89 km
2133 m - 3398 m
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Test report Moonlight Basin
Skiresort.info Test of the ski resort Moonlight Basin
Total result: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Test Moonlight Basin
The review Moonlight Basin was created by Skiresort.info, the world’s largest test portal for ski resorts.
Top evaluation criteria
These evaluations count double in the total result.
Further evaluation criteria
Evaluation criteria for special interests
In detail: Test report for ski resort Moonlight Basin
Top evaluation criteria
These evaluations count double in the total result.
Runs/slopes
Additional runs
50 km Marked ski routes
Altitude difference
1265 m (Valley 2133 m - Mountain 3398 m )
Lifts/ cable cars
6
Number of lifts to get from one end of the ski resort to the other
→ 4 ← 2
Number of lifts to get from one end of the ski resort to the other
→ 4 ← 2
Runs/slopes
Total 89 km
Easy
20.5 km
(23 %)Intermediate
36.5 km
(41 %)Difficult
32 km
(36 %)
Additional runs
Marked ski routes
50 km
Longest run
4.5 km
Run location
above tree line, under tree line
Worth knowing
- Valley run available
Photos
Number of ski lifts
6
Total capacity
9825 Passengers / hour
Length of all lifts
6.3 km Total
Lifts and cable cars
6
Additional
1
Photos
Worth knowing
- Artificial snow-making
- The valley run is always open when ski resort is open; without the valley run, ski operation is not possible.
Season 2008/2009
138 Days open
138 Days when valley run open
138 Days when valley run open
The slope preparation is excellent.
Tip: By new snow, an optimal slope prepartion is not always possible, even with a large effort. In addition, the new snow can not combine with the snow lying underneath and moguls are created quickly. For safety reasons, usually no slope preparation is possible during operating times.
Photos
Further evaluation criteria
Public transportation/ on-site mobility
- No direct train connection
- Ski busses
- Scheduled busses
Ski-in/Ski-out
There are many accommodations with direct access to the slopes and to lifts (Ski-in/Ski-out)
Towns/villages
- Big Sky
Distance to ski resort 3-5 km
Guest beds 4300
Note: For the evaluation, only the accommodations which are located directly on the slopes and lifts, or have very easy access to the ski resort have been considered.
Photos
Evaluation criteria for special interests
Information for families and children
- Kid's Land/ separated area for children
- Wave ride for children
- Adventure course
- Beginner's lifts near the valley
- Ski kindergarten
Information for beginners
- Easy and manageable slope offering, which is easy to achieve
- Wide slopes
- Beginner's area
- Special slopes for slower skiers / beginners
- Easy valley run
- Beginner's lifts near the valley
Information for advanced skiers, freeriders
- many freeride / deep snow areas
- some mogul slopes
- many extremely difficult, steep and unprepared runs (Double Diamonds)
Slope offering advanced skiers
Runs/slopes
Total 89 km
Difficult
32 km
(36 %)Additional runs
Marked ski routes
50 km
Note: Always mind the avalanche warnings and barriers, please. Never ski into a closed and unsecured area.
Information for Snowboarders
- few cat tracks
- few runs with ascent
- many freeride / deep snow areas
Snow parks
- Terrain Park am Six Shooter
Offering snow parks
- Snow park/ Fun park
- No halfpipe
- Kicker (Jump/ Ramp)
- Rails/ Slides
- Boxes
- Wallride
- Corner / Hip
- Boardercross
- Waverides
- Pro Line
- Medium Line
- Beginner/ Easy Line
- Chill area
Conclusion
wide and nice runs through the forest, well grooming
walking required to reach the double chair Headwaters
Detailed description of the ski resort
Moonlight Basin, located just an hour south of Bozeman in Big Sky, MT, opened for skiing in 2003 as the first new destination ski resort in the US in 20 years. Skiing at Moonlight Basin offers a growing network of 76 mapped trails, chutes and glades, making more than 1,900 acres of skiing. The terrain's northerly exposure ensures the more than 400 inches of powder that falls each year stays light and dry. In the 2005/2006 season, for the first time, Moonlight Basin and Big Sky Resort have teamed up to offer joint lift tickets. Now, skiers and riders can access 23 lifts on nearly 5,300 acres of interconnected trails, all with one ticket, the Lone Peak Ticket. In front of the Moonlight Lodge is the beginner triple chair Pony Express which open easy runs and gives the access to the Cowboy Heaven Cabins which are all reachable via ski runs. The quad Iron Horse starts next to the Moonlight Lodge and brings the skiers and riders to the other runs in the ski resort. From the top station you can either ski ro ride down to the high speed six person chair Six Shooter via exquisite runs through the forest or you can reach the ski resort Big Sky. The Six Shooter open up coutless runs on the backside of Lone Mountain. The Lone Tree quad take you to additional terrain which lead back to the base station of the Six Shooter. If you walk a short way from the top station of the Six Shooter to the right side you can reach the double chair Headwaters which serves only advanced terrain. Now you can choose beetween double diamond runs Headwaters through the rocks down into the Stillwater Bowl, or you can reach Big Sky Mountain Village via advanced runs (attention: Lone Peak Pass required). Beginner will find also a lot of runs which are wide and easy. At the base of the Six Shooter, the quad Derringer open up easy terrain near the Madison Lodge. The easiest way to reach Big Sky is from the top station of the Iron Horse quad. You can ski a whole day at the Six Shooter and you will not ski a run twice. For the future new lifts and new terrain are planned below the Lone Mountain.
Test Report issued on 2007-01-26
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