Resort announces tram opening date; first-ride auction to benefit Big Sky nonprofits 

The new Lone Peak Tram will open to the public on Dec. 19, and proceeds from a first-ride auction will benefit BSCO, Gallatin River Task Force and Morningstar Learning Center

By Jen Clancey and Jack Reaney

Three weeks before its 50th season begins, Big Sky Resort announced its opening date for the new, 75-passenger Lone Peak Tram: Dec. 19, 2023. After reaching final stages of the project on Oct. 23, construction teams and engineers hung the two tram cabins.

On its opening day, the tram will carry its first 45 public guests, selected by an auction. All proceeds will be divided evenly to benefit the Big Sky Community Organization, Gallatin River Task Force and Morningstar Learning Center. 

Tram construction began in June 2022 and is headed by Swiss gondola-specialist Garaventa, which operates with Doppelmayr. The original, 15-passenger Lone Peak Tram, built in 1995, was removed in early October after nearly 30 years serving Big Sky skiers. Adapting the per-day charge to ride the original tram in recent years, the new tram will cost between $10-40+ per ride, according to Big Sky Resort. Certain passes will have unlimited access.

An example of local leadership and collaboration

Mariel Butan, executive director of Morningstar Learning Center, spoke on the phone with EBS after the news broke on Nov. 1.

Butan described the connection between the resort and Morningstar; the early learning and child care center makes it possible for parents to work at the resort, restaurants, Big Sky Fire Department and all the components that make for a safe and enjoyable vacation.

“The resort approached us with this really incredible opportunity to have this, really, once-in-a-generation event at the resort… that actually gives back to our local community,” Butan said. “So that was really cool, and I think it really says a lot that [Big Sky Resort] took this opportunity to not just have it be about the resort, but to have it be about the community as well.”

Butan is thankful for the event as a fundraiser, but even more for Morningstar’s increased visibility.

“The resort has a much wider audience than Morningstar does,” Butan said. “All of the members of their audience, whether they realize it or not, are impacted by the work of Morningstar… I’m really excited for our small but mighty organization to get some real exposure.”

Butan is excited to see how much money will be raised for “three really impactful community nonprofits,” she said, and she doesn’t know what to expect—she can’t think of any precedent in the ski industry.

“We’re excited to find out, and we’re also really grateful that the resort is leading the industry this way—there hasn’t been another fundraiser like this,” Butan said.

Butan did not point to any single capital project at Morningstar that the fundraiser will support, but she explained that early childhood education, especially with children aged three and under, generally does not make financial sense. Simply put, parents can’t pay enough, and teachers don’t get paid enough, she said. It requires a lot of community support.

“Having the partnership on this fundraiser is a really exciting and innovative example of how we can get creative to keep our learning center open,” Butan said. 

BSCO Executive Director Whitney Montgomery described the way the resort has worked with the organizations to set up a one-of-a-kind fundraiser. 

“The staff at the resort have been marvelous in their leadership and putting together the materials,” Montgomery said. “They have been so receptive to our ideas.”

Montgomery expressed how honored BSCO was to be among the three nonprofits that Big Sky reached out to several weeks ago. The organizations came together to make a plan that played into each other’s strengths and made the auctioned ride a rare event. 

“It’s been great to work with Morningstar and the Gallatin River Task Force,” Montgomery said on the phone with EBS. “Collectively we are all putting in equal effort to make this successful. 

“It’s been fun to work together on a common cause,” Montgomery said. 

The Gallatin River Task Force’s chief development officer, Bucky Lamb, shared similar sentiments when talking with EBS. 

“Each of our three nonprofit organizations play such a vital role in the community,” Lamb said. 

“We are honored to be able to partner with Morningstar and BSCO and we have tremendous respect for them,” he continued. “We agreed it would be best to unite and have one combined fundraiser.” 

The Gallatin River Task Force will promote the auction on their silent auction website. Since the auction opened on Nov. 1, seats have already begun to receive bids, which start at $500. 

Of the 45 seats up for auction, 25 are designated “Buy it Now” for a donation of $10,000. 

The online silent auction will  close Nov. 15. Winners will share a champagne toast at the peak on Dec. 19, a memento to remember the experience, and a one-day lift ticket and single-ride tram access. A professional photographer will capture the tram event. 

“There is a lot of excitement for the new tram coming online,” Lamb said. Montgomery seconded this, saying how excited he was for the tram to finally open up and for the event to spread more awareness of how the three nonprofits benefit the community.