Hob Nobbing in Big Sky

As a Montana gal, you would think I have a solid appreciation of all Montana has to offer: mountains, rivers, streams, prairies, lakes, skiing, fishing, hunting, etc. However, if you KNOW me, you know that I tend to appreciate assets closer to home: the rims, Riverfront, and a good book to name a few.

This weekend though, I was reminded what all the fuss is about. I took Friday off and spent three glorious nights in Big Sky, Montana. A's mom's cousin (or something) owns a condo and graciously allowed us to stay there for a screaming deal. On the trip up, we saw a HUGE herd of Elk, a coyote and a bat! Once there, we were blessed with a moose and her baby resting in view of our front window all weekend.

The weather was splendid (sunny, warm enough for just a jacket, but still snowpacked and beautiful) all weekend and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Kaylie and I spent the first day touring the hotels and shops of Moonlight Basin. At one point, there was an electrical fire in one of the hotels, and we excitedly watched the staff scurry about while we sipped lattes in front of the fire waiting to be evacuated (which never happened). One of the shop owners talked me into trying on a $5,000 dollar blue fur vest, and we acted like we could afford it!

That night we spent some quality time at Lone Peak Brewery, playing shuffle board and enjoying the local brew. We ended the night with a bit more brew (both local and foreign) and turned in "early" so the skiers would be in their prime for their second day on the mountain.

The next day included a luxurious soak in the outdoor hot tub (where we managed to get a tan), and more shopping/walking/socializing in the Big Sky village resort area. Finally, it was time for the finale of the Big Sky ski season: pond skimming.

Hundreds of people slipped and slid up the steep slope (say that three times fast), and tried to anchor themselves to the side of the mountain to watch the event. About 70 contestants, most wearing crazy costumes, hurled themselves down the mountain, off a jump and into a man made pond. The point was to "skim" across the surface of the pond to the other side safely. There were flips, there were wipe-outs, there were successes! No matter what the outcome though, the crowd was in love with every contestant. This is one thing I love about skiers and snowboarders - they are all about having a good time.

After some quality time spent at the base (live music, tasty beverages, general silliness), it was back to the condo to keep things going. Sadly, most of us "old folks" were in bed before A's younger cousin and his friends ended up at a party at a house with a pool in the basement. Still, it was a great night.

I just can't get over how beautiful Big Sky was, especially Moonlight Basin. It truly is breathtaking, and I am now determined to get RICH in order to make this happen again someday. Beautiful. Also, it was a wonderful chance for me to bond (again) with my dear friends Kaylie and Karissa. We talked about everything under the sun, learned new things, laughed about old things, and just thoroughly enjoyed each others company.

The only thing missing? You guessed it: Seth. Being a snowboarder, he would have LOVED the entire thing. Sadly, he was at a conference in Sun Valley and couldn't make it. I guess that's just one more reason why we must be sure to do it again!