Big Sky Score Change: Extra-Cost Tram Access Outweighs An Effective Swift Current Lift Upgrade

May 1

Big Sky sees shifts to its PeakRankings Mountain Score as a result of access changes put forth this season.

This past season, we had the chance to stop by Big Sky to check out multiple changes to the resort. The long-awaited Swift Current 6 chair was installed this season, as were new bubble chairs and a capacity upgrade on the Lewis and Clark 4 lift. However, this was the first season in which Big Sky did not include Lone Peak Tram access on its normal ticket and pass products, instead charging a daily extra-cost add-on for access for all but the most expensive season pass products. These developments have resulted in significant impacts to this massive Montana resort’s overall experience.

Mountain Experience Changes

While the old Swift Current lift was already a high-speed quad, the new six-person bubble chair is a huge positive change for a critical resort area. Swift Current follows quite a long route, extending all the way from the main Mountain Village base area to the start of the high-alpine Powder Seeker 6 bubble chair. The old lift was windy and cold, and the uncovered lift ride could be quite miserable at times—with a lack of alternatives from the main base to Lone Peak compounding the experience issue. But the bubbles on the new lift solve this problem, turning Swift Current from an often-dreaded lift ride into one that guests consistently look forward to. An extremely comfortable ride and slightly faster speed complete the package as extra bonuses.

While unannounced publicly by the resort, Swift Current was not the only lift upgrade Big Sky endeavored on this winter. The resort also chose to install bubbles on every chair on the Lewis and Clark 4 lift (the high-speed quad previously only had bubbles on half its chairs), replace all the existing clear bubbles with its signature blue ones, and double the capacity of the lift. The Lewis and Clark upgrade may be a pleasant change for those who frequent this formerly Spanish Peaks-operated terrain, but the area this lift services is quite out of the way and likely won’t be visited by most Big Sky guests. After spending time in this area—and seeing approximately five other people on the mountain each ride—we can see why Big Sky did not choose to make a big deal out of this investment.

The newly-upgraded chairs on the Lewis and Clark 4 lift…on one of the busiest weekends of the season.

However, we believe that the lift upgrades are not enough to outweigh the loss of Lone Peak Tram access for those who only purchase regular ticket and pass products. Without the tram, Big Sky no longer offers lift access to any of its extreme terrain, its best views, and full vertical drop without a lengthy, hour-plus-long hike that is only open when the Dakota chair spins.

Mountain Score Impacts

After much thought, we have decided to place Big Sky in our rankings based off the mountain experience its base lift ticket provides—just as we do at other resorts that offer extra-cost uphill options, such as Keystone and Homewood. As a result, we are removing the Lone Peak Tram from consideration in our primary Mountain Score and rankings. To provide insight for those who may want to ride the lift, we will continue to maintain a second Big Sky Mountain Score that does incorporate the Lone Peak Tram; however, the tram experience will not factor into Big Sky’s official rank unless the resort decides to offer it as part of a lift ticket product again.

Due to the “loss” of Lone Peak Tram access on normal ticket and pass products, we’re knocking Big Sky with one-point deductions to each of the Terrain Diversity and Challenge categories. With the loss of practical access to all of Big Sky’s lift-serviced extreme terrain, those who don’t opt for a Lone Peak Tram add-on will be missing out on a considerable portion of the resort experience.

We are also knocking a point off Big Sky’s unofficial “With Tram” score in the Resiliency category, given how fickle the Lone Peak Tram’s openings are. The high-alpine lift and its associated terrain are subject to regular closures throughout the core season—to put matters into perspective, of the seven mid-winter days our team spent at the resort across the past three winters, the tram was open exactly zero of them. Given that guests must purchase a non-refundable extra-cost add-on specifically to ride the tram, we believe this inconsistency must now be weighted more heavily.

The base terminal of the Lone Peak Tram. Access to this high-alpine, expert-oriented lift now requires a daily add-on that varies between $20-$100.

Despite this score drop, Big Sky only drops two places in our rankings, maintaining a position of 12th in the Rockies and 13th overall. This is by virtue of several other score adjustments that will be released in the coming days. You may notice that Big Sky’s old score and rank are still on our rankings pages—we will fully update these once the changes are out in entirety.

For more on Big Sky, check out our full mountain review and our Rockies resort rankings.