Anna's Awesome Adventures!!!: Big Sky!

Today we woke up at 6:45, got ready, had breakfast in the room (biscuits, cereal, muffins, apple juice, cocoa), and headed out at 7:50. It was a beautiful drive up the valley -- 10 degrees, snow-covered mountains all around, and sunshine. It made it wonderful. Matthew and I were given new skis for Christmas, and Matthew ordered his from a shop in Big Sky. We picked them up on the way up to the slopes.

By 10 AM, we were riding a HIGH-SPEED chairlift (yeah...feels so much better compared to Hidden Valley's slow old things!!) to start the fun day. The runs are nice and long, with gorgeous snow. Matthew and I enjoyed skiing for the first time on our new skis. Mine, which are longer and fatter, are the perfect fit for me. They turn, glide, ski backwards, and handle groomed or powder runs beautifully. It's a joy to ski on them.

At 11:45, we headed to The Yurt for lunch. No electricity or running water (you have to settle for the good ol' outhouse for your bathroom needs), but a stove keeps the small room cozy. The chili and cocoa warmed us back up and gave us the energy we needed to enjoy an afternoon of beauty. It never really got above about 15 degrees; it was probably as cold as 0 in some places. Good gear kept us comfortable, and the sunshine all day (a real treat) helped.

At 1:30, we went to a mountain chapel church service. Those are so much fun! You just stand in your skis, in God's beautiful creation, and sing songs, pray, and listen to a short devotional. It's not very long but it's a nice way to worship on the mountain.

Finally, we headed over to the tram, which took us to the very top of Big Sky -- 11,166-foot Lone Peak. The only way down is on a black or double black run, meaning that if you take the tram to the top, you better be an experienced skier to get down. We took a nice, wide-open bowl (rated as a black) all the way down. None of us fell. It was the best run ever and my skis did perfectly...it was so FUN!

We did a little shopping around the Big Sky village -- t-shirts, new mittens for me, and hatpins. Afterwards, we went to supper at Ousel & Spur, an Italian-type restaurant. We shared pasta, pizza, salads, and bread. The prices are high and the portions smaller than expected but the food was good. We were back to the hotel at 8 PM.