The Overview
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
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Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
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31 Aug 2026
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28 Aug 2026
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26 Aug 2026
Maverick Mountain Lift System
Maverick Mountain runs two double chairs alongside one surface lift, serving 22 runs across 450 acres near Polaris in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. This lean, three-lift network reflects the resort's identity as a small, community-scale mountain rather than a high-throughput destination operation.
The ski area's lift infrastructure has come a considerable distance since its 1946 origins, when a single rope tow, with support posts reportedly dragged into place by draft horses, served the small Grasshopper Valley community. That resourceful, do-it-yourself beginning gradually gave way to the double chairs that now form the backbone of the mountain's lift network.
The two double chairs distribute skiers across Maverick's varied 450-acre terrain, while the surface lift supports beginner areas near the base. There is no quad, triple or high-speed chair, consistent with the resort's identity as a modest, remote mountain serving a genuinely small, dedicated local skier base rather than large visitor volumes.
Under Randy Shilling's roughly 25 years of ownership, and since Erik and Kristi Borge's 2015 purchase, investment has continued to support this existing lift configuration. Specific recent lift replacement or expansion projects beyond the current network are not confirmed in available resort information. Maverick's lean three-lift setup remains well matched to its remote, low-key operating character.
2lifts across 2 types
1
Double Chair
1
Surface Lift
Maverick Mountain lift system
Maverick Mountain is served by 2 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Maverick Mountain intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.