Mountainous and snowy Montana is a popular destination for Christmas vacations. The state's challenging terrain and fluffy, dry snow make for exciting skiing and snowboarding. With 16 ski areas to choose from, skiing, prices and accommodations range from simple to lavish. Most Montana ski areas offer special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day events.
Big Sky offers luxurious Christmas ski vacations. You can celebrate Christmas at Big Sky with Santa and his elves, fireworks and a torchlight parade on Christmas Eve, caroling, a Christmas buffet, interdenominational services and sleigh ride dinners. Big Sky offers ski-in/ski-out slope-side accommodations, as well as lodging in hotels, condos, cabins and homes near the base of the mountain. Lift tickets are available that give you access to all of Big Sky's ski runs, as well as ski runs at the nearby Moonlight Basin; combined they offer 5,500 acres of skiable terrain, the largest area in the United States. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, you can cross-country ski, go tubing or take a snowshoe tour at Big Sky, or take horseback, sleigh, dog sled or snowmobile rides nearby.
Big Sky Resort
P.O. Box 160001
1 Lone Mountain Trail
Big Sky, MT 59716
406-995-5900
bigskyresort.com
Whitefish offers a small-town feel for Christmas vacations, while still offering impressive skiing. On Christmas Eve you can watch a torchlight parade with Santa. The mountain has 3,000 acres of skiable terrain---half of it advanced and expert---and night skiing. The ski area is located eight miles north of the town of Whitefish, close to Glacier Park International Airport, and an Amtrack station. Lodging is available near the base of the ski area; call ahead to check on lodging and lift ticket packages, or early-bird reservation specials. There is a free shuttle between the ski base area and hotels in the Mountain Village, as well as a free bus to and from the ski area and the town of Whitefish. Other activities at and near Whitefish Mountain Resort include snowmobiling, dog sled tours, backcountry skiing, sleigh ride dinners, a spa and guided treks into nearby Glacier National Park.
Whitefish Mountain Resort
P.O. Box 1400
Whitefish, MT 59937
406-862-2900
skiwhitefish.com
Bridger Bowl offers a wide variety of terrain; there is a large "slow zone" of beginner runs near the base of the mountain, and a large area of side-country known as the "Ridge Terrain" where transceivers are required. The ski area offers a terrain park, daily mountain tours and child care. There is on-the-hill lodging, mostly in condos, private homes and chalets. The ski area is a 20-minute drive from the city of Bozeman, where you can find dining, nightlife, and hotels with lift ticket/lodging packages.
Bridger Bowl
15795 Bridger Canyon Road
Bozeman, MT 59715
800-223-9609
bridgerbowl.com
