I went to Big Sky — the luxurious ski destination that's giving Aspen a run for its money

• Aspen used to be the big name in luxury American skiing, but Big Sky has quickly entered the game.
• Lift expansions and new fine-dining establishments have attracted wealthy clientele.
• The Big Sky ski area is still expanding, with more impressive enhancements on the way.

The revered slopes of Big Sky, Montana, have attracted skiers and snowboarders to the stretch of the Rocky Mountains since the 1970s.

A decade ago, however, it didn't have a proper supermarket, and you certainly wouldn't find any frills or fine dining.

If you wanted high-end skiing, you'd go 800 miles south to Aspen, Colorado. The town, which opened its first ski lift in the mid-1940s, was already hosting some of the largest ski events, operating four ski resorts, and attracting celebrity clientele.

Today, however, Big Sky is giving Aspen a run for its money — it's now the third-largest ski area in America.

Alongside celebrities like Bill Gates and Tom Brady, some of the world's most exclusive private communities and hotel properties have caught on to the allure of the small Montana town.

As an avid skier myself, I went to Big Sky to see how its rugged luxury quickly became such a magnet for the rich and famous.

Good powder attracts capital

As A-listers followed the trend to Big Sky — amplified by the millionaire celebrities who frequented Yellowstone Club, the ski area's hyper-exclusive private resort — the ski area invested more into its on- and off-slope offerings.

For example, when Big Sky opened its slopes in 1973, it had four lifts and fewer than 20 trails. On my recent three-day visit, I couldn't even get to half of the 39 lifts in operation and only touched a fraction of the 300-plus ski runs.

As I made my way up different sides of the mountain, I marveled at the advanced snowmaking techniques and snazzy eight-seater lifts. The real pièce de résistance, however, is the Lone Peak Tram, which opened at the end of last year.

Trams are rare at American ski resorts — there are only 12 in operation across the country, setting Big Sky apart.

I rode the Lone Peak Tram to its 11,166-foot summit, where I enjoyed views of three states and two national parks. It was breathtaking.

Then, I turned my attention to the ski area I'd be carving down, which features extreme terrain, expansive powdery bowls, and narrow triple-diamond chutes.

Big Sky delivers 400 inches of annual snowfall — about a third more than Aspen — and the runs I was scoping out looked practically untouched.

But it takes more than fancy equipment to retain exclusive clientele

After a few long tree runs, I took the lift to Everett's 8800 for oysters and carpaccio served 8,800 feet above sea level.

Everett's is just one of many elevated dining options that have popped up around Big Sky over the last 20 or so years.

In order to satisfy its new elite clientele — and compete with destinations like Aspen — the ski area is now home to dozens of massive resorts and popular restaurants.

Weary skiers and snowboarders can book après-ski massages at Montage Resort before dining at its Cortina's Italian Chophouse. There, I was more than pleased with my feast of homemade pasta with wild-game Bolognese and bison carpaccio.

If you're in search of a more rugged mountain charm, Lone Mountain Ranch, first homesteaded in 1915, has a collection of luxury private cabins, fine-dining establishments, and nearly 50 miles of cross-country ski trails.

On my trip, I visited the resort's Horn & Cantle restaurant, which was recently a James Beard semifinalist. Bartenders dressed like cowboys and cowgirls served up inventive huckleberry cocktails and phenomenal elk meatballs.

Big Sky is giving the likes of Aspen a run for its money

Aspen, Colorado, has long been considered America's top ski town for the wealthy. But Big Sky has successfully elbowed its way into the club.

I saw firsthand what happens when businesses bring their luxury concepts to the slopes — in Big Sky's case, they've fostered improvements that are outpacing the national competition. The ski area offered some of the best and least crowded terrain I've ever ridden in the States.

Plus, Big Sky isn't done expanding.

The area announced its Big Sky 2025 project in 2016. Even though we're quickly approaching the original completion year, a number of elevating expansions are still in the works — including a second eight-seater lift, a new gondola, and on-mountain dining options.

As such, Big Sky may just become the place where the rich and famous choose to play in the winter.