Real Montana: Big Sky or Big Mountain
Robyn Erlenbush
CRS, GRI, CRB, Broker Owner
Phone: (406) 586-1321
Send me an email
BIG SKY, Montana (AP) - There are two big destination ski resorts in Montana. Big Sky, near Bozeman, is expensive and polished. Big Mountain, near Whitefish, is not.
You can go as big as you want in Big Sky Country. But which is the real Montana
I grew up there and can tell you with authority, they both are. Here are some observations from recent visits to both resorts
BIG MOUNTAIN: They just renamed this «Whitefish Mountain Resort at Big Mountain,» but it's just Big Mountain to Montanans. It has fewer runs and a more rustic village than Big Sky, but many of the condos are nice and affordable, and usually come with access to a pool or hot tub.
The restaurants tend toward ski bum chic: dark, woody, places with lots of burgers, pizza and beer. Prices aren't a lot higher than in the charming town of Whitefish at the bottom of the hill. Kids are welcome most everyplace, and the beer tends to come in pitchers.
Whitefish is near the western edge of Glacier National Park, and the scenery and tourist amenities are spectacular. The town is served by Amtrak's Empire Builder. On our recent trip, we rode the train from Spokane, Washington, to Whitefish, a five-hour trip in the middle of the night. Cost was $50 per person.
We stayed in town at a golf resort. The hotel sent a van to pick us up at Whitefish's charming old train station. After we checked in, they shuttled us up the mountain, to the hotel's private lodge in the village.
We skied all day, had dinner, then got shuttled back to our hotel in town.
This area nestled between Glacier and giant Flathead Lake has long been one of the most popular parts of Montana, and is awash in out-of-staters buying second and third homes.
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