Take the ultimate western ski road trip this winter, while helping local mountain communities through Montucky Cold Snacks’ 8% Back Program
WORDS • Martin Rogers | FEATURED IMAGE • Matt Power
You’ve no doubt seen the spritely logo in ski resort parking lots, at backcountry trailheads and mountain town bars—a magnificent stallion galloping below technicolor mountain peaks. Since its founding in 2012, Montucky Cold Snacks has become the ski bum’s après beer of choice across the Mountain West. The initial vision for Montucky began when founders Chad Zeitner and Jeremy Gregory shared a few brews at Bozeman, Montana’s Bacchus Bar, discussing ways in which they could make the world a better place through beer. Seven years later, Montucky still operates under the guise of providing folks with easily drinkable beer—“chuggable,” some might say—with proceeds going back to local communities. Montucky works with organizations like Big City Mountaineers, Boulder Food Rescue, Montezuma Land Conservancy, Montana Wounded Warriors, SheJumps, Wasatch Backcountry Rescue and more, to ensure it’s brewing beer for the greater good.
Montucky gives back eight percent of its profits to local charities and other causes; additionally, the brand encourages its employees to spend two paid work hours per week volunteering locally. In 2016, after requests from the LGBTQ community, Montucky designed special edition, rainbow Pride beer cans for Pride Month in June, with eight percent of profits from Pride cans and 100 percent of profits from Montucky merchandise sales funneling back to chosen LGBTQ organizations. In that sense, the Cold Snacks brand is an inclusive and fully committed community member in the towns where its beers are served, from Montana to Colorado, Utah, Idaho and beyond.
This winter, we encourage you to join the Montucky movement, helping to put dollar bills back in the pockets of mountain communities while earning your post-shred buzz at the same time. It’s a win-win, really. We’ve teamed up with Montucky, and during the month of February 2020, 100 percent of proceeds from Cold Snack sales at some of our favorite mountain town bars will go back into those local markets.
Make it a full-blown road trip by linking up these iconic watering holes, visiting some of the best ski areas in North America along the way. Kickoff your journey in Colorado, at the RMU Tavern in Breckenridge; ski manufacturer Rocky Mountain Underground (RMU) opened up Breck’s first half-and-half ski shop and bar in 2016 and it’s become a town favorite in the years since.
From there, point your headlights west toward Utah and hit up Alta or Snowbird before relaxing down in Salt Lake City at the Twilite Lounge. This classic SLC dive bar has been around since 1947 and offers up a retro vibe and laid back atmosphere with its Snacks. Next, drive north for Snacks at Pebble Creek Ski Area near Pocatello, Idaho, before heading up to Jackson Hole–the Mangy Moose, to be exact. Arguably the most popular bar in Teton Village, the Moose is the spot to enjoy a Cold Snack with your hot wings while enjoying some rockin’ live music.
Once you’ve had your fill of Jackson’s steeps, head north to Bozeman, Montana, and spend the day feasting on Bridger Bowl’s delectable terrain. When you’ve finally unpuckered from shredding Shlasman’s all day, meander over to the Grizzly Ridge for a few brews, then head into town where Montucky was birthed back in 2012, and cap the night at the Crystal Bar. When your pilgrimage ends in the Cold Snack motherland, head to the Idaho Panhandle and immerse yourself in the off-the-beaten-path ski area of Schweitzer, making sure to stop in at any of the base village watering holes like Pucci’s Pub, Tap’s Bar or Chimney Rock Bar & Grill for an après Snack.
Your road trip will near its end as you head toward the Pacific Northwest, stopping in Bend, Oregon—one of our favorite outdoor towns in America—to slide down the 360-degree volcano that is Mt. Bachelor and enjoy some ‘Tuckys for a good cause in the base lodge. To round it all out, your final destination is Truckee, California’s Old Town Tap, where you’ll congregate after hot-lapping any of the world-class resorts in the North Lake Tahoe area.
Once you’re back home and your ski legs are barkin’, tally up those Cold Snack purchases and calculate how much of your hard-earned cash is going back to the incredible mountain towns that you just hit. Feel good? We bet you do. That Cold Snack buzz doesn’t hurt, either.
