Montana Snowbowl Review

It's a pretty good place to ski.
But, their website sucks and there isn't a real person on the other end of the phone.

The half day starts at 12:30 PM. It's here because you can't find it anywhere from them.

I took a friend, Brad Carter, here looking for work! This he maintenance area was clean and well organized. The people were friendly, helpful and accommodating. The lodge was not yet open, but appeared to be large and quaint and inviting. Seems like a very nice added attraction for Missoula's and Montana's winter tourism season.

Convenient. If you learn here, you can ski anywhere. Needs faster lifts.

Incredible! Love the lifties, the steeps (West Bowl is fantastic), and you can't beat the wood-fired pizza!

Classic local vibe Montana ski resort. Features two chairs, two tows and decent range of Black runs (powder forest skiing) all on Big Sky Mountain.

Skiing village at the bottom has one cafe and a bar-restaurant that s open till late serving pizza and craft beer.

Everything you could want in a ski resort and very accessible from Missoula.

Summer: great views hiking on the mountain but tons of knapweed and other weeds. Winter: used to ski here a lot but there are very few groomed runs so a full day becomes boring for an advanced intermediate skier.There are lots of steep, deep mogul runs so if you like that it's a great place for you. They are adding more terrain however so I'll report back.

nice lodge,not to fancy,very pleasant,friendly staff

It's a ski hill close to Missoula, but it is not that great. There are several flat spots where you need to skate arround on your skis. Also when I was there the place was just a sheet of ice. I had a hard time stoping, turning, or doing anything where you needed traction. I also ran across spots where there were streaks of bare ground with no snow

Amazing views, great hiking in the summer , and skiing in the winter. Great food at the lodge.

Great place for summer fun too!
Zip lining was a lot of fun and the ski lift makes for some incredible views.
Staff was friendly and fun.

Best of both seasons! Local best ! Great pizza, BBQ, staff...best bloody Mary's

Skied here since I was a kid. Awesome terrain! From Angel Face (Advanced) to Paradise (Beginner), as long as they have enough snow there's something for everyone! If the main lift was faster it'd be a five star for sure!
Pics from Far East 12/28/20

Last day of January 2021 and they needed snow pretty bad. Other than that it was a pleasant visit

Sister Sue and I zipped down the zip line and then enjoyed lunch on the deck watching the next group do the same. We had a great time, the food was delicious (especially recommend the Brie, yum!), but what impressed us most was the kindness of the staff. They went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and well cared for every moment. Thanks Snowbowl for our excellent summer adventure.

Great place, but hard for beginners and packed on Saturdays.

It was a great first zip lining experience! Amazing instructors!!

Imagine the best dive bar in your home town and that's what this ski hill is.

Not a bad hill, but as short of snow as they are, they should have had more runs closed than they did. Or even delayed opening. I didn't know if I would have any edges left on my skis!

Decent skiing, newly opened terrain. Ski lifts are far from great, but get you to the top of the hill. Decent food, and a fun place to hang out with friends

The snowbowl rocks! Great skiing, really long runs, not too crowded, and some of the best woodfired pizzas I ever had!! Had an awesome time.

this little hill has a bunch of easily accessible, advanced terrain to ski. it's my favorite honestly!

Rental staff was not friendly or this would be a better rating. It you're looking for groomed slopes this is not your place. Ski staff especially lift operators were awesome! Food was very good for as small as this place is. Bar staff was awesome! Really good Bloody Mary's!

The state traumatic brain injury group had the yearly get together hike at Snow Bowl skii hill. A great facility and a great help. Very beautiful.

Great for skiers not to bad for snowboarders.
This mountain is low in elevation and lack of snow can be a problem.
Good backside runs though!

Snow was not grwat. Lefts were slow and it is not clear how to get lift tickets etc

Good drinks and fun ride up to top with great views. Sons rode bikes down the trails and had a blast

When it's good, some of the best skiing around. Get a pizza

Best bloody Mary's in the Missoula area and their pizza for a ski mountain so yummy

I've been skiing here for 17 years. It's a fun mountain to be on, lots of difficult terrain. Not the easiest place for beginners to ski.

Rule of thumb at snowbowl, if u don't like the hill it's probably because you're not good enough to ski it's amazing terrain.

Mountain is awesome when there s snow. The people that work here though leave a lot to be desired. Not sure how you can be so mad at the world working in such a beautiful place but they sure do suck the fun out anytime you deal with them, from the ticket window, to the lift operator, to the food and bev folks.

Snowbowl is amazing, honestly I loved going there with my family.

When the snow is good it's Heaven. When the snow is bad it's Hell. Small mountain with challenging terrain. The new snow park lift adds some badly needed intermediate terrain and takes the pressure off the top of the mountain.

We came to Montana from Utah to visit family. While in Missoula we went Ziplining at Snowbowl. We had such a great time. I am scared of heights so I was super scared but it was really Fun!! I recommend this to everyone!!

good hill when the snow hits. not great for beginners.

Surprisingly huge amount of terrain and vertical for only two lifts. Lots of intermediate and advanced, great staff all around.

I learned to ski at Snowbowl so I'm certainly a little biased but I love this little mountain. For an experienced skier, it's got everything the big resorts have minus the crowds and the price tags. I come back every chance I get.

My last choice to ski in the Missoula area. Drive to Lookout, Lost Trail, or Discovery before going here. Born and raised here and watched all of these resorts update their facilities, add lifts, add new features like terrain parks etc., while snowbowl had only increased their lift ticket prices. Too bad we don't have Marshal Mountain anymore or that the Lolo resort didn't go through because Snowbowl gets to continue to exploit their monopoly on Missoula area skiing.

Tried repeatedly to get zipline reservations and no one ever calls back

Beautiful views from the top. Skiing on top was nice. The weather and the snow were great. I suggest you bring lunch to the top because the trip down is a lot of work. Base area is ok but undersized on a busy ski day. It was fairly crowded on a weekday in January. It was icy and steep and dark on the way back to the lodge at the end of the day. Still a nice area to ski,

Great place to lay some tracks. Seems overlooked or looked down upon by Missoulians as lift lines were nonexistant.

Excellent day and the soup at the bar was delicious

For snowboarding or skiing snowbowl is the worst place in Montana. It is way over priced and the lift attendants constantly harass you about the smallest of things. If you can go somewhere else. I've been to all in Montana and they are all better than snowbowl.

Great ski hill in the winter. This was my first trip up in the summer. It is absolutely beautiful up there. Great views and nice trails. They even have a zipline tour with at least three different ziplines.

Very good, would definetely recommend to anyone who is starting out, or looking for a good challenge.

Amazing staff! I went zip lining for the first time here. Great instruction and beautiful scenery.

The runs are steep, the lifts are slow, and road isn't paved; that's why Snowbowl is the best. It lacks amenities larger resorts in Montana have, but tickets are cheap, the pizza is amazing, and the staff is awesome.

Montana Snowbowl was a huge disappointment. We brought our 5 year old son there after he had been skiing well at Discovery for a day of skiing while visiting family. Unfortunately how the runs are set up to ski green you have to go to the second lift chair that brings you to the top. That's lift is a 2 seater with a bar in the middle. It becomes downright dangerous for kids who can't reach to touch since I couldn't help my son on and off because of the bar in the middle. He had an unfortunate fall because the chair lift attendant was also not paying attention even though I was shouting for him to help my son get off. Worse ski experience ever. No easy runs all the way to the bottom also left me skiing with my son piggy back to get him down the mountain after he fell so many times. The bunny hill is also not great with just a rope tow. We will never go back. Discovery however has great chair lifts for kids, helpful staff, and great runs.

Close to Missoula. Dirt road to the ski hill. Locals mountain. I highly recommend this ski area.

Great day skiing and friendly lift operators. Thank you!

Love snow bowl. I just got a job here. This is the place I spend most of my time. I have yet to see winter hours but I'm sure it will be poppin. SNOWBOWL is just replace to be!

When they have the snow it's some of the best riding I've ever done. Rocks, great tree runs and steep everywhere.

Went here for the ziplining tour. It was really fun!!

Snowbowl is awesome. While it's small there is plenty of varied terrain. Pizza and a beer at lunch outside on the patio or inside by the fire. So close to Missoula that you're back in town for dinner in 20 minutes.

It s close to town, which is a huge plus; however, it is not always well maintained both facilities and grooming. Parking is a bit of a cluster. Does not cater to beginner skiers at all. I would highly reccomend not taking any beginners to Snowbowl. Best option is a forest road that is narrow and gets congested easily. If you are a comfortable skier or looking to get on the hill for a half day it s good to go otherwise.

This place has been in my top 5 , and has yet to drop off my radar . Around 1998or,1999 ..Some how,some way ,(I was lured into it, *air-fare paid and boarding pass @Airport terminal 2 main bar..awaiting...). It was afterall her birthday wish to have me , bring in the San Diego warmth to a frigid Montana White Christmas..ready for a whirl wind tour? !! I'm the Birthday/Christmas present all in one... Holiday Bender commence !!!!!!! .
I landed Eve of Christmas and this town is Awesome !!!. Missoula is not huge . or even a big town ,but to pack over 365 bars into this place.(yes over) .. You can't help not to have a good time here. Most of the nitelife spots burned down . a couple a times too. Downtown along the river Salmon River ,I think..anyways ..
. Hell" some a dose' got dat' big plank pine floors seasoned well from spilled Whisky by the barrel , and Gunslinger Card shark bloodstaining cheaters.. Some places still there from the old west ...Easy whisky bottle visions of Doc Holiday ,Wyatt Earp , other ghosts about these places.. Still to this very day some of the best dam Thai food I ever, was in Missoula Montana.
Half court basketball , In the bar. Shoot a game of horse with the whole dam bar !!!! For pitchers and shots of course.. I Rode a bull , bucking bronco, One place had lumberjack trials/ games.Axe throwing bullseye. Chopping ,Log rollico, Pole climbing (That might had been at a tryouts for the state teams competition level)
.Casinos , gambling is everywhere.(keno machines) Gas stations , laundry mats ,corner saloon watering hole,. Not giant neon distraction Vegas Style . thank god. Fun enough to fund my airfare !!! Diversity is served up well ,by having University Montana , Cheech Marin's daughter was a regular in the Shop At Snowbowl .
Snowbowl Ski Area ...... Not for everyone... But ..
For those who have been there with good snow to be had .. The Best 2 Lifts in a 500 mile radius.. (Keep in mind Big Sky is not to far , Bridger Bowl close too. You can look right in on JackHole. Wyo from the Grand Couloir .. Then SBowl had a center pole double chair. Str8 up 2000 or 3 vertical feet. Picking lines through the rock wall chutes to the NE riding up that chair. A Brief Tree Glade run finish, burn turns towards the booze box . Just watch getting caught in the "Thick of it all"Valley gulch.. Possible to find yourself hiking out..
The Hiking and Back country SBowl has to tempt and treat you with is some of the best in the PacWest. Easily accessible from one of the two lifts . I can remember hiking up to the 'DeathStar', (Doppler weather ball station) perched up on top a peak above Main lodge and riding around and off the back of it , dropping into jenny bowl ?? I could be wrong naming. But Epic Bowl basin . Steep cliffs great snow , had too much fun in it , did jump out in time to catch the lower part of trail and had a hell of a traverse out . only to be greeted to a rope tow on a jeep back up to the lodge. Beats hitching a ride back up.
Hiking TV Mtn , Tree skiing at its best .. Those woods are what thousand year old growths. Drop in some cool whip freshies , and you'd be laughing .. Not enough daylight to get my fill in..
You got world class-- Terrain ,
Snow Savvy ness . (Momo natures got to bless that)
What Merits Cinco Estrella you ask ? ?
It is the people here that you meet, interaction experience you have , The Mountain population working on the hill. . All the other Riders . Skiers, Boarders, Tele guys, to the most revered and sought after guy at the end of the day ,the Bartender. For me and my time here his name was Garland ... Yes the very name makes you smile and thoughts of Xmas joy fill your head.. And I'm sure he'd heard enough of that in his day. So to change that happy jolly mindset This Man or God of the Garlic, had his very special own Bloody Mary mix ,affectionately adorned with his name followed by the words Sheer Hell !!and so onto every glass was garnished by huge elephant garlic clusters.

I hate this place the people are mean the snow sucks the runs are too short and no good snow!

Ticket booth girl was extremely rude and theatrical. Definitely did not set the tone for my visit off to a good start.

This place has an aging set up for a wedding. I love the rustic venue space inside & I love the ceremony area with the mountain view. You absolutely cannot beat the price either.

Great hill. Tree skiing, steep terrain. Older chairs.

Awesome zip-line experience! My only gripe would be the 1/2 mile hike from the 1st to the 2nd point. It was fine for me, but I had people in my party who struggle greatly with hiking. There was a road leading up to the 2nd point; they should utilize that for people who struggle with hiking by loading them up into a vehicle instead of requiring that they climb the somewhat steep trail.