24 Hours in Bozeman & Big Sky
The best trips are planned impulsively… right?
This method of planning has never failed me. At a Ski Team competition in Boone a few months ago, after a day full of skiing at Beech Mountain, my friends and I decided to plan a spring break trip out west to satisfy our craving for big mountain skiing. No matter how much snow they blow in Boone, it can't compete with the real deal.
When I first saw Glacier National Park during my semester off school, I knew I needed to visit Montana in the winter, so when Big Sky was suggested, I was almost immediately down for the adventure.
Here are some of the highlights of our trip, in case you ever get the chance to visit the Bozeman area. I would 10/10 recommend it!
(PSA: this trip would never have been possible if I hadn't invested in an Ikon Pass. Check out my campaigns to see a project I did on Ikon and how they help to make skiing more accessible).
Lone Peak, 11,166 ft
Skiing in Big Sky!
If you only have time to do one thing on this list, it undoubtedly needs to be this! Big Sky is the most expansive and fun mountain I've ever skied on, Steamboat Springs is the only other place I've been that competes. The mountain is absolutely massive, I was just beginning to figure out how it was laid out by our 5th and final day of skiing.
We were lucky enough to get a powder day, and cutting through all of that fresh snow was a welcome change from NC skiing. The conditions were amazing the whole time and the views were breathtaking. The village had a lot of cute restaurants and bars to take a lunch break or have a few drinks at the end of the day. Montana Jack had great food and drinks, and I treated myself to a poke bowl in the lodge. If you're staying in Bozeman, bring your bathing suit with you and stop at Bozeman Hot Springs for a dip on the way home from the mountain!
Window Shopping in Downtown Bozeman
Bozeman's downtown is really charming, and I had a fun time walking around and looking at all the shops and restaurants. This town (and Montana in general), is an outdoorsman's paradise, with stores dedicated to every outdoor activity you may be interested in, and a laid-back "just got off the mountain" street style.
We stopped into Teton Gravity Research's store, and their clothes were all branded with the classic Grateful Dead dancing bears. The guys working the store were super friendly and ended up gifting me a sweatshirt they were unable to sell; it was such a kind gesture and a highlight of my trip. Moral of the story, always wear Grateful Dead merch to receive free stuff.
Dinner at Revelry
For the most part, my friends and I tried to keep this trip on a college budget, with lots of cooking at the house and pocket sandwiches while skiing. However, On St. Patty's Day, we decided to splurge on a nice dinner before checking out the Bozeman bar scene. Shrimp and grits are one of my favorite meals, so when the server let me know that their chef was from the "real South", I was convinced they would be delicious. They definitely did not disappoint.
A day packed full of skiing followed by an evening of shopping, great food, and fun drinks is my perfect 24 hours in Montana. I have no doubt that this state hasn't seen the last of me!
Cheers,
Katie Magnolia
