Join us for Ski the Summit! Ski the Summit is a unique spiritual retreat offered by MEA for 7th-11th grade students. Participants will spend three days skiing three different mountains – Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, and our own private slope, Bear Canyon Ski Area. You will have the opportunity to experience academy life, meet students and staff, learn more about the programs offered at MEA, and grow closer to your peers and to Christ through daily worship and activities. This is an unforgettable experience that you don’t want to miss! We will also be offering mini-courses on Monday and Tuesday for those students who want to participate in Ski the Summit but do not want to ski/snowboard. Previous mini-courses have included cooking/baking, photography, art, and rock climbing.

There are a few changes to Ski the Summit this year. Bridger Bowl is requiring all participants to have a Bridger Bowl account and parents/participants will need to sign separate waivers for Bridger Bowl. This year’s pricing does NOT include Bridger Bowl lift ticket or equipment rental fees.

Registration fees include: Big Sky lift ticket (pending confirmation from Big Sky), insurance, activities, room and board (up to 3 nights stay on MEA campus).

Here’s how to register: Download the application packet here and drop it off in the front office at MEA, or email the completed registration forms to alumni@mtellis.org.    

Payments can be made with cash/check, or credit cards.  Checks should be made out to Mt. Ellis Academy with Ski the Summit in the memo and either dropped off at MEA or mailed to Ski the Summit, Mount Ellis Academy 3641 Bozeman Trail Road, Bozeman, MT 59715.

You can also pay with a credit card here:

To sign up and purchase tickets with Bridger Bowl, please go to www.bridgerbowl.com and create an account.  Tickets should be purchased online after January I8 and prior to January 26, 2024 so that Bridger Bowl has time to process our group’s request.  We will be skiing at Bridger Bowl on Monday, February 5.  If we have 20 or more adults (19-69) sign up, we will receive a discount code for adult tickets which we will send to you once we qualify so that you can apply it towards your ticket purchase.

If you would like to rent equipment for multiple days, we recommend that you check out Chalet Sports at https://chaletsportsmt.com/contact/ or Round House Sports in Bozeman.  You can also rent equipment at Bridger Bowl and Big Sky, but we do not have equipment rentals at MEA available for Bear Canyon.

Questions?  Please call 587.5178 ext 105 for more information.

At the top of Mount Ellis Academy’s legendary ski hill, the students of MEA gathered for the very last vespers of the year.   Most years, the Agape Feast has been held at the base of the hill in the lodge, but a couple teachers decided to get creative this year. After being chauffeured in trucks by various staff members up the ski hill’s steep, grassy slope, we were met with a peaceful, pretty view. A cross was set up just before the big flat of ground at the top just before the ground dipped into its descent towards the base, and there were plenty of blankets laid on the ground and logs set up for people to sit on. The smell of burgers being grilled was tantalizing and we could hardly wait to eat as we fellowshipped before everything began.

After our meal, Mr. Ellis, Math teacher, led out in a song service. It was incredible to sing on top of our hill: everyone’s voices echoing back from the mountains surrounding us, the slowly sinking sun creating a wonderful golden hour, and we felt on top of our little world. Mrs. Vinglas, Development Director,, blessed our evening with a very touching talk about how there is always a door, always a path to take, and God is there for us no matter what door we go through. Mr. Stuart, Science, then took the front and we partook in communion, drinking grape juice in each other’s presence to help remind us of Jesus’ gift and that he chose the door that led to saving us. Then, as we do every year at the Agape Feast, we closed the evening with the rose ceremony. Every student and staff member was given four roses, and were instructed to gift them to people they appreciate, want to say “sorry” to, or just want to show a little extra love. The sounds of laughter filled the evening air as people exchanged roses, the flowers almost never settling in one’s hand before they were passed to another in overwhelming gratitude. After spending a good amount of time milling about, expressing our appreciation, it was announced that it was time to clean up and return to campus. Everyone lent a helping hand and we descended the hill in no time, feeling blessed and satisfied from an evening full of fellowship and reconnection with our friends and God.

~Ava Rogers, Junior