SnowStash
ForecastsCompareNews
SnowStash Logo

Live snow, webcams and expert resort guides for the world's mountains - plan your next day on snow.

hello@snowstash.com
Download on the App Store

Destinations

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Europe
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • United States

Company

  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Privacy Policy

Explore

  • Compare Resorts
  • News & Updates
  • Snow Forecast
  • Mobile App

© 2026 SnowStash. All rights reserved.

    Montana, Usa

    Maverick Mountain

    450 acres, 22 runs near Polaris. Remote, uncrowded skiing in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

    Season 2025 - 2026
    Opens
    13 Dec 2025
    Closes
    13 Apr 2026
    Days open
    121
    Annual snow
    13ft
    The Overview
    MF
    Michael Fulton
    Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

    Maverick Mountain's summit reaches 8,520 feet, dropping 2,021 vertical feet to a base at 6,499 feet across 22 runs spread over 450 acres near Polaris, Montana. Average annual snowfall runs to roughly 250 inches across the resort's compact but genuinely varied terrain. The resort carries no major multi-resort pass affiliation. Two double chairs serve the mountain alongside one surface lift.

    Maverick Mountain sits within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway, roughly 40 miles from Dillon, in a genuinely remote corner of southwestern Montana. Its origins as a community-built facility for the Grasshopper Valley area give the resort a distinctly grassroots character that persists in its modest, uncrowded operation today. The mountain's proximity to Bannack State Park, site of Montana's first territorial capital and an 1862 gold rush boomtown, adds historic interest to the surrounding region.

    The ski area opened in 1946 to serve the small Grasshopper Valley community, beginning with nothing more than a single rope tow. In a detail that speaks to the resort's resourceful, do-it-yourself origins, the lift's early support posts were reportedly dragged into place by draft horses given the lack of mechanised equipment available in the area at the time.

    Randy Shilling ran Maverick Mountain for roughly 25 years, guiding the resort through decades of steady, unglamorous community operation. In 2015, Erik and Kristi Borge purchased the ski area, continuing its tradition as a small, independently run mountain. Specific current adult daily ticket pricing is not confirmed in available resort information.

    2,021ft
    Vertical
    22
    Runs
    450 acres
    Skiable
    13ft
    Annual snow
    The Terrain

    22 runs across 450 acres skiable

    Maverick Mountain spreads 22 runs across 450 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 40%, with 7 beginner runs to find your feet and 7 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.

    Terrain split
    22
    runs
    22 runs across 4 grades
    Beginner7 runs · 30%
    Intermediate9 runs · 40%
    Advanced7 runs · 30%
    Expert0 runs · 0%
    Time it right

    When to visit Maverick Mountain

    The 2025-26 season at Maverick Mountain ran through the winter months, supported by average annual snowfall of around 250 inches across the resort's compact terrain. Specific opening and closing dates for the 2025-26 season are not confirmed in available resort information, though the mountain typically operates through the core winter period given its elevation and snowfall totals.

    Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to the resort's varied 450-acre terrain. Given Maverick's remote location roughly 40 miles from Dillon along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway, the resort draws a genuinely small, dedicated skier base from the surrounding Beaverhead Valley region rather than national destination traffic.

    As an independently operated resort without major pass affiliation, Maverick's visitor base skews heavily toward locals and regional skiers specifically seeking out its uncrowded, community-focused character. Weekend visitation draws primarily from Dillon and the broader southwestern Montana region, with the mountain's remote setting naturally limiting crowds throughout the season.

    Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Erik and Kristi Borge's 2015 purchase, following Randy Shilling's roughly 25-year tenure, the resort has continued its tradition as a modest, independently run community mountain. Maverick's proximity to Bannack State Park's gold rush history remains a distinctive point of regional interest for visitors throughout the winter.

    Season 2025 - 2026
    13 Dec 2025
    Opens
    13 Apr 2026
    Closes
    121
    Days open
    13 ft
    Annual snow
    Getting there

    Getting to Maverick Mountain, and where to stay

    Maverick Mountain sits near Polaris, Montana, within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway, with a base elevation of 6,499 feet and a summit at 8,520 feet across a 2,021-foot vertical drop over 450 acres. This remote southwestern Montana setting places the resort roughly 40 miles from the nearest larger town.

    Dillon, the nearest town of any size, provides lodging, dining and services within a considerable drive of the resort. The historic Bannack State Park, site of Montana's first territorial capital and an 1862 gold rush boomtown, lies within the same broader region, adding a notable historic attraction for visitors to the area.

    The Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway provides access to the resort, a route valued for its scenery but requiring careful winter driving given the remote, mountainous terrain it traverses. Snow and ice are common on this route during winter months, and traction tyres or chains are often advisable during storms. There is no direct public transport service to the resort.

    Bert Mooney Airport in Butte is the nearest airport with commercial service, a considerable drive from the resort. This distance reinforces Maverick Mountain's identity as a genuinely remote destination reached deliberately by regional skiers rather than a convenient fly-in resort.

    Where to stay

    Search all stays →

    Hotels and lodges near Maverick Mountain, powered by Stay22.

    Good to know

    Frequently asked

    When is Maverick Mountain's ski season?+

    Maverick Mountain's season typically runs from December 13 to April 13, roughly 121 days, weather and conditions permitting.

    How much skiable terrain does Maverick Mountain have?+

    Maverick Mountain has about 450 acres skiable across 22 runs.

    How many lifts does Maverick Mountain have?+

    Maverick Mountain operates 2 lifts in total.

    How much snow does Maverick Mountain get?+

    Maverick Mountain averages around 154 inches (12.8 feet) of snowfall per season.

    Where can I buy Maverick Mountain lift tickets?+

    Lift tickets for Maverick Mountain can be purchased directly from the resort online, or in person at the ticket office. See the full pricing breakdown on the lift tickets page.

    Latest News

    From the SnowStash desk

    View all news →
    Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured

    Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured

    An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.

    28 Aug 2026
    Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do

    Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do

    A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.

    27 Aug 2026
    Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September

    Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September

    Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.

    26 Aug 2026
    Unstable Glacier Above Randa Puts Zermatt-Area Village on Alert

    Unstable Glacier Above Randa Puts Zermatt-Area Village on Alert

    A hanging glacier above the Swiss village of Randa, just south of Zermatt, has been shedding large chunks of ice for weeks, with authorities warning more break-offs are likely. A danger zone has been closed off since June, though officials say the village's 479 residents aren't at risk. It's a familiar pattern for this glacier - it's done this before, in 1819, 1972 and 1973 - but a reminder of how closely Alpine authorities now watch terrain once considered stable.

    26 Aug 2026
    Thredbo Is 'On the Table' as EVT Reviews Its Whole Business

    Thredbo Is 'On the Table' as EVT Reviews Its Whole Business

    Thredbo is officially 'on the table.' EVT Limited, owner of Australia's most decorated ski resort, has hired Rothschild & Co to review its entire corporate structure - and confirmed Thredbo isn't off limits, even as it books a stronger year of earnings. The resort's own valuation has nearly halved after a brutal 2026 season, and speculation is already running toward Vail Resorts, Alterra, or a New Zealand operator picking it up. Here's what EVT actually said, and who could buy it.

    25 Aug 2026
    Ski-E-O! Is the Ski Resort Tycoon Game We Didn't Know We Needed

    Ski-E-O! Is the Ski Resort Tycoon Game We Didn't Know We Needed

    I'm not a gamer. I'm a skier and snowboarder who happens to have a laptop. So when a ski resort management game called Ski-E-O! landed on Steam, I wasn't expecting to lose an afternoon to it - but here we are. Real mountain terrain, a full weather system, storms that roll in and wreck your snow base, avalanche danger, and enough depth to make RollerCoaster Tycoon feel simple by comparison. Early access lands in November. Here's what a few hours in the free demo actually looks like.

    23 Aug 2026
    Sugar Bowl, California, Rebuilds Its Historic Village Gondola

    Sugar Bowl, California, Rebuilds Its Historic Village Gondola

    The rumours are true: Sugar Bowl is tearing out its Emerald gondola, in place since 1983, and replacing it with a new 8-person Doppelmayr system - nearly doubling uphill capacity to 1,800 people an hour. It's the fourth generation of a gondola line that dates back to 1953, when Sugar Bowl became the first resort on the West Coast to run one at all, and it's just one piece of a $100 million overhaul touching lodges, parking and snowmaking. Here's what's changing, and what's staying the same.

    23 Aug 2026
    Two Confirmed Dead as Search Continues After Swiss Alps Fire

    Two Confirmed Dead as Search Continues After Swiss Alps Fire

    The death toll from Thursday night's fire at Restaurant Beverin in Thusis, Switzerland, has begun to firm up. One Swiss outlet, citing Graubünden Cantonal Police, reports that two of the five people initially reported missing have now been confirmed dead, leaving three unaccounted for. The building's collapsed stairwell and structural instability have slowed recovery efforts throughout. Here's what's changed since the fire broke out, and what's still unconfirmed.

    22 Aug 2026