April plans for our group of 8. Traveling with others can oftentimes be difficult, so be sure to pick the right people! We will happily do this adventure again with this crew.

Day 1

6 of us flew together from Florida and 2 from Maryland. We were able to coordinate flight times and land in Bozeman within 30 minutes of each other, so it worked out great. We rented 2 Toyota 4Runners with AWD to be sure we’d make it up the mountain to our rental house in Moonlight Basin. The rental car counter was PACKED so always have your rental car reserved in advance!

One car headed straight for Big Sky to pick up rental gear and the other went to the Albertson’s in Bozeman to grocery shop for the week. The drive from Bozeman to Big Sky is about an hour. It snowed the entire time so we were a little slow (typical Floridians). We cooked at the house for dinner and had a great time catching up.

It also snowed all night, which made for lots of powder in the morning!

Day 2

The varying skill levels amongst our friends were perfect so that we could break up into groups on the mountain. 3 of us took lessons, 1 group went straight to the top, and another hung out on the greens. Half of us called it a day at lunch time and made our way back to the house so we could lounge in the hot tub. The other half stayed out all day.

That night was Super Bowl and we made allllll the food and relaxed at the house.

Day 3

The next day, half of us went dog sledding! This was my first time and I was in heaven. The powdery snow, the gorgeous pines covered in it, and THE DOGS! It seriously looked like we were in Narnia. The guide that I had was the best. He was so laid back and funny – it made the excursion even more fun. Half way through, they stopped and gave us cookies and hot chocolate – something we weren’t expecting!

After our excursion, we went straight back to the hot tub! For dinner, we picked up Riverhouse BBQ.

Day 4

After being separated for a day, the entire group went snowmobiling together. We followed a trail for about 6 miles that brought us to a wide open meadow. The guides let us go free and we got to race around as fast as we wanted. For most of us, it was our first time and we all had a blast! A few flipped their sleds but the guides were there to help.

The guys decided that it was their turn to cook dinner that night. They made pesto gnocchi with broccoli & red peppers (fancy schmancy).

Day 5

Mountain day! The less skilled group hung out at Madison Base and rode the greens. The skilled group went all the way to Loan Peak!

That night, we ordered from Ousel & Spur Pizza and celebrated two birthdays in our group with cakes from Blue Moon Bakery.

Day 6

Last mountain day! And the coldest I’ve ever been…. it was -1o – my hair, goggles, and eyelashes froze.

We made tacos for dinner and enjoyed our last night in Big Sky together. It was an incredible week spent with an incredible group of friends.

I’ve now been to Big Sky in the summer and in the winter. I’m in love with both seasons and recommend you try to experience both too!

Snowboarding lessons https://bigskyresort.com/mountain-sports/group-lessons-lp

Dog Sledding booked through Spirit of the North http://www.huskypower.com/

Snowmobiling booked through Canyon Adventures http://www.canyonadventuresmontana.com/

Rental gear through Grizzly Outfitters https://www.grizzlyoutfitters.com/

Riverhouse BBQ https://riverhousebbq.com/

Ousel & Spur Pizza Co. http://www.ouselandspurpizza.com/

Blue Moon Bakery http://www.bigskybluemoonbakery.com/

Big Sky, MT in summer

Published on by JilianLeave a comment

Big Sky. Have you heard of it? Have you been? I have and I’m in love.

Like everyone else, our 2020 plans were thrown for a loop. After getting a little too stir crazy, we finally booked an Airbnb and drove to the Boone area in July 2020. Right before we left, a client of my husbands called and asked if we wanted to use his cabin in the Moonlight Basin area of Big Sky, after he and his family leave for the summer. Um, YES PLEASE! It was just 3 weeks after our return from the mountains, but we had a lot of vacation time and weren’t upset about 2 vacations in a row!

We were supposed to be in Big Sky to snowboard in March of 2020, but that was right as the world was coming to a halt, so it was cancelled. Having the opportunity to visit in the summer was something we didn’t want to pass up! We weren’t quite ready for the little one to fly that far during the pandemic so this was a mom and dad trip (which we desperately needed).

Our flight left on a Saturday, we landed in Bozeman, and picked up our rental car. Our car had 4WD, but we didn’t need it in the summer. The drive to Big Sky is about an hour from the airport. If you’re looking to save money on groceries for your trip, stop at the Albertson’s in Bozeman before heading south. There is a great market in the Meadow area of town, but it is definitely more pricey.

Day 1

Our morning began with a beautiful and easy hike to Ousel Falls. We’re early birds, so we were the only ones there for quite a while. I imagine the trail will be much busier as the day goes on. For these Floridians, it was a bit chilly.

Ousel Falls

Later in the afternoon, we went to Loan Peak! Elevation 11,166 feet – the views were amazing!

Loan Peak

Day 2

Day 2 started with archery, which I’ve never done. I wasn’t terrible, but I certainly wasn’t good. It was a lot of fun and a good arm workout! The weather was perfect – beautiful blue skies and moderate temperatures.

Later, we made our way back down to base and went ziplining. Due to precautionary measures in place, all tours were private so it was just us and the guides.

Day 3

We tried our hand at fly fishing…. and did not do well. The guide felt terrible but we still had a great time! Everywhere he took us was gorgeous and it was just so much fun being outside all day. Plus, we looked really good in those waders.

It was a long day so we spent the rest of the afternoon in the hot tub at the cabin.

Doesn’t this view look fake? It was incredible.

Day 4

My favorite – horseback riding! I’m not a good rider, but I love it! The tour was so great and so incredibly beautiful, just like everything in Big Sky.

Later that day, we went to Porcupine Trail. A local resident recommended this hike since it’s typically not crowded. We only passed a few other people and had the trail all to ourselves for most of the afternoon. There is not much shade on this trail so definitely wear a hat and sunscreen!

Day 5

Cameron and I were up before the sun so we decided to take on the Beehive Basin hike. It is 6.6 miles roundtrip. Some parts were easy and some were strenuous (AllTrails rates the hike Moderate). If you plan to go, start early, take your time, and pack/wear layers. It was beautiful and worth the time we spent on the trail! When we were approaching the end, we saw some families with small children attempting to start the hike. Not sure if they made it…I wouldn’t recommend this one for littles.

Our final activity of the week was whitewater kayaking! We’ve always wanted to go whitewater rafting but saw that kayaking was available and sounded like a great time. We LOVED it! I can’t say that enough. If you’ve never tried, please do. It was so thrilling and fun! Cameron tipped in one of the rapids and fell out, but I stayed upright the entire time! The tour company had a photographer on the bank of the river to capture some really fun moments for us.

On day 6, we flew home to our little one. We both agreed that we can’t wait to bring her to Big Sky when she’s a bit older!

Double rainbow after a quick rain shower

Loan Peak, Archery, and Ziplining were booked through Big Sky Resort https://bigskyresort.com/

Fly Fishing booked through Wild Trout Outfitters https://wildtroutoutfitters.com/

Horseback Riding booked through Canyon Adventures http://www.canyonadventuresmontana.com/

Whitewater Kayking booked through Geyser Whitewater Expeditions https://www.raftmontana.com/