Big Sky, MT –With a meager 18-inch base of snow currently on Vail Mountain’s slopes, Colorado ski conditions have been far less than epic thus far this season, and one Montana ski resort intends to take full advantage of the situation.

Big Sky Resort, which itself is only reporting 33 to 51 inches of base, currently claims 3,050 of its 3,812 acres open, thanks in part to a couple of snowstorms over the past week. With those conditions contrasting with Colorado’s distinct lack of snow so far this winter, Big Sky Resort is spreading the love by inviting Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass holders to ski for free throughout the month of January.

“Big Sky has about twice the open acreage that Vail and Breckenridge do right now, plus we’ve had some great powder,” said Chad Jones, Big Sky Resort Public Relations Manager. “And with other Epic Pass resorts like Heavenly at under 200 acres, we decided to share the wealth.  We’re a skier’s and rider’s mountain, and no one should miss out on good snow just because they live in Colorado or California.”

Big Sky currently has all of its lifts running, accessing the resort’s full 4,350 vertical feet via 131 of the ski area’s 155 named runs that are currently open.  Resort officials indicate that they experienced a nearly 15 percent increase in holiday week skier visits over same week in 2010, and an increase over the previous record season in 2007 as well.

To take advantage of the offer, Epic Pass holders may ski for free for the duration of their stay when they book lodging with Big Sky Central Reservations and ask for the Epic Package.  Big Sky Resort will extend the Bring a Buddy Coupon to holders as well, allowing friends in their reservation without Epic Passes to ski for $74 per day.