As the last fall foliage drops, snowfields and ridgelines take over, drawing winter travelers to rugged terrain, deep powder, and towns where the luxury real estate dazzles as brightly as the sun on fresh drifts.
Take Aspen, Colorado, where Amazon founder Jeff Bezos hit the A-List slopes earlier this year with wife Lauren Sanchez.
Indeed, the glitterati have long strapped on carbon-tipped skis to hit above-the-fold resorts like Colorado’s Aspen Mountain and Vail’s groomed runs at Blue Sky Basin. Rounding out the best-known ski resorts is Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with its slopes as famous as the valley’s chalets.
Yet other U.S. towns tucked in forested landscapes are quietly ascending to the summit station, boasting world-class skiing, snow-covered mountain peaks, and luxury multimillion-dollar properties, minus the snow-goggled crowds.
Hugging the Rocky Mountains, these ski towns form a spine of luxury enclaves across the Mountain West, united by pristine powder and distinct downtowns.
Big Sky, Montana
One&Only Moonlight Basin, left, is one of the notable residential developments that has opened recently in Big Sky.Zakara Photography
The mere mention of Montana conjures up an image of breathtaking wilderness. For lucky skiers disembarking from Lone Peak Tram at Big Sky Resort, miles of open bowls and tree-lined runs stretch out like a private alpine resort.
Indeed, the towering Lone Peak attracts diehard skiers who seek advanced terrain, such as the extreme Big Couloir run off the 11,166-foot summit.
“Big Sky Resort has 5,850 acres of terrain, making it one of the largest resorts in the U.S.,” says Jason Carrico, sales associate at The Big Sky Real Estate Company. “But because there aren’t any large cities nearby, it feels less crowded than places like Aspen or Vail.”
Beyond the mountain, Big Sky remains “a quaint ski town that’s a little lesser-known,” says Andrew Hurlburt, owner and broker at Bozeman Real Estate Group.
Yet, despite its luxury ski-in, ski-out homes surrounded by mature evergreen forests, Montana still lags behind mainstream ski spots in household name recognition.
To read the full article on Masion Global, click here.