During the winter months, Bozeman morphs into one of Montana's great ski towns. The mountains around Bozeman are prime terrain for expert skiers and snowboarders alike and there are two world class ski areas within an hours drive of the city center. Bridger Bowl ski resort is 16 miles to the north of Bozeman and features a 2600 vertical foot drop and 350 inches of annual snowfall. It is Bozeman's local ski hill, is low on glitz factor but high in major face-shot potential and is a non-profit corporation. Big Sky Ski Resort is about an hours drive south of Bozeman along the Gallatin River and boasts over 400 inches of annual snowfall and the largest vertical in Montana at 4200 feet. Visitors will also find that there is enormous backcountry touring potential in the mountains surrounding Bozeman for those who don't mind hiking for their turns and have good knowledge of traveling in avalanche prone terrain. Cross country ski options around Bozeman are also numerous during the winter months and visitors will find well groomed trails to the north of town in Bridger Canyon at Bohart Ranch Cross Country Ski Center and to the south by Big Sky at both the Lone Mountain Ranch and in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area.