Showdown Mountain Ski Area

We happened upon Showdown on a cross-state jaunt a few winters ago and can’t wait to get back. The ski area sits atop the Little Belt Mountains roughly between Helena and Great Falls – but convenient to neither. Because the Little Belts stick out of the central Montana plains, the ski area can get copious dumps of snow, but because it’s in the middle of nowhere all that snow tends to stick around for you. The area has two main chairlifts and two beginner lifts, plus enough vertical to make for a full day. While there are some steeper runs at Showdown, the mountain is best for its wide open screaming cruisers.