In 1954, the Bozeman State Park and Recreation Association was formed as a 501c(4) nonprofit, offering board membership to Montana residents 18 years or older.  In 1955, the original platter lift, a primitive style of rope-tow still used at some resorts, was opened to the public. In 1971, the name was permanently changed to Bridger Bowl. 

With over 2,000 acres and 2,700 vertical feet—2,600 of which are lift-accessible—Bridger Bowl is the country’s second-largest non-profit ski area. For 69 years, it has been dedicated to being a community-centric recreation area, providing world-class terrain to residents of Gallatin Valley and beyond.  

Snow sports are growing in popularity as more people each year try their hand at the art of sliding on snow. This trend, along with the rapid growth of Montana’s population following the pandemic and the increasing uncertainty of winters worldwide, has put pressure on the winter sports economy. As a result of these growing pains, Bridger Bowl looks toward the future to protect its most valuable assets: the snowpack and what Hiram Towle, Bridgers’ general manager and director of operations, calls “its local flavor.” 

Bridgers’ nonprofit status helps protect it from being purchased by a major corporation, though it could still partner with a multi-mountain season pass system, such as Vail Resorts Epic Pass or Alterra Mountain Companies Ikon Pass. These multi-mountain partnership passes enable the pass holder to ski at any of the affiliated resorts for a predetermined number of days. However, these passes have often been scrutinized for causing crowding, especially in seasons where certain regions have significantly more snow than regular and during holidays. Recently, Bridger Bowl was approached by the Indy Pass, a similar multi-mountain partnership pass for independent and nonprofit ski areas.  

“The most independent thing we could do is to say no to that trend and just really focus on our local community,” said Towle. “Although we love to share our beautiful mountain with others, it is a local ski area and we’re very passionate here about keeping that vibe.” 

The choice to remain independent from all multi-mountain partnership passes has been one of the many steps that Bridger has taken in recent years to protect its patrons from overcrowding. However, their greatest step toward combating crowding has the added benefit of reducing Bridger Bowl’s total carbon footprint, one of Towle’s principal interests. 

“When you look through the long view, you have to consider our environmental impact. You have to consider what the future might look like,” said Towle. We’re just taking a very cautious approach to this growth and trying to plug the holes that we can.”  

Thankfully, the Bridger Bowl bus system is doing just that. “The majority of people believe that the crowding in lodges, lift lines, and slope crowding are no more than they would expect. The parking lot is what they look at as being the hassle factor,” said Towle. Rather than looking at building more parking spaces, which could lead to more crowding, Bridger Bowl has instead invested its resources in more buses.  

“These buses are incredibly expensive. They do not pencil out; we’re doing it as a community resource to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Towle. “But we’re willing to invest money in those types of things because the money gets to stay here as a nonprofit.” 

In addition to the measures taken to reduce their carbon emissions, Bridger Bowl has also begun to counter the effects of climate change directly with the use of snowmaking machines. Though expensive, Towle explained the necessity of the investment: “If you want to survive far into the future, you invest in snowmaking.” Bridger Bowl opened on time thanks to the tireless efforts of the snowmaking and grooming crew. “[They] were our savior this year. Can’t thank that team enough,” said Towle.  

As winters become more uncertain, Bridger Bowl has become an industry leader for sustainable practices to preserve their local flavor and ensure it does not expire. Towle concluded: “We’re looking at ways to reduce our carbon every day, but the real impact we can make is telling our story.”