Thursday, January 17 to Monday, January 21, 2022 (MLK weekend)
Rest your head at the best hotel in Big Sky, the ski-in, ski-out Summit Hotel, located mere steps away from the lifts at the base of Big Sky Resort. Built in 2000, this four-star property has an outdoor pool and hot tub, complimentary ski storage, in-room gas fireplaces, the signature Boyne bed and everything you'll need for a relaxing getaway. It's a handsome, well-appointed, modern respite with fantastic service and attention to detail.
A 3 day lift ticket to Big Sky Resort is included; we are upgrading one of those days to a combined pass for Moonlight Basin, which adjoins Big Sky.
Cars are not needed in Big Sky -- there are public buses which serve the area, including transfers to neighboring Moonlight Basin -- but it may be worthwhile to rent a car if you'd like to take a daytrip to nearby Yellowstone National Park.
Daily delicious breakfasts are included, with a hot buffet and omelet station to warm up your morning. Lunches are up to you; we'll meet as a group each day. In the evenings, we'll have dinner reservations on Thursday and Saturday. Our final evening meal is a 4-course gourmet dinner with complimentary wine pairings from an award-winning restaurant in the countryside, the perfectly named Rainbow Ranch. This final meal is included in the trip price.
We are happy to arrange roommates for you. Typically, half of our participants sign up without a roommate in mind. We'll ask a few easy questions and accommodate your preferences.

Single occupancy: a limited number of single occupancy slots are available. Please contact us to inquire about availability before booking a single occupancy.
Equipment rentals are not included; you can get a discounted rental from Big Sky's rental shop on property. Complimentary overnight ski & snowboard storage is included for all guests. We expect about half of our participants to rent skis & boards.
We recommend this trip for all levels of skiers and snowboarders.

Beginners: If you're a beginner who is considering going out West with SKI BUMS this year, this is the trip we recommend most highly for you. Big Sky is a gorgeous place to learn, and the gradation from easy terrain toward intermediate terrain is blissfully forgiving. Instructors are great, too.

Intermediates: We very, very highly recommend this trip for intermediates. Some of the USA's most terrific, undulating blue runs are here. They're long, roller coaster hills with the space to just spread out and coast down the hill. This is a really, really fun mountain.

Advanced skiers and riders: Big Sky has some of the most challenging terrain in the USA. Have a look at the trail map and check out the Lone Peak Tram -- that's your playground. Some of those lines are terrifically steep, and if chutes & bowls are your thing, you'll love it here. While you won't find as much lower mountain tree skiing or side country powder stashes as in Aspen Snowmass or Park City, when your legs are tired and you want a cruiser, the blues are fun, speedy and spectacular.
SKI BUMS can assist for those who would like to arrive in Big Sky early or depart late, and we can get a discount on lodging and lifts for you. We expect a number of participants to check in on Wednesday and ski / ride on Thursday. Contact us to make arrangements; the deadline to add on is December 1st.
Big Sky is about an hour's drive from Bozeman airport. We recommend Karst Stage; you should make your reservation about two weeks before the trip. Tell them SKI BUMS sent you.
Bozeman, Montana (BZN) is the nearest airport -- and it really caters to the ski market during the winter months. Prices can really fluctuate during the fall, so watch for fare sales and resist the urge to buy too early. The BUMS will fly in from multiple destinations, so there's no one flight we recommend, but our trip begins with a welcome reception at 8 PM on Thursday.
For seven days from the date you sign up, you may cancel your spot at any time and receive a full refund. After seven days, the following cancellation fees apply:

For cancellations received after Sept 1 and before Sept 30: $100 fee. For cancellations received from October 1 - October 30, $200 fee. For cancellations received from November 1, 2021 - December 1: $300 fee. After December 2: no refund.

Visit our
cancellation policy page for more details, or to submit a cancellation.

Buy travel insurance. We can't stress this enough.

A travel insurer can provide a refund even when SKI BUMS cannot. Just in case you need to cancel your trip because of work or health reasons, you should purchase travel insurance within 30 days of your initial trip deposit.

We especially recommend
travelinsured.com.
You may pay with any major credit card, cash or check.

We use PayPal to process online credit card payments. PayPal is the internet's most trusted online payment portal, and you do not need to be a PayPal member to submit a payment.

If you would ever like to use PayPal to send a manual payment (from a smartphone, for example), our account address is: payments (at) ski-bums.org.


PayPal mobile apps: iPhone / iPad / iPod TouchAndroid

Select a king bed or two queens when you sign up.
Historically, October & November is the best time to buy a January flight to Bozeman. We recommend setting up a weekly price alert at kayak.com
Big Sky blew our minds last time we were there. A few of the BUMS were on their first trip out West; this is an ideal resort to ski & ride on massive mountains without being frozen with fear. The beginner and intermediate areas here have some of the most purely fun runs in the whole USA, while the expert areas specialize in steeps. But best of all, the slopes are practically empty; Big Sky adjoins Moonlight Basin to become one of the biggest ski resorts in the world, so there's an awful lot of room for everyone to spread out. If you dream of spectacular vistas and real tranquility -- when the only sound that breaks the silence is the sound of you carving turns in the snow -- Big Sky is the trip for you.

Sign up now for our trip to Big Sky >
Upon arrival at Big Sky, all participants receive a detailed itinerary with meeting times, events, & helpful tips. Here is an overview of our trip, to help you think through scheduling, packing, etc.
Old Faithful is gorgeous in the wintertime. Thermal pools, waterfalls and giant pine trees are especially picturesque in the snow, and a daytrip to Yellowstone is well worth considering. SKI BUMS cannot formally assist with your planning, but our Facebook page is a good place to see if any other BUMS are considering it and may want to join you.
Here's what's included in the trip price: 4 night lodging, 3 day lift ticket, daily hot breakfast buffet, 1 gourmet dinner with wine pairings, personal assistance & trip coordination from the SKI BUMS trip leaders

Not included: Air transportation to Bozeman. See "air scheduling," above. | Ground transfers from the airport to Big Sky | Lunches | Equipment rental | Three dinners
$1199 per person | double occupancy (single occupancy upgrade is available)
$500 deposit at sign up | Balance due 14 days after you sign up >

-- or --

Pay in full: $1199

Select your payment option when you sign up.

Late payments are subject to a 5% late-payment fee. It is up to you to submit your payments on time. You may always pay early.
For those who don't ski or ride -- or if you carry a season pass -- we can remove the lift ticket from the package if you contact us. It's good to know that the village area at Big Sky is perfectly pleasant, but pales in comparison to a destination like Whistler, Aspen, Breckenridge or Park City -- the skiing & riding are definitely the best game in town.
Travel day. The trip officially begins at 8 PM at our Welcome Reception inside the hotel, where you'll meet the other participants, meet the SKI BUMS trip leaders, get your itinerary & lift tickets.
All SKI BUMS trips begin with a skill level meet up, where we'll help you connect with other skiers and snowboarders who enjoy the same kind of terrain that you do. Allowing for some adjustments along the way, most groups end up with about four to six people, but it's common to mix it up.

On Friday and Sunday, we'll ski and ride at Big Sky. We'll avoid the holiday 'rush' on Saturday with a day at neighboring Moonlight Basin.

Each day, we ski and ride in small groups, then meet up as a big group for lunch and après-ski. We may adjust our itinerary based on the conditions; the trip leaders post regular updates via Twitter and text message. Our three days of skiing / riding are Friday through Sunday.

We'll have a dinner reservation Friday night. Saturday night is a "free night" for you to make your own plans. All meals are casual; no formal attire is needed.

Learn more about how our trips work >
Foodies will be happy; our final meal is a delicious gourmet winner -- with accompanying wine pairings -- at the Rainbow Ranch Lodge, an award-winning restaurant nearby.
Monday -- Martin Luther King Day -- is our travel day. After an informal "goodbye breakfast," participants will head home. We encourage you to stay in touch with your new SKI BUMS friends by sharing messages & photos on Facebook.