YOU HAVE TO go to Big Sky" is a refrain I've often heard from fellow skiers. At a time when skiing evokes images of long lift lines and crowded slopes, Big Sky trades on a reputation for solitude and space. Located between the city of Bozeman and Yellowstone National Park, the 5,850-acre Montana resort has an average of one acre for every skier; supposedly, you can ski all day without seeing the same run twice. It's the third-largest ski resort in North America after Whistler Blackcomb, in British Columbia, and Park City Resort, in Utah.
But diehards know what really puts the big in Big Sky. In skiing parlance, the word describes terrain that is above the tree line, steep, sustained, and exposed - meaning a fall could be long and of high consequence. For a U.S. ski resort, Big Sky has a unique preponderance of this type of advanced terrain. Much of it - including the most famous run, Big Couloir-lies on Lone Peak, a stark and wind-battered summit reached by a single-car tram.
I've always joked that if I'm not a beautiful skier, I am a brave one. I learned as an adult, mostly by throwing myself at scary slopes and skiing down in survival mode, so I don't rattle too easily when I'm at a resort. (My fiancé, Dan, and I also ski in the backcountry in California's Sierra Nevada.) But the week before I leave for Montana, I see a video of a skier on "The Big," as locals call it. Plunging down the 1,400-foot vertical face between bands of unforgiving rock, the skier looks tiny and inconsequential. Yet he moves with strength and intention, responding to the demands of the terrain. Adding to the sense of seriousness is an article accompanying the video, which informs me that, to ski the Big, one must not only sign out for a time slot with ski patrol but also go with a partner and wear an avalanche beacon. I'll have those. But will I have the skills?
Bu hikaye Travel+Leisure US dergisinin December 2023 - January 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Travel+Leisure US dergisinin December 2023 - January 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
The Luxury of Silence - Grieving a dissolved marriage, Nora Walsh seeks peace and compassion at a meditation retreat in California.
My decade-long marriage to a man I deeply love had dissolved, and I had come to the Spirit Rock Meditation Center, in the secluded hills of Marin County, north of San Francisco, to steady myself. Led by the author and meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer, the seven-day silent retreat focused on the four brahmavihāra, or Buddhist virtues: loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.
Family Values - Gay father and blogger Jonathan Bailey shares his proudest moments of traveling with his partner and daughters.
My partner and I grew up in families that didn't travel a lot, so we've always had a sense of wanderlust. Before we had kids, we traveled together, and it was life-changing-travel opened our minds to different ways of life.In 2000, Triton and I decided to have kids. At the time, my mom had terminal cancer, and we were all about connecting with family. We wanted to adopt, because we felt like there were so many children in the world who needed love and a good home. In 2002, my mom passed away, and Sophia was born two weeks later. We welcomed our second daughter, Ava, in 2004.
Back to Sri Lanka - The past few years have not been easy on this alluring South Asian island. But on a return visit, Prasad Ramamurthy finds a place-and a people-on the upswing.
I was at the end of a five-day journey that had begun in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Galle Fort, in southwestern Sri Lanka, and taken me across the southern tip of the island to the leopard reserve of Yala National Park. In between I had taken in the dramatic coastline of Weligama and had stopped for some beach time in Hiriketiya. Sri Lanka is a country I'm particularly fond of, so when I was asked to revisit to report this story, I seized the opportunity. Yes, I was dying to go back, but I'd had another motive for coming: I wanted to see if the island nation was ready to welcome international visitors again.
Experiences: Hands On - Single-malt whiskies and triple-cream cheeses are the stuff New York's Hudson Valley is made of.
The Hudson Valley has long drawn New York City dwellers in search of clean air, spectacular hikes, and upstate culture. Now a budding community of artisans-young farmers, bakers, vintners, distillers-is turning the region into a modern breadbasket.It is a tightly woven ecosystem that also extends to restaurants and hotels. At Tenmile Distillery, in the town of Wassaic, for example, the grain used to make whiskey comes from a farm in Tivoli, 30 miles away, while the gin and vodka it produces are served at stylish addresses like the Troutbeck (doubles from $580), a hotel in Amenia, and the restaurant Stissing House (entrées $22-$155), in Pine Plains.
LAGOS RISING
Africa's biggest city is a powerhouse of art, culture, and fashion. Shirley Nwangwa reflects on her relationship to her family's home and to her Nigerian identity, while photographer Ike Edeani captures the creative scene.
DEEP DIVE
Go for a swim with sperm whales, and you may find yourself hooked. Maggie Shipstead journeys to the Caribbean island of Dominica, where these giants of the deep are making a big splash.
AMERICAN VINTAGE
After years of being in the shadows, Virginia winemakers are finally getting the attention they deserve. Wanda Mann takes a tasting tour.
Take a Hike
A beloved Malibu spa renowned for embracing the outdoors makes its way to the East Coast. Jess Feldman takes an inside look.
Just Dive In
The most nautical Four Seasons has to be this scuba-centric ship, which sails a rarely visited corner of the Pacific.
The Next Frontier
With deep pockets and mighty ambitions, Saudi Arabia is building a high-end resort area with serious green cred.