Big Sky is one of those places where the pictures you take just don’t quite do it justice. Back in 2017 my family decided to go to Big Sky, Montana over Spring Break with another family we are good friends with for the ultimate ski trip. I can say that we were not disappointed.It truly was the trip of a lifetime for so many reasons, which is why I believe we need to protect this place at all costs.
I’m going to start with talking about the scenery because holy cow it was so darn beautiful that I completely forgot about technology and social media, the two things that I, as a young, tech-addicted person, usually have on the forefront of my mind. For the first time in a long time, I felt no pressure to check my phone, no reason to get the attention of others, no need to even speak really.
I can’t describe a time in my life when I felt more at peace than I did just sitting on a ski lift going up the mountain at Big Sky. Feelings like that don’t come often now in a world filled with so much stimulation and distraction. Big Sky served as a reminder for me to just be, to just exist in a single moment and take in all the beauty I was surrounded with.
Big Sky is also a special place to me because it has an interesting way of helping people form stronger relationships. The resort at Big Sky is huge which forced the group of us five teenagers to stick together and decide as a group where we were going to go, where to meet and when to take a break.Because we didn’t have our phones, we got to have these really deep and meaningful conversations with each other. Conversations that we likely would not have in a more distracting environment. Even at night, nothing beat sitting in the hot tub at our cabin on the mountain and watching the stars after a long day of skiing.
Another reason I would personally do everything I could to protect Big Sky is because of its inclusive environment.
Throughout the trip the mountain was packed with people of all different backgrounds with different levels of experience. People skiing for the first time, like my parents (go Mom and Dad!), and experts like our family friends.
While I was there I got to witness the pride in people’s personal growth and development as they challenged themselves to take on certaintrails they didn’t think they were capable of skiing before, or hitting thetricks and rails in the park that they never thought they could conquer.
One of my favorite days of the trip was heading up to Pike’s Peak which is the highest point of the mountain at Big Sky.
Elevation: 11,141 feet.Once we got off the gondola that took us up to the very top, we were stunned by the view. It was the craziest feeling. It felt like we were on top of the world (more like the Mount Everest of Montana) and that anything was possible (except skiing back down… we chickened out and took the gondola back).
It was an incredibly humbling experience taking in the 360 degree view of the mountain chain. It was a view that I don’t think I could get tired of seeing, a view that to this day I still don’t take for granted.
I know that my experience at Big Sky is just one of thousands. I can only imagine how impactful other people’s trips were on their own lives.
I believe that Big Sky needs to be protected so that future generations can experience one of the most beautiful places in the US. They can experience nature in its most raw form, be free of technology, see the sun’s rays break through the trees going up the ski lift and watch the stars sparkle above Pike’s Peak at night.
Future generations can become better connected to others on the trip and maybe even learn a little bit more about themselves. But only if we are able to protect this place, protect our winters, and all that Big Sky means to every person that has visited it.
If you’d like to see my family’s whole experience at Big Sky, check out the video I created back in 2017 by clicking here. To learn more about the resort at Big Sky visit their site bigskyresort.com.
What Place Will You Protect?
