OFFICIAL 2019 Big Sky Gathering General Information

[Tricia]

2019 Gathering Big Sky Montana February 24 - March 2
This is a living post and will be changed as new information becomes available
​

Schedule and General Information:

Meeting Place:
We will be in the Mountain Village at Big Sky, not to be mistaken with the Meadow Village at Big Sky. We will not have a private room for February 24,&25. We will be meeting in the Mammoth room. You will be able to leave your bags during the day.
February 26th we will be meeting in the Talus Room which will be private for our group.
February 27, 28, March 1 & 2 we will be meeting in the Cheyenne room in the Huntley Lodge, which will be a private meeting area for our group. You will be able to leave your bags in both the Talus Room and Cheyenne room during the day.
Meeting Time: 8:45 AM (guides please be 15 minutes early)
Announcements and grouping people will be promptly at 8:45.




Parking:
There are a variety of free parking lots with a shuttle to the Village Center.

GROUP LEVELS
(written by Uncle Louie)​

Please be realistic about assessing your ability with regards to the group you belong in. Big Sky’s terrain can be downright gnarly so please consider your physical condition, ability to ski a given trail (as opposed to “able to get down it”) and whether your gear fits the conditions if it’s a significant powder day. You can change groups, but that can be difficult once the groups scatter on the hill.

• 
  
  • Intermediate- You prefer groomed terrain and avoid moguls if possible. You may avoid powder and terrain like glades and narrow runs.
  • Intermediate / Advanced- Generally you are comfortable on Intermediate (blue) terrain and need to pay attention (but don’t panic) on groomed (black) single diamond terrain. You may venture off into some boot-top (or less) powder on the edge of the trail. Not a big fan of moguls, but you can work your way through the smaller ones. It may be time to explore the (widely spaced) trees on an easier Intermediate run.
  • Experts - You generally ski the whole mountain. You can make your way through the vast majority of snow and terrain conditions but still may need to pay attention (vs just being on auto-pilot) in bumps, heavily treed terrain, open bowls with rock or avi debris and tight chutes. Intermediate terrain is for getting back to the lifts. It’s black and double black diamond for you.
  • Extreme- Anywhere / Anytime / any conditions. You want to go where the others aren’t. In other words…you wouldn’t hold Dean Spirito or Josh up too much. ( sorry…..I just couldn’t resist)

Intermediate groups will have guides every day.

Advanced and expert groups will likely be self guided.


We try our best go get a guide to every group every day but we don't always have enough guides to accomplish that. This is why the upper level groups will likely need to be “self guided”. We have done this successfully in the past by mixing new comers to the areas with those who are familiar with the area they are skiing that day.

For information on lodging, go here
For information on skiing The Big Couloir, go here
To sign up on the Roll Call, go here
Original thread about Big Sky and Beyond

 

[Tricia]

Ski pass and lift ticket information

IKON:
We believe the you will be able to go directly to the lift with your IKON Pass. If this is not the case, we will post here prior to the event

Mountain Collective:
Instructions for getting your MCP for Big Sky. You can either pick it up in person once you arrive, per these instructions :

Bring a printout of your confirmation and a photo ID to the Mountain Services office in the Snowcrest Building in the Big Sky Mountain Village after November 19th 2018. All passholders need to bring a photo ID for verification and sign the ski pass acknowledgement of risk waiver.

Or you can have it mailed to you. Here's how to pre-request your pass.

1) Go to https://mountaincollective.com/
2) Click on "YOUR ACCOUNT"
3) Log in (if you haven't created an account with password yet, click "Sign up to create an account" near the bottom and create one)
4) When you log in you should be shown your recent order history, like this :

5) Click on "Request your pass" and follow the instructions. You'll need to sign the waiver (and initial a bunch of places), upload a photo (requirements are much like any passport or ID - given on the page) and give your name, address, resorts, etc. You'll also need to give them your expected date of arrival at the resorts. This is, presumably, to help them prioritize which they process first, but it says that there is no effect on when you use the pass or requirement to hold to the date. (You could presumably just put Nov. 1st for all of them.)

Only the following resorts will pre-send your pass, and only for US and Canadian residents :

Sun Valley
Jackson Hole
Aspen-Snowmass
Big Sky
Revelstoke
Snowbasin
Alta
Snowbird
Sunshine/Lake Louise
Sugarbush
Mammoth
Squalpine

Once you submit all the information required, you're done and it should tell you that your request has been submitted. Last year, they also eventually sent an email confirmation - it took 3 or 4 days for my email to arrive. I don't know when I'll get my pass but will update when I do. (I requested Sugarbush and Big Sky... and put November 1st for Sugarbush and January 1st for Big Sky.)

 

[Pete in Idaho]

Tricia at Big Sky a few years ago.



Great snow anf great friends !

 

[Tricia]

@Pete in Idaho I'm stoked to ski BigSky with you again.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

@Pete in Idaho I'm stoked to ski BigSky with you again.

Absolutely !



Maybe we will have snow like this. Top of an unnamed mt. somewhere cat skiing in BC and yes it was as good as it looks.

 

[Tricia]

I think we need some cooler temperatures and a little Big Sky Stoke!

 

[Pete in Idaho]

Can't wait, good snow, ski friends and cold beer. Priceless.

 

[Tricia]

Can't wait, good snow, ski friends and cold beer. Priceless.

Glad you're drinking beer
That will leave more for me.

 

[PisteOff]

Can't wait, good snow, ski friends and cold beer. Priceless.

Glad you're drinking beer
That will leave more for me.

View media item 2844

 

[Pete in Idaho]

Hey PisteOff nice shot, er mug.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

PisteOff, nice shot, er MUG.

In the restaurant/bar at Big Sky.

 

[Skisailor]

Snow in the Bridgers today. Just sayin' . . .

 

[Tricia]

PisteOff, nice shot, er MUG.

View attachment 53102 In the restaurant/bar at Big Sky.

That was a fun ESA.
Can't remember the name of the guy on the far left, but from there
Brian Shon, Squatty Schuller, Pete and me.

 

[Tricia]

@Pete in Idaho this is probably one of my favorite pictures of you.
We had some fun!

 

[Crank]

Not going to this gathering but will recommend the Cold Smoke Scotch Ale you will find on tap at many bars out there in Big Sky country. Yumm

 

[Skisailor]

Big Sky Stoke - Dakota Trees from 5 years ago.

Sorry about the logo thing - it will disappear after the first minute . . .

 

[kitchener]

Checking air. Any big hubs within driving distance, outside of flying straight into Bozeman?

 

[Skisailor]

Checking air. Any big hubs within driving distance, outside of flying straight into Bozeman?

Nope.

Closest big hub is Salt Lake - 6 hours away.

You've got Billings and Helena within 2 hours. Sometimes you can get a cheaper fare but then you have to deal with the winter driving. Even coming over from Billings on I-90 involves Bozeman pass which can get really bad if it's snowing.

I would just book into Bozeman. Once you take that first run with no one else anywhere near you, you'll be happy about the lack of nearby hubs.

 

[Chip]

Where to rent demos from?

 

[Skisailor]

Lone Mt Sports