Our “Nepenthes On Tour” series follows our team as they explore the world beyond the store.
For the final weekend before Big Sky Resort closes its doors for the season, the mountain delivered one last cinematic twist. A late April snowstorm rolled in and blanketed everything in fresh powder. It was the kind of timing skiers dream about, and for Cole and his crew, who had come chasing exactly those conditions, it felt almost scripted. Every run was softer, deeper, quieter, like the mountain was saving its best for last.
Set in the rugged expanse of southwestern Montana, not far from Bozeman, Big Sky lives up to its name in every sense. With nearly 6,000 acres of skiable terrain and more than 300 named runs spread across multiple peaks, it is not just big, it is overwhelming in the best way. Wide-open bowls, steep chutes, and long, winding groomers stretch beneath towering alpine ridgelines, offering a sense of scale that is rare even among North America’s top resorts.
Cole had been invited out by the resort alongside his friends for a full immersion into everything Big Sky has to offer, and it went far beyond the slopes. Between sessions carving down advanced and expert terrain, there were moments to reset and recharge, from deep tissue massages to slow afternoons taking in the mountain air. Still, the skiing remained the centerpiece.
As if the weekend needed anything more, multi-platinum R&B artist Tinashe closed out the resort’s Spring Series with a DJ set high on Andesite Mountain. At over 9,000 feet above sea level, the energy was surreal. Cole found himself backstage, taking it all in against a backdrop that felt unreal.
From the first chair at 8 a.m. to the final runs before lifts closed at 4 p.m., Cole barely stopped moving. While his friends carved alongside him on snowboards, he spent the day pushing himself run after run, fully locked into the rhythm of the mountain. There was no downtime, no hesitation, just pure adrenaline.
Montana, in moments like these, feels less like a place and more like a world of its own. Towering peaks, roaming wildlife, and night skies so clear they seem infinite. It is the kind of winter landscape that stays with you long after you leave.
The trip, in every sense, felt magical. And while Cole already knows he will be back at Big Sky, his sights are now set across the Pacific, toward the legendary powder fields of Hokkaido next winter. Stay tuned…
