Big Sky Resort Announces Delayed Opening For Holiday Weekend
Big Sky Resort in Montana saw much of the same cold temps that other mountains in the area experienced, and opted to delay openings Saturday for guest safety.
"Due to extremely cold temperatures and wind chill, the mountain will have a delayed opening Saturday, 1/13."
Though MLK Weekend is one of the busiest of the year, and Big Sky saw an inch of fresh snow in the last day (with a foot over the last week) the resort took guest safety to heart, opting to make the tough decision to delay openings on Saturday til things warmed up (ever so slightly).
The cold temperatures mentioned were pretty extreme: as of 6am on Saturday it was -24°F at the resort's mid-mountain station, and today the temperatures are supposed to reach 8 degrees by noon, way better than Saturday!
Big Sky typically waits til the temps reach at least -15 degrees F to run the lifts.
The mountain did elect to run chairs a couple hours later than normal yesterday.
According to Saturday's Mountain Operations update, "As of 11 a.m. certain lifts are operating. Please view our lift and trail status pages for update and stay warm if you're planning to ski today."
"Due to extremely cold temperatures and wind chill, the mountain will have a delayed opening Saturday, January 13. Upper mountain lifts may not open during the day."
Big Sky was not the only Montana resort to respond to the cold: Whitefish, Bridger Bowl, and Red Lodge Mountain closed on the 12th, citing cold temps and guest safety.
Related: Montana Ski Resorts Close Lifts As Frigid Cold Sets In
Sadly, at Big Sky, early access on Ramcharger 8 was cancelled for Saturday morning, January 13th as well.
For those curious why the upper mountain is often colder than the base (I was!) it actually has to do with air pressure.
According to the popular science website HowStuffWorks, "As air rises, the pressure decreases. It is this lower pressure at higher altitudes that causes the temperature to be colder on top of a mountain than at sea level."
Interestingly, this phenomenon causes a predictable temperature drop with increased altitudes. Specifically, "for every 1,000 feet you ascend, the temperature drops approximately 3.5 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit."
"This predictable temperature decrease is known as the lapse rate, a crucial concept for meteorologists and climatologists. The lapse rate can vary depending on factors like humidity, time of day, and the overall weather pattern. For example, during the summer in the Pacific Northwest, the Cascade Mountains may experience a different lapse rate compared to mountain ranges in other climates or regions."
All of this is to say... when it's wicked cold, the upper mountains are the first to close!
The resort also urged guests to practice safety by protecting skin from the brutally cold temperatures, and "when going outside, be sure to dress warmly and cover any exposed skin."
Big Sky did offer a warming place that will hold til Monday, for those looking to brave the extreme weather.
Officials at the resort announced that "The Yellowstone Conference Amphitheater is open as a warming space for guests featuring movies and hot chocolate between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Friday through Monday."
For those who go, we bet it will be a good time... the cold makes the snow great, and you'll have the whole mountain to yourself!
Nothing good ever came easy.
Related: Utah Patrollers Detonate Explosives As Blizzard Sets In
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