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You don’t end up at Beartooth Basin by mistake—you chase it, mile after winding mile up the Beartooth Highway, until suddenly, there it is: a lift-served mirage well above 10,000 feet, looking like a ski movie from 1997. Snowfields shimmer in the summer sun. Pomas whir. Tank-top clad riders peer over a cornice the size of a pickup truck. There’s no lodge, no cell service, and no RFID. It’s just you and a whole lot of possibilities.
Watch: Beartooth Basin Offers a One-of-a-Kind Ski Experience
Beartooth Basin is one of North America’s last true ski frontiers—and the sole summer-only ski area in the nation. This year, it opens for the summer tomorrow, May 28, and is expected to remain open daily through Sunday, July 6, if conditions allow.
The fact that lifts are spinning and tickets are being sold means that a few uncontrollables have aligned: Beartooth Highway (Route 212), an engineering marvel masquerading as an All-American scenic drive, is clear; there’s enough snow on the slopes; and the weather on the pass isn’t too volatile. To put it in perspective, the ski area opened for a little less than a month in 2023 and didn’t open at all in 2024. So tomorrow’s opening day is indeed something to celebrate.
Beartooth Basin is tucked high on the spine of the Absaroka Range, which stretches across the Montana–Wyoming border. It can only be accessed via Beartooth Highway, which runs between Red Lodge, Montana and the Northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The skiing takes place on the Twin Lakes Headwall, which is located at the top of Beartooth Pass at around 10,900 feet. Beartooth Basin has around 600 acres of poma-serviced terrain, most of it for advanced intermediate and expert riders who are comfortable with the steeps (some pitches are upwards of 50 degrees).
In keeping with the Basin’s old-school feel, tickets can be purchased in-person with cash or check; no credit cards and definitely no Apple Pay. You can buy full-day lift tickets ($50) and season passes ($395) online, but anything purchased online is non-refundable and their website warns that, “If you are unsure about the lifts operating, Highway 212 being open, or your ability to ride our terrain then don’t buy your tickets online.” Half-day tickets, which cost $40 and are valid from 12 to 3 p.m., can only be purchased at the ski area. The ski area caps the number of daily skiers at 100.
Beartooth Basin isn’t easy to get to. It’s not convenient, polished, or predictable. But if you’re the kind of skier who’s still chasing snow when the rest of the world has moved on to beach chairs and barbecues, then this place will feel like home. That said, before you plan a summer excursion to Beartooth Basin, check the status of Route 212 (see here for the Montana side, here for the Wyoming side) and for the ski area’s socials, check here.
And don’t forget cash and sunscreen. Lots of sunscreen.
