Big Sky Ski Resort: An Option for Your New Montana Home
Building a new luxury home in a ski resort setting affords plenty of options in terms of location. If you are considering Montana, there may be no better place to build than Madison County, home to the world-famous Big Sky Resort.
The resort is appropriately named: wide-open spaces provide a multitude of stunning views of the expansive landscape and the sky overhead. It was opened in 1973 and includes more than 5,800 acres of beautiful mountain terrain. The surrounding town of Big Sky is a close-knit community with a relatively small population. The town sits about 45 miles southwest of Bozeman in one of our favorite states, Montana.
HISTORY OF THE RESORT
If you are of an age to remember the Huntley-Brinkley Report on NBC, you're likely familiar with Big Sky Resort founder Chet Huntley. Like so many others, Huntley wanted his resort to be more than just a ski destination. He envisioned it as a place people would want to call home. And the resulting establishment of Big Sky was successfully, and undoubtedly, achieved this goal.
Huntley died just a few years after Big Sky ski resort opened in Montana. The resort was purchased by Boyne Resorts. In the years since, Big Sky has undergone multiple expansions and renovations, including the famed nearby Yellowstone Club. New chairlifts were added in the 80s and 90s. A tram was installed in 1995 to ferry the most skilled skiers to the resort's most challenging ski terrain.
Boyne Resorts announced a $400 million investment in Big Sky in 2000. The proposed improvements included new ski areas as well as a luxury hotel and a new Mountain Village. Today, the resort offers a full range of winter sports including skiing and snowboarding. During the summer months, residents and guests alike enjoy archery, tennis, golf, mountain biking, zip lining, and more.
BIG SKY’S SKI-IN / SKI-OUT HOMES
One of Big Sky's architectural signatures is the ski-in ski-out vacation home. Homeowners build their new homes adjacent to the slopes for easy access. When they are ready to ski, they strap on their boots and glide right down to the chairlift. The last run of the day culminates conveniently at the vacation home's front door.
In fairness, some homes designated as “ski-in ski-out” aren't close enough to ski directly to a lift. You may have to walk a short distance before strapping in and enjoying the ride. In any case, you are close enough to ski areas on the mountain to avoid commuting by car to the main resort access.
Convenience is the obvious appeal of the ski-in ski-out concept. Even so, local homeowners in Big Sky don't necessarily limit their skiing to that resort in Montana. There are plenty of other destinations within driving distance, if one wishes to venture further afield. In essence, residing in Big Sky gives you the best of both worlds: a vacation ski home offers quick access to your favorite slopes; and when you want a change of pace or scenery, you don't have to venture far to find it.
YOUR OWN PERSONAL SKI LODGE
Ski-in ski-out homes are not unique to Montana or Big Sky Resort. You can find them throughout Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, and Utah (we design them in Sun Valley, Park City, Sundance, Powder Mountain and Deer Valley as well). Regardless of your chosen location, a ski-in ski-out home is like having your own personal ski lodge.
Sparano + Mooney Architecture designs our clients’ vacation home or permanent residence to facilitate an unforgettable outdoor experience. We focus on comfort and aesthetics without compromising function or form. We also combine mountain modern architecture with passive design and new technologies that make these new homes more energy efficient.
If you are looking to make your new home in Big Sky, Montana a property within the confines of the Big Sky Resort or Yellowstone Club might be just what you're seeking, Give us a call! Let us talk about your vision and where you would like to see it realized. Whether in Big Sky or elsewhere, we can help turn your dreams into reality.