The great outdoor lifestyle, with its myriad of recreational activities, is highly revered among those who live and play in Big Sky and the nearby, upscale enclaves of Bozeman, Montana.  The spirit of this area was captured in the film, A River Runs Through It.  Shot on location in Montana, it starred Brad Pitt and was directed by Robert Redford. You get the sense that nature actually takes on the leading role in the story and fly fishing, becomes a path to zen-like meditation. 

 

According to Martha Johnson, “Fly fishing in the Big Sky area is centered around the Gallatin River. You have a choice of five blue-ribbon trout streams. Because we are located close to the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park, it is not uncommon to observe a herd of elk walk by or a moose because we are in the migration corridor of Yellowstone.  In the winter, the snow is like down feathers. You use a broom instead of shovel to clear it from your porch”

“Everyone in the Bozeman- Big Sky area is here by choice, says. Robyn Erlenbush. “There are experiences to be had here like nowhere else in the USA.  For example, if exclusivity is what you seek, Yellow Stone Club, a private residential community,  may be perfect for you. Where else can you find ‘’Private Powder’ skiing?”

Denise Andres says, “Bozeman is a university town (MSU) teaming with intellectual vibrancy and vitality. Retirees love university towns like ours. There is so much to do here. For example, we have regularly scheduled art walks and music on Main Street.The Bridger Bowl ski area is only 20 minutes from downtown. People here smile a lot because they generally are not stressed”.

“The Big Sky Ski and Summer Resort offers best of class skiing that spans across three interconnected mountains with over 5,000 acres, 4000 vertical feet and  220 trails.  We get over 400 inches of snow annually.” Karen Davids said. “ Big Sky is known for having ‘the Biggest Skiing in America”, Karen added.

According to Ernie Hall,”The average number of skiers on a busy day in Big Sky is about 5000 which  means one skier per acre. With high speed quad lifts there literally are no lift lines!  That means you can get more skiing packed into a single day”. 

“There are no ‘big box’ retailers in Big Sky. Main street in Bozeman still has the western Montana charm and it is thriving! , says Ania Bulis. “As a ski resort area, we do not have a big city draw like Denver, for example. Bozeman only has about 60,000 people. However,, according to Don Pilotte, “ We do have the most skiable terrain in the USA; it is very much like the Alps in Europe in that regard.And, it is built on private land”. 

“Locals treasure the simplicity of life in Big Sky”, says Eric Ossorio. “For that reason it is self-selective in terms of who is attracted to the area. We have a saying here:   ‘If we don't have it we don't need it‘.

According to Jerry Pape, “There still are cowboys in Montana who ride horses, wear cowboy hats and participate in rodeos.  It occurred to me early on that we do not sell real estate here in Big Sky.   We sell big dreams! “ 

“One of our greatest assets in Big Sky is wide open space”, says Shawna Winter . “The views  are simply majestic; I just want to be outdoors”. 

Photos Courtesy of the Brokers Interview in This Articlle