Photos by:

Lee Erickson

Lone Peak
Pam B, Nancy H, Joe B,

Bruce W, Manfred D

On The Deck
Nancy H, John V, Rick N,

Pat N, Margo D, Manfred D, Jim H

View Of Lone Peak
Jim H, Dan R, Joe B,

Nancy H, Bruce W

We are still smiling.  On Sunday March 7 thirty-six ULLRs, Tuesday Wipeouts and Sitzmark members converged at Big Sky for a week of fun on the snow.  Half flew and half drove to Montana arriving from 4 states.  The scenery up the Gallatin River Canyon is one of the most beautiful drives in this country.

Mountain managers from both ski areas greeted us at our Welcome Pizza Party at our Big Horn condos upon arrival.  Name tags help us learn the new faces.  However, as our week progressed nicknames stuck - like Bode Miller (Jim H), Alberto Tomba (Lee E), Jean Claude Killey (Bruce W), Lindsey Vonn (Nancy H), Peekabo Street (Sylvia S), and the Studettes.  Lone Mountain Peak was a trip highlight at 11,000+ ft with a memorable gondola ride from which we took movies of Smoking Joe skiing down its double black face, WOW!  Runs like Grizzley, Challenger, the Bowl, and Liberty each produced special memories/adventures.  We are happy to note no one reported a ski injury, but one finger was stepped on by a stocking foot at the Leftover Party.

We skied on big, long open runs at Big Sky, and as many steeps and moguls as the heart desired.  At Moonlight the scenic runs through virgin pine forest had exciting dips, turns and variety where most ended at the high-speed six-pack lift.  At both areas we skied right to high-speed chair lifts, no waiting in lift lines, had as much daily vertical as a body could handle at both Moonlight Basin and at Big Sky.  To start a ski day we just walked across the street to Black Bear Poma to ski either area and away we went, we skied from one ski area to the other and back again.  Some of us skied to Moonlight Lodge daily for their wonderful deli delights, the beer was good too.  The Apre' Ski at Whiskey Jack's or Chet's were daily debriefing spots with live music, some danced, some were in the musical skit/comedy act, all re-hydrated one way or another.  One day the apre' ski rumor had Bruce hosting a hot buttered rum party, that certainly was a delicious rumor!  Thank you, Bruce!

Midweek nine of our group shuttled to West Yellowstone for a day snowcoach ride into Yellowstone National Park to see steaming rivers, Old Faithful spoutting, geyser basins spewing steam, boiling pools and mud pots with nearby bison and elk, coyotes, ducks, even a swan.

Our skiers enjoyed a ranch style group dinner nicely presented at the BuckT4 with second and third helpings.  BuckT4 shuttled us all from and back to our condos.  A large Caesar salad preceded the whiskey beef steaks and raspberry marinated pork chops - tender and tasty, with scalloped potatoes, green beans & slivered almonds, rolls followed by decadent three layer chocolate cake with fudge & real whipped cream.  The waitress displayed photography prowess shooting our group photo on 6 or 7 cameras.

Friday's leftover party became a collection of gourmet dishes.  We skied like we ate, both good!  Here we shared adventures and fun stories from our Montanan ski week.  Pam downloaded memory chips from our digital cameras unto her laptop - 720 trip pics and action movies taken at Big Sky and Moonlight Basin then we watched our photos taken on this trip.  Pam graciously and quickly burned then, Fed Ex-ed us jacketed CDs with all our photos and movies for each trip participant.  Thank you, Pam!  We passed out these CDs on Thursday following trip at March ULLR meeting.  The Wipeout spouses joined ULLR.  We appreciate getting to know each of you and your Tuesday Wipeouts.  Welcome to ULLR!
Our Big Sky Group had so much fun together that we decided to continue the smiles and fun at a party held on April 9th.  Leroy/Lee in Summerset WI volunteered his American Legion Post for the post party.