There are a number of popular gateways to Montana—Bozeman, Whitefish, Kalispell, Missoula—that make arriving seem like everyone and their dog has assumed the same ski-centric obsession on the same damn weekend. But then they all disperse and you’ve got yourself 16 primo resorts from which to choose. Simply, Montana isn’t somewhere you need worry about lift lines. The state’s biggest and best resorts are Bridger, Big Sky, Big Mountain, and Red Lodge, though that’s not to count out the dozen other worthy hills. Bridger and Big Sky feature some of America’s toughest double-blacks, while places like Lookout Pass combine regular snowfalls with two terrain parks in which the groms can play. All totaled, Montana hosts some 14,000 acres of skiable terrain and 548 runs, enough for you to ski one a day for the next year and half. Sabbatical anyone?
