Mountain Layout—Snowboarding

For some ridge riding and above-treeline faces, continue up from the chairs via the adjacent Lone Peak Triple and the Lone Peak Tram to the top of Lone Mountain at 11,150 feet (if you want to reach the 11,166 summit, you'll have to hike it, enjoy the view and hike back down). Under the Lone Peak Tram, you'll find some serious descents. The most extreme—and narrow—run on the mountain is Big Couloir, just to the right of the tram. If it's open, watch some others pick their way down before you decide to try it. If you do, you are required to check in with the patrol and have a partner, beacon and shovel.

The South Face isn't as steep as the chutes under the tram, but you'll still find yourself leaning into the mountain when you're "taking a breather." Death slides are not uncommon here, so stay on the ball. If you like catching air time with the locals, there's often a group building jumps on Screaming Left, at the bottom of Liberty Bowl. If you prefer the woods, Bavarian Forest is a great romp. After the woods and runs below the face, try to stay central to avoid most of Cow Flats and Hippy Highway—end up as close to the Shedhorn lift as you can. Also try to avoid Middle Road when working your way back to the mountain village.

This mountain's great for laying out arcs too. Pick any groomer to your left off the Swift Current Express and Gondola One.

Parks and pipes
Big Sky has a well-kept halfpipe and terrain park on Andesite, near Ambush Meadows, reached by taking the Ramcharger quad and turning left. The halfpipe is just after the Ambush entrance and just before Tippy's Tumble. After watching skilled riders in the park, newbies should head left of the pipe, for the beginner terrain park hits and a 6-inch-high rail slide. Intermediate and expert park riders will find the bulk of the terrain park and rail slides directly below the halfpipe. Several kickers range in difficulty depending on speed, the direction you go into the hit and the direction you land. The rail slides, funboxes and wall ride here are all shapes and sizes. Several tabletops are near the bottom, with plenty of spectators watching from the base area and the lift, so don't blow it. On Lone Mountain, there's a natural halfpipe on Lower Morningstar and another on Buffalo Jump.