The Glacier Chaser offers a 15-minute scenic ride to Big Mountain's 7000-foot summit via open chairs or enclosed gondolas. The lift is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during June and September, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday June 30 - Sept. 2 until 9 p.m. The Summit House Restaurant has full food and beverage services.
In addition to chairlift rides this Saturday, the resort will be having a rummage sale that is open to all.
Rummage in the Village is a fundraiser for the SNOW bus and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the village. All are invited to sell their extra stuff.
The Early Bird Cross-Country Race kicks off the mountain bike race season and starts at 10:30 a.m. on a course that weaves in and around the village along lower portions of the Summit Trail, Enchanted Forest and Outpost bike trails. Big Mountain's bike trails will be closed to the public during the competition, but will reopen at the completion of the race.
As of press time, work was being done to clear snow from the Summit bike trail, while trail work is scheduled soon for the Danny On trail. Portions of the trail that face the south are clear, while snow remains in other places, especially the North Bowl ski run.
Big Mountain's free "Summit Fridays" concert program offers a free lift ride and entertainment from 4-8 p.m. every Friday from June 30 - Sept. 1. Dinner and bar service are offered inside the Summit House and on the Summit House deck.
Big Mountain is a mountain bike playground, offering the convenience of taking a mountain bike or a mountain scooter to the top of Big Mountain's summit and riding the single-track trails to the village area. There are also plenty of hill climbs and technical ladders. The popular Tuesday night mountain bike race league begins in July, including a category geared toward families and less competitive riders.
Big Mountain's eight-week Bike Academy (July 5 - Aug. 22) offers children and young adults (ages 8-17) the chance to learn mountain bike skills in a variety of settings. Parents will have an opportunity to experience the Academy with a Family Day on June 24.
Mountain bike and scooter rentals are available from Snow Ghost Outfitters in the Morning Eagle Lodge, as well as certified bike mechanics that can help with basic bike repairs and questions. Mountain Scooters are a new adrenaline activity for those who want to access the mountain on a new toy.
The Walk in the Treetops(R) adventure is available for visitors to experience life in the canopy of the trees. The treetop tour is a three-hour, half-day experience that offers a unique view of a majestic forest and the interconnected ecosystems of water, wildlife and plants. The tour includes a guided one-mile bike ride from Big Mountain Village or a ride in an open shuttle to the base camp. A half-mile hike guided by forest interpreters brings guests to the highlight of the tour: a journey on a canopy boardwalk suspended up to 70 feet above the forest floor.
Big Mountain offers one and two-hour horseback rides on trails surrounding the resort this summer, through local outfitter Bar W Ranch. The ranchers offer guests an introduction to trail riding every day except Tuesday. The trail rides are designed to introduce the average person to "nose-to-tail" horse rides, specifically for guests looking to experience the forest on the back of an incredible animal.
On Wednesdays through Sundays, free wagon rides are available in the village area. Bar W will have a team of Belgian draft horses making their way back and forth from the bottom of the Glacier Chaser gondola/chairlift to the village area Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also in the village area, many shops and restaurants offer retail, food, and beverage services
Big Mountain offers a variety of free activities to highlight the natural environment and combine adventure and education for its guests (see weekly schedule for times and dates). Programs include a grizzly bear slide show and ecosystem orientation, as well as a weekly hike with grizzly bear expert Tim Rubbert. Guests can also take a daily wildflower walk from Big Mountain's Summit Nature Center staffed by the US Forest Service at the Summit House. The walks offer first-hand information on the Glacier ecosystem and mountain fauna and flora.
Other free activities include Art Treks for kids and adults featuring a variety of media with visiting artists. Children also have the opportunity to interact with avalanche rescue dogs in the "Doggie Detectives" program. Big Mountain's tennis courts are among the best-kept sports secret in the valley.
Other events this summer include a Village Rummage Sale, Early Bird mountain bike race, Tuesday Night Mountain Bike Race Series, Summer Festival, Climb Big Mountain, Brewfest, Stargazer evening, Shakespeare in the Park, the Glacier Nordic Run, and the Huckleberry Hill Climb mountain bike race. See the events calendar for dates and details.
This summer, Big Mountain is offering a Luxury Golf Weekend that includes 3 nights lodging in a luxury condominium and guaranteed advanced tee times at three different courses. The package is priced at $300 per person based on double occupancy, in addition to green fees paid at the selected courses. Call 800-858-4157 for additional package information.
Big Mountain also offers opportunities for corporations and groups to mix business with pleasure with "Mountain Meetings." The Summit House offers meeting space for up to 100 persons in either classroom or theatre-style seating arrangements with views over the peaks of Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley. Multi-media access is available with high-speed internet access. The Summit House is also an ideal location for a mountain wedding or family reunion.
For more information on Big Mountain's summer season, visit www.bigmtn.com or call our Guest & Information Services at 406-862-2900. Located just 8 miles north of the mountain town of Whitefish and 32 miles west of Glacier National Park, Big Mountain serves as a base camp for countless summer adventures. Online lodging reservations can be booked by visiting
stayatbigmountain.com or calling 800-858-4157.
Big Mountain Summer 2006 Events Calendar
June 17: Opening Day of Summer Season
June 17: Rummage Sale in the Village
June 17: Early Bird XC Mountain Bike Race
June 24: Big Mountain Bike Academy Family Day: A free demo day of the academy's activities and trails.
June 30 - Sept. 1: Summit Friday's free concert series
July 5 - Aug. 26: Big Mountain Bike Academy every Wed & Fri
July 11 - Aug. 22: Tuesday Night Mountain Bike Race League
July 15: Flathead Industries "Climb Big Mountain"
July 15: Stargazer Evening
July 15-16: Summer Art and Music Festival
August 22: Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, "Love's Labour's Lost"
August 26: Glacier Nordic Run
August 26: Big Mountain Brewfest
Sept 2: Huckleberry Hillclimb Mountain Bike Race
Sept 10: Closing Day of Summer Season
Weekly Summer Events & Activities
Every Day
* Scenic Gondola/Lift Rides to the Summit: Day tickets (open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during June and September, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday June 30 - Sept. 3 until 9 p.m.) offering unlimited access to the lift throughout the day are $10 for one ride or $15 for all day for adults or $8 for one ride or $13 for all day for juniors and seniors. Children 6 and under and seniors 80 and over ride free. The ticket includes the option to take a mountain bike or mountain scooter up the chair for no additional charge. With a mountain bike rental from Snow Ghost Outfitters, lift charges are reduced to $10 for adults or $8 for juniors and seniors for all day access.
* Summit Nature Center: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Free (lift charges additional).
* 20-Minute Wildflowers Walks (July - Aug.) Meet at the Summit House at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to learn about the beautiful flowers near Big Mountain's summit. Free (lift charges additional).
* Walk in the Treetops(R): Tickets for the adventure are $48/person and participants must be 10 years or older and 54 inches or taller.
* Horseback Rides: $37 (1 hr. "Short and Sweet"), $63 (2 hr. Double the Fun")
* Guided Hike with a Ranger for Groups (pre-arrange)
* Guided mountain bike rides ($20/person, pre-arrange)
* Mountain Bike and Mountain Scooter rentals ($15-$35 per day, depending on equipment)
* Hiking along Danny On Trail: free hiking with free lift ride from summit to village
* Village Walk: Walk the easy village trail from Moguls beyond the barn. Interpretive and directional signs offer 15, 30, and 45-minute walks.
* Village Horse Shuttle (July & August): Free
* Tennis Courts: Free
Mondays
Grizzly Bear Slide Show at Kandahar Lodge (June 26 - Aug. 28), 7:30 p.m. Free. Learn how to identify grizzlies, what their food sources are and how to stay safe in bear country. Also included is a demonstration on how to properly use bear spray.
Tuesdays
Tuesday Nature Hike (June 27 - Aug. 29) 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Guests can learn more about the ecosystem by joining Tim Rubbert (local naturalist and photographer) for a 2-3 hour hike down the Danny On Trail. Ages 7 and up can meet at the Guest Services and Information Center at 9:45 a.m. for an easy and informative trek. Day lift ticket or season pass is required for lift ride to the summit, otherwise free.
Tuesday Night Mountain Bike Race League (Racing starts at 6:30 p.m., July 11 - Aug. 22). Tuesday Night Race League is a seven race, cross-country mountain bike series that take place Tuesday evenings on a variety of trails above Big Mountain village and the Outpost area. All abilities and ages are welcome and encouraged to participate. There is a party with awards and drawings on Moguls deck after each race. Register at the Information Center between 5 and 6 p.m. $10 per race or $35 for the entire series.
Wednesdays
Art Treks for Kids (July 19-Aug. 12). A variety of visiting artists conduct art classes designed for children. Free.
Bike Academy drop-ins welcome (July 5 - Aug. 22). $30 day, plus lift and rental. Helmets required.
Fridays
Summit Fridays free concert series (June 30 - Sept. 1); Glacier Chaser chairlift and gondola free from 4 - 9 p.m., with dinner, bar service, and entertainment at the summit.
Bike Academy, day camp for kids; drop-ins welcome (July 5 - Aug. 25)
Saturdays
Doggie Detectives for kids (July 1, 15, 16, 19; Aug. 12, 26) 10:30-noon; p.m. Free. Learn how rescue dogs work; these sessions are specifically designed for kids. Call 406-862-2900 to reserve a spot (15-child limit).
Art Treks for adults, ages 15_ (July 22-Aug. 9). A variety of visiting artists conduct classes in photography, watercolor and oil-based paints. Free.
