Great Escapes: Big Sky’s Soaring Arrival on the Luxury Ski Scene

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Located in southwest Montana, about an hour’s drive from Bozeman, Big Sky is a choice year-around getaway for outdoor adventurers thanks to its captivating landscape, consisting of mountain peaks and winding rivers.    

Big Sky sees an average of more than 400 inches of snow a year. Big Sky Resort is the third largest ski resort in North America and offers more than 5,850 acres of skiable terrain and 39 lifts. It caters to all levels of skiers, but daredevils can try their turn on the Big Couloir, a triple-black diamond run with a 1400-foot drop and 50-degree pitch. 

Other options during cold weather months include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobile tours of Yellowstone National Park, which is less than an hour’s drive away.

Summer in Big Sky means hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and exploring Yellowstone. Whitewater rafting and fly fishing are also top attractions. 

Despite the many diversions, Big Sky never caught the eye of luxury travelers because, until recently, upscale accommodations were nonexistent in town. The deep-pocketed set bought homes instead: Yellowstone Club, the ultra-exclusive private residential community, is located here, along with other tony developments such as Spanish Peaks Mountain Club and Moonlight Basin.

Montage Big Sky, part of Montage Hotels & Resorts, opened in December 2021 and changed the equation. Today, the property is a main reason why Big Sky is finally on the map as both a luxurious and adventurous getaway. 

More development is underway. CrossHarbor Capital Partners and its local real estate affiliate, Lone Mountain Land Company, already own Yellowstone Club, the Montage, and Spanish Peaks. Currently, they’re behind restaurants and boutiques opening in the town center, along with a One&Only resort, scheduled to debut in Moonlight Basin in early 2025.

STAY

Montage Big Sky is the only luxury property in Big Sky. The resort is part of Spanish Peaks Mountain Club and evokes the surroundings with its contemporary mountain style featuring local wood and stones and neutral colors.

It features 139 rooms and residences, ranging from two to six bedrooms. It also has its own lifts and offers ski-in/ski-out access to Big Sky Resort’s slopes. The hotel also has a team of guides who lead guests on private excursions for  activities including skiing to mountain biking. 

Residence Inn Big Sky/The Wilson Hotel offers an advantageous location in the heart of Big Sky’s downtown and is walking distance to all of its attractions. The property has a free shuttle service to the ski slopes and hiking trails.

Lone Mountain Ranch is located between downtown Big Sky and Big Sky Resort. Guests stay in cabins or homes that are nestled among the trees and outfitted with wood stoves and sitting areas.  

EAT & DRINK

Big Sky has a solid number of notable restaurants. Most serve stick-to-your-ribs mountain cuisine heavy on meats and game such as elk, bison, duck, and beef. Seafood fans should expect limited options, but vegetarians are usually catered to.

Cortina, at Montage Big Sky, is an Italian eatery that quickly became a go-to for the local community and wealthy part-time residents who own homes in Spanish Peaks Mountain Club and at the Yellowstone Club. The elegant and convivial spot has an open kitchen and wood-fire oven as its centerpiece and serves delicious dishes that incorporate local produce and meats coupled with premium ingredients from Italy. Stars include the Sicilian scallop crudo with caper Meyer lemon, the chestnut and truffle stuffed chicken with pork belly and hazelnuts and the root vegetable vegan lasagna. 

Horn & Cantle is a saloon cum restaurant that’s a favorite of both locals and visitors. The fried chicken sandwich with special sauce and the bison stroganoff are stars on the lunch menu while dinner is all about the elk chop and smoked trout dip.

Block 3 is the newest restaurant in Big Sky’s town center and gives the butcher’s block the limelight. The menu has hand cut prime, wagyu and aged beef and a variety of regional and Montana game. The cocktails are also a draw.

Tres Toros is a new Mexican restaurant in downtown that also has a lively bar scene, along with tequila flights. The long taco menu includes crispy cricket, jackfruit, beef tongue, and spicy goat.

EXPERIENCE

Big Sky Resort is the epicenter of skiing in the area but also has zip lining and hiking all year. Regardless of their interests, every visitor to town should come here to take the gondola ride to Everett’s, a bar and restaurant with spectacular views of the mountainous landscape.

Hitting Lone Mountain Ranch is another way to spend the day. Open for more than a century, the property has simple accommodations but scenic cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. In the winter, the ranch offers sleigh ride dinners to its cabin in the woods. They’re in high demand and should be booked well in advance. 

The writer was a guest of Montage.