Big Sky Real Estate Listing Statistics at January 1, 2011 On January 1, 2011 there were a total of 359 listings in Big Sky and the Gallatin Canyon for a total listing volume of $338.9 million. Average days on market continued to be close to a year at 336 days. Of the total listings, 222 are condos, 133 are single family residences and the remaining 14 are townhomes. Although single family residences represent 36% of the total listings, they represent 62% of the dollar listing volume. The average listing price is $919K but the median price is substantially lower at $579K due to the large number of lower price condos making included in total listings. The average single family home is $1.59 million whereas the average condo lists for $533K. Condo Townhome Single Family All Listings ...

    THE CLUB AT SPANISH PEAKS OFFERS BIG FUN IN BIG SKY Big Sky, Montana: Pure and simple. Natural and unspoiled. The quintessential American wilderness. Roughly four million acres of National Forest, designated wilderness and national parks define Big Sky and in the midst of this gem of unblemished wild country sits The Club at Spanish Peaks. The Club is a 5,700-acre private enclave in a very privileged neighborhood; however, make no mistake, every visitor to this amazing resort will receive a genuine Montana experience, unpretentious and authentic, even down to the architecture and amenities. Geographically, it is sheer isolation — with easy access. To the west stretches the vast Lee-Metcalf Wilderness. To the south awaits the awe-inspiring grandeur of Yellowstone National Park, to the north the Gallatin National Forest and the Spanish Peaks, and right next door, one private lift away, the largest and tallest ski terrain in the U.S. — Big Sky Resort. Yet, less than an hour from the Bozeman ...

Land disputes in the Gallatin Valley, Montana going back the formation of Yellostone Club, Spanish Peaks and Big Sky  Resort in the early 1990's.  While the 15 acres of Lone Peak are a small percentage of the land swaps that gave rise the Big Sky's biggest resorts, Lone Peak is a land mark for the Big Sky area making it more than just a mountain.   Article from Bozeman Chronicle:  A Madison County jury has ruled in favor of Big Sky Resort in a lawsuit that pitted some of the biggest names in Big Sky against each other in a bout over who should own a Lone Mountain at 11,000 feet high. A jury ruled that Boyne USA, the Michigan company that owns and operates Big Sky Resort, is the rightful owner of the 15-acre parcel of land on Lone Mountain. As it stands, owners of the upscale Club at Spanish Peaks hold title to the land that skiers would recognize as the upper portion of Liberty Bowl, a popular destination and scenic location for Montana's expert skiers. During ...

  BILLINGS - Sunday's heavy snowfall landed this November as one of the snowiest on record for the city of Billings. Total accumulation ranged anywhere from 4 inches in Laurel to 13 inches in some parts of Billings. Monday, dozens of people fought to save their vehicles from the grasp of heavy snow. "I think the unusual part is that we've seen it all in the last ten days and so its been a pretty snowy stretch, no doubt about it," explained National Weather Service Meteorologist Joe Lester. Lester said it is so much snow, this November is now ranked the 3rd snowiest November in Billings' history. "We've had a lot of snowy and cold Octobers lately, but this year it was just the opposite. We had a warm October, a war first part of November and then the cold and snow his so it's a little different then what we've seen in recent years," Lester said. It's been 32 years since Billings has seen this much snow in November. The snowfall record was set back in 1978 with a total accumulation of 25.2 inches. ...

 El Nino/La Nina Defined and Ski Areas Favored by El Nino The El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been studied extensively for its impacts upon climate.  The shorthand definition of El Nino is an abnormal warming of the normally cold ocean waters of the Humboldt Current off the coast of Peru.  A more formal measure used by many meteorologists is The Multivariate ENSO Index , which tracks both sea and air temperatures along with wind, pressure and cloud cover across the tropical Pacific.  The data is combined and normalized to a monthly value where +1 = one standard deviation above normal (El Nino condition) and -1 =  one standard deviation below normal (La Nina condition).  I'll refer from now on to the MEI index, which is graphed below since 1950:     As most of us have observed, skilled weather forecasting has become very accurate in th ...

  The Club at Spanish Peaks is the gateway to the ski slopes of Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin near Big Sky, Mont. The community also boasts a private, 18-hole Tom Weiskopf Signature golf course and kilometres of private world-class fly fishing, says a news release. All-season amenities include horseback riding, white-water rafting, hiking, biking and Yellowstone, the world's first national park. The Club at Spanish Peaks has more than 2,300 hectares, 70 per cent of which are preserved as open space. The development's website. There are currently 254 members, and 86 homes and cabins are either completed, under construction or in the approvals process. For more information, visit www.spanish-peaks.com.

  A Madison County jury has ruled in favor of Big Sky Resort in a lawsuit that pitted some of the biggest names in Big Sky against each other in a bout over who should own a piece of land at 11,000 feet high. A jury ruled that Boyne USA, the Michigan company that owns and operates Big Sky Resort, is the rightful owner of the 15-acre parcel of land on Lone Mountain. As it stands, owners of the swanky Club at Spanish Peaks hold title to the land that skiers would recognize as the upper portion of Liberty Bowl. During a weeklong trial in Virginia City in November, Boyne's lawyers argued that Spanish Peaks Development was trying to use the small piece of land as a bargaining chip as it negotiated and litigated with Boyne. "This is a piece of property they have no access to," David Wagner, the lawyer representing Boyne, explained this week. "There's got to be another motive to make this an issue." Boyne's lawyers argued that the land should have come into Boyne's possession years ago. The jury agr ...

 Big Sky, Montana  When skiers discuss really big ski areas in America, the conversation usually turns to Colorado's Vail or Utah's Park City. Rarely does Montana figure into the conversation. Yet the biggest single ski site in the U.S. is a hop, skip and a jump from Yellowstone National Park in the southeastern corner of the state. Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin, two ski areas operating on opposite faces of 11,166-foot-high Lone Mountain teamed up in 2006 to offer a combined lift ticket that covers 5,512 acres, edging out Vail as the largest ski area in the country. But unlike Vail, which reports over 1.5 million skier visits annually, these Montana twins total less than 350,000 a year. Families come to this part of the world to leave the hectic pace of modernity behind and breathe in the crisp, fresh air. Kids will enjoy the quiet runs, dog-rescue demonstrations and on-mountain scavenger hunts. Parents will relish the "ski in, ski out" properties, where you can swoosh right up to your lodging ...

Pets, especially dogs, have never been as big a part of the family as they are today. From sitters to spas, massages and antidepressants, people spare no expense when it comes to their pets — even during tough economic times. Americans will spend $47.7 billion on their pets this year, up from $45.5 billion last year, the American Pet Product Association estimates. Almost two-thirds of U.S. households, 62%, have a pet, according to the most recent National Pet Owners Survey. That's some 71.4 million homes — and about 45% of the pets are dogs, the survey finds. Any wonder that the search for second homes includes pet accommodations? Developers of second homes and real estate agents are taking that into consideration. Realty firms that specialize in pet-friendly sales can now be found in most major cities.   "Many of our clients refuse to even travel to look at potential properties without bringing their four-legged friends," says Marian Schaffer, owner of Southeast Discovery, a realty and consultancy ...

 After a wonderful, activity-filled day, settle into one of the Club's dining venues and enjoy cuisine as fantastic as the scenery. The Clubhouse, located at the center of the community, reflects a classic mountain lodge and is home multiple dining options from casual fare in the Pub, to mouth watering tasting menus in the Main Dining Room. For a unique evening, gather your group and dine in the Clubhouse Wine Room, a 1,300-bottle wine cellar and tasting room. For the more adventurous, Sacajawea Camp, located at the bottom of Big Sky's ski terrain, is the members-only sanctuary, welcoming weary skiers and snowboarders. The yurt-style mountain camp has warm fireplaces, comfy leather couches and first-class, on-mountain dining. While it may seem surprising that such fine cuisine can be presented in the wilderness, the Sacajawea Camp staff puts together perfection. Come nightfall, Sacajawea Camp transforms into a magical setting and a memorable adventure. After enjoying a cup of hot apple cider in the Clu ...