BIG SKY, Mont. -- It stands to reason that Moonlight Basin, the nation's most recent destination resort for snow-sports enthusiasts, would have the latest in on- and off-mountain amenities.

And, for the most part, it does.

Consistently good grooming, a six-person chairlift, free hand-warmers, complimentary mountain guides, a 1-to-3 instructor-student ratio, definitive terrain for all abilities, an interchangeable lift ticket with neighboring Big Sky Resort, an impressive base lodge with restaurant, deli and spa, a variety of overnight accommodations and stunning scenery.

During my visit last month, the 3-year-old resort also had plenty of what it calls "elbow room." There were no lift lines. None. With the exception of a busy weekend or a holiday, the locals said they're accustomed to always catching the next chair.

One of the major reasons for the no-waiting experience is the Six-Shooter, a high-speed chairlift that whisks up to six people at a time to the top.

In addition to the Six-Shooter lift _ the only one in Montana _ the resort has a triple chair and a quad chair that serves well-defined beginner/novice terrain, two quads for those with advanced abilities and a double chair that climbs to the Headwaters, an area reserved for experts only.

Moonlight Basin lies on the northern and western slopes of Lone Mountain, 45 miles south of Bozeman and about 20 miles north of Yellowstone National Park. It has 80 mapped trails, bowls, chutes and glades on more than 1,900 acres. The lift-served vertical drop is 2,720 feet. The longest run, Horseshoe, is 2.8 miles long.

The average annual snowfall is about 33 feet (compared with an average of 13 feet at Seven Springs), and more than 20 feet have fallen already this season.

First-time visitors are invited to sign up at any ticket window for mountain guides who conduct ability-appropriate tours. My guides by pre-arrangement were chief executive officer Burt Mills and vice president Rich Hohne.

On the ride up the Six-Shooter, Mills said the resort has plans to increase its present lodging units from 350 to 1,100. With an average of five beds per unit, that will give it an on-site population of 5,500 "plus a hotel" in the next few years.

After a morning of cruising long groomed runs separated in spots by islands of evergreens, we dropped into a glade and later threaded our way down a mogul run. We stopped for lunch at the Madison Lodge, home of the Jackass Creek Saloon, a popular apres-ski and dinner site and home to a troupe of talented thespians.

Homemade tomato soup, chock full of tomato chunks and accompanied by homemade bread for $4.95, was a popular and filling luncheon selection. If you're still hungry, the second bowl is free.

Moonlight Basin shares Lone Mountain with Big Sky, a sprawling, 3,600-acre, four-season resort now in its 32nd season. And, thanks to an agreement last June that settled legal differences between the two resorts, skiers and snowboarders now can access both areas with an interchangeable lift ticket.

Big Sky has more than 150 trails _ served by a 15-passenger tram, a four-passenger gondola, four high-speed quads, a regular quad, two triple chairs and three double chairs. The vertical drop is 3,650 feet.

The tram is the easiest way to access the 11,166-foot wind-scoured summit. Its installation expanded Big Sky's overall size by 50 percent _ an addition of more than 1,200 acres of terrain. In addition to expert skiers and snowboarders, the tram welcomes those who just want to enjoy the view of three states, two national parks and dozens of peaks.

Although some slopes and trails are suitable for beginners and novices, those with intermediate skills will be more comfortable at Big Sky. And, thanks to the tram, which takes only three minutes to reach the top, experts will be pleased to find so much steep, in-bounds terrain. If chutes aren't your thing, try Liberty Bowl, a great run, especially on a powder day.

First-time visitors who are intermediate skiers or snowboarders,can take a free tour of the mountain that begins every day at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the bottom of the gondola.

Village Center One, the latest addition to the resort's expanding village, was started last summer as part of a $400 million capital investment project by Boyne USA Resorts, Big Sky's Michigan-based parent company.

The center's pedestrian plaza level will have about 10,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. The upper three floors will consist of 49 entertainment suites with conference/dining table, workstation, high-speed Internet access, kitchenette, fireplace, television, bath with shower, a wall bed and a sleeper sofa.

Boyne USA Resorts said it has invested more than $100 million in Big Sky in recent years, including the $50 million Summit at Big Sky, a 213-room luxury condominium hotel. The hotel, which contains the Peaks restaurant, is within easy walking distance of the central base area and three high-speed lifts. Children 10 and younger stay free and ski free in all of the resort's overnight accommodations.

Big Sky has 32 dining options in the immediate area, including 13 within walking distance of the Mountain Village. The selections range from the classic burrito to four-star dining. One of the most popular restaurants is Buck's T-4, a former hunting lodge about 10 miles away that is affiliated with Best Western.

 

For more information:

_ Moonlight Basin, go to www.moonlightbasin.com or call 1-406-993-6000.

_ Big Sky, go to www.bigskyresort.com or call 1-800-548-4486.

 

(Lawrence Walsh can be reached at lwalsh(at)post-gazette.com.)

 

 

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)