INAUGURAL BIG SKY SKI WEEK — Big Inspiration, Big Ideas, Big Fun and Big Networking
This February, Big Sky, Montana, hosted the inaugural Big Sky Ski Week, ideated by Hub Culture Founder Stan Stalnaker and HATCH Founder Yarrow Kraner, which brought together global thought leaders, innovators, and the local community for a week of collaboration, inspiration, and adventure in the mountains. The hosts grew the founders group into a “Network of Networks” with Future Horizon and Summit Impact.
The intention is to make this an annual convening, attracting leaders from multiple industries, and to continue to collaborate with both local and global organizations to help Big Sky become renowned not only for its unparalleled outdoor pursuits, but also as a year-round hub of intellectual excellence, creative problem-solving, and mentorship.
Big Sky Ski Week brought 60+ attendees from across the globe, including London, Vancouver, Lisbon, Ibiza, Stockholm, NYC, LA, San Francisco, DC, Boston, San Diego, Miami, Omaha, Park City, Austin, Greenwich, Winter Park, and across Montana. See the full cohort HERE
A truly inspiring part of this event, was when NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, and Space for A Better World, and #AIMHIGHER Founder Christina Korp visited Ophir school in Big Sky.
The kids lit up — questions ranged from “How do they let girls into science” to “How does your space research help life on earth?” Nicole and Chrisinta’s mission is to inspire the appreciation of our role as crew mates here on Spaceship Earth. Nicole is also the author of Back to Earth: What Life In Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet — And Our Mission To Protect It.
A huge thank you to Christina, Nicole Stott, and Brittany Shirley of Ophir School as well as Lone Peak High teacher and HATCH Alumni Jeremy Harder for helping to make it happen.
Also we are very grateful to the Moonlight Community Foundation and Yellowstone Community Foundation for their past and ongoing support to help make moments like this happen.
That afternoon we invited members of the Big Sky Community to Len Hill Park in Town Center to create a #AIMHIGHER art piece with Nicole and Christina, to permanently join this unique international art series.
The #AIMHIGHER artworks inspire people to pursue their dreams and unite for a common goal, much like how many people did to make the Apollo Moonshot a success.
These giant, eco-friendly artworks — centered on space, the ocean, and our planet — are created with repurposed materials and community participation.
Once completed, drones capture the masterpiece from above, symbolizing teamwork and a shared vision for a better world.
Monday Evening Talks @ the Waypoint
TALK TOPICS INCLUDED:
A LITTLE ABOUT MONTANA With Sean Mackinson
A photographer, guide, and steward of Montana and natural ecosystems. With an educational background in Environmental Studies, Ecosystem Biology, and the visual arts, Sean has been a guide in Southwest Montana and Yellowstone Park for over a decade. As a photographer, he captures moments to honor the beauty, vastness, and fragility of our Earth to evoke our connection to nature.
A LITTLE ABOUT SPACE & SEA With Nicole Stott
Astronaut, aquanaut, engineer, artist, and author of Back to Earth: What Life In Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet — And Our Mission To Protect It. She combines the awe & wonder of the spaceflight experience with her artwork to inspire appreciation of our role as crewmates here on Spaceship Earth.
A LITTLE ABOUT AIMING HIGHER With Christina Korp
Space advisor and the president of Purpose Entertainment, Founder of Space for a Better World and Aim Higher
A LITTLE ABOUT EXPLORING With Gaelin Rosenwaks
Marine scientist, photographer & author of Sperm Whales: The Gentle Goliaths of the Oceans. She is a Fellow of the Explorers Club & Royal Geographical Society, has appeared as an expert & host on many major networks, and was recently featured on the cover of Outside Magazine.
A LITTLE ABOUT OUR KIDS with Tanyella Leta
Repeat founder, education innovator, and co-creator of Maka Media, an AI startup mapping child development to nourishing media content, for kids aged 2–8. She draws on a deep understanding of humanity’s need for connection to nature and each other, to help parents create enriching, developmentally sound screen time for their children.
LIVE MUSIC from the legendary Buffalo Burrows — Pioneering the landscape of post western music — In the high reaches of southern Montana is where Buffalo Burrows stakes his claim, with a beat up old guitar and a suitcase for a drum. He brought to the house down!!
Following Buffalo Burrows DJ DUMES shifted the night into top gear. A musician, producer, creative technologist and systems thinker who helps startups navigate complexity and build regenerative futures played amazing sounds for the rest of the evening.
Another evening of talks, focused on a Conversation on the Future: Converging Megatrends: a Conversation on Climate, AI and Geopolitics.
On the final day of Big Sky Ski Week, we were treated to a surprise — a very impactful screening of “Champions of the Golden Valley” which has been winning awards at film festivals across North America. But even more importantly, the film, produced by Optimist, is making a tangible impact.
Champions of the Golden Valley is an award-winning feature documentary that explores the inspiring before-and-after resilience story of a community of skiers in Afghanistan.
Optimist partnered with the International Rescue Committee and Refugees International to support refugee communities through the film and its impact campaign. The film, which premiered at Tribeca, has been called, “The Ultimate Underdog Story!” by Variety.
See the trailer HERE
Optimist, founded by Chris Temple, and Zach Ingrasci have woven film and impact intimately, making documentaries while integrating educational and advocacy campaigns for social causes, from poverty and migration to mental health and food access.
They’ve conducted thousands of hours of research and interviews, culminating in over 15 award-winning films, which have been seen over 35 million times, in 180 countries, and have helped change the lives of over 606,869 people. We encourage you to watch one of their films for yourself.
If you are interested in hosting a screening or getting involved email chris@optimist.co
Learn more about Optimist HERE.
IT’S TIME TO BE AN OPTIMIST
You can read more about Big Sky Ski Week HERE — and see the full cohort HERE. Read more about the Ski Week article in Explore Big Sky HERE.
Interested in getting involved? Email Yarrowkraner@HATCHexperience.org
A huge thank you to two sponsors of this special week:
Stio, an outdoor lifestyle brand & LMNT hydration
Attendees represented diverse industries, including:
🔹 Finance & Climate Finance
🔹 Leadership & Development
🔹 Organizational Consulting
🔹 Oceanic Conservation
🔹 Music, Art & Entertainment
🔹 Space Industry & AI
🔹 Blockchain & Sustainability
🔹 Venture Capital & Climate Innovation
🔹 Wellness & Behavior Tech
🔹 Democracy & Impact Leadership
Meet the Co-Hosts
HATCH
A 20-year-old non-profit, HATCH is a global movement and network that activates creativity, fosters collaboration, and connects visionary leaders working toward systemic change. The HATCH community includes Oscar-winning filmmakers, Grammy-winning musicians, CEOs, NASA scientists, Google designers, social entrepreneurs, and world-class innovators committed to accelerating impact. Learn more here —
Founder/CEO: Yarrow Kraner
Hub Culture
An ecosystem of global citizens working to enhance collective consciousness and collaboration in a virtual state.
Founder/CEO: Stan Stalnaker
Future Horizon
A movement of change agents envisioning, building, and celebrating a symbiotic future aligned with opportunity and purpose.
Founders: Matt Leta & Angela Bermudo
Summit Impact
A community-driven organization dedicated to creating a more regenerative and equitable future through connection, compassion, and collaboration.
#BIGSKYSKIWEEK
@astro_nicole
@spacefabworld
@spaceforartfoundation
@xtina_korp
@HATCHEXPERIENCE
@moonlightcommunityfoundation
@bigskyresort
@HUBCULTURE
@FUTUREHORIZON.TO
@SUMMIT.IMPACT
@stanlandistan
@shirley2ndbssd72
@jjbigsky
@explorebigsky
@savasonthego
@angelajacob
@ohhileta
@krohnroyal
@brooks.tyrrell
@nkislinger
