Moonlight Basin

Moonlight Basin
Miniature of Moonlight Basin
Location	Big Sky, Montana
Nearest city	Bozeman, Montana
Top elevation	11,166 feet (3,403.4 m)
Base elevation	7,000 feet (2,100 m)
Skiable area	1,900 acres (769 ha)
Runs	76+
Longest run	2.8 miles (4.5 km)
Lift system	6 chairlifts
Snowfall	400 inches
Website	Official Site

Moonlight Basin was a ski resort in southwestern Montana, located in the Madison Range of the Rocky Mountains in the resort village of Big Sky. In October 2013, it, along with ski terrain within the Club at Spanish Peaks, were consolidated into Big Sky Resort, making Big Sky the largest single ski resort in the United States, with 5,750 acres (2,330 ha) of terrain and over 30 ski lifts.

The resort's land was purchased in 1992 from Big Sky Lumber Company and began as Moonlight Basin Ranch, a real estate development on the north edge of the adjacent Big Sky Resort. Moonlight Basin progressed slowly. It opened as an independent ski area in December 2003, on the north face of Lone Mountain. The 11,166 foot (3403 m) summit is accessed by the Lone Peak Tram, part of Big Sky. The resort, completely on private land, is adjacent to the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area and posh Yellowstone Club in the Madison River drainage in Madison County. (The Big Sky Resort, also on private land, is in the Gallatin River drainage which drains into Gallatin County.)

Moonlight Basin features the extreme terrain of The Headwaters. These steep chutes and gullies on the north face of Lone Mountain, once known as the "Nashville Bowl," can be hiked to from the Headwaters lift (opened in December 2005) or Big Sky's Challenger lift, both of which unload at just under 10,000 feet (3048 m) above sea level. The resort also features terrain consisting of open bowls, tree skiing, moguls, long groomers, beginner runs, and a freestyle terrain park. A full day adult lift ticket for the first season was $39 for the 2008-2009 ski season. The Lone Peak Pass combines Big Sky and Moonlight Basin resorts and was $93 for the 2008-2009 season. The combined pass was first offered during the 2005-2006 season.

The primary lift at Moonlight Basin is the Six Shooter, a high speed six pack chairlift that climbs 1850 vertical feet (564 m) from the base and is nicknamed "the flying couch." The Headwaters chairlift connects at the top of Six Shooter, rising another 685 feet (209 m), for a total lift-served vertical rise of 2535 feet (772 m) from the 7000 foot (2134 m) base. The other upper lift is the Lone Tree quad, installed in 2004 for the second season, which allows access to the glade like terrain northwest of the Headwaters. Additional lift-served vertical is attained at Moonlight Basin by purchasing the Lone Peak Pass and taking Big Sky's tram to the summit of Lone Mountain.