Snowbowl Ski and Summer Resort

Don’t go to Snowbowl looking for groomed cruisers, fancy slopeside lodging, or on-mountain “cuisine”. That’s not what this place is all about. Instead, do go to Snowbowl for thigh-crushing steep fall-line descents, well-spaced trees, and a laid-back funky vibe. This mountain, just 20 minutes from Missoula, is the very definition of a “local hill”. The chairs are slow and creaky, the tickets are rock-bottom cheap, and most people know each other. On powder days, expect a good line for first chair, but then also expect the mountain to empty noon as everyone heads back to work. On (rare) stretches when there has been no new snow for a while, expect character-building conditions and no lines.