Just when you thought Big Sky had hit its peak (pun intended) the resort announces Kircliff, an alpine summit observatory unlike anything else in the American West.
Perched at 11,166 feet (3,405m) on Lone Peak, Kircliff’s glass enclosure offers sweeping 360-degree views across three states and two national parks. The observatory, cantilevered off the mountain’s edge, opens the summit to every guest for the first time — no skis or hiking boots required.
“This reimagined summit experience transforms Lone Peak into a year-round, must-visit destination,” said Troy Nedved, president and COO of Big Sky Resort.
“Kircliff unlocks the opportunity for every guest to stand on one of the highest peaks in the region and witness a horizon that stretches from Yellowstone to the Tetons.”
The two-story building has unloading and uploading from the tram on the main level and a viewing deck on the second level. Four layers of half inch glass, for the cantilevered section, was manufactured in Austria and Italy.
Engineered to withstand extreme wind loads exceeding 100 mph, temperature fluctuations of over 100 degrees, and heavy snow accumulation, the structure represents a triumph of modern alpine engineering.
To access Kircliff, guests begin at the base of the resort with the new Explorer Gondola, which travels an additional 1,000 vertical feet (304m) above the original Explorer chairlift before connecting directly to the Lone Peak Tram.
In only fifteen minutes, travelers move from valley floor to the high alpine, before stepping into the glass summit where views open to more than ten mountain ranges, including the Spanish Peaks, Madison Range, and Gallatin Range.
The Explorer Gondola is the world’s fastest 10-person gondola, complete with heated seats, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a mid-station that provides access to some of the resort’s most approachable terrain.
It is the thirteenth new lift completed in Big Sky’s decade-long capital improvement plan which has established the resort as home to the most technologically advanced lift network in North America.
Kircliff joins a season of milestones that also includes the arrival of M by The Alinea Group, a four-month culinary residency led by three-Michelin-star chef Grant Achatz.
Big Sky Resort will welcome skiers back in less than 100 days, opening November 26, 2025. Kircliff and the Explorer Gondola will open to the public on December 20, 2025.
