Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin, which share the same mountain in Montana, are combining to create 5,300 acres of skiable terrain.
Big Sky Resort became famous in the 1960s through TV news legend Chet Huntley. Two years ago, Moonlight Basin was the first new destination ski area to open in the US in more than 20 years.
“This region is the last great major ski destination in the US,” said Taylor Middleton, Big Sky’s general manager.
The two resorts share Long Peak Mountain, which is about an hour’s drive from Bozeman, one of the state’s major cities.
The merger of the two is a “milestone in American skiing,” according to Burt Mills, CEO, Moonlight Basin. He said:
“What we’re doing is closer to the European model, where adjacent resorts interconnect with a lift ticket that permits skiers to access everything.”
He said the resort would offer “One of the most dynamic assortments of terrain in the world.”
The resort will offer joint lift tickets, which is a rarity in the US, while maintaining separate ownership.
Other details of the agreement will be released later.
Report by David Wilkening
