By Brian E. Clark
Snowboarders and skiers from throughout the country are dreaming of cold temperatures, big snowstorms, doing tricks off terrain features and carving turns down freshly groomed slopes.
And those snow lovers are in luck.
Stretching from the Illinois border in the south to the bluffs above the Mississippi in the west to the border of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula border in the north, Wisconsin has more resorts than you can shake a stick at.
Arguably the biggest news for Badger State skiers and snowboarders this season is the $1.5 million Glacial Express quad chairlift installed over the summer in front of the main lodge at Devil’s Head Resort in the Baraboo Hills.
The quad replaces a slower, double chair and General Manager Joe Vittengl says it should help eliminate a bottleneck and move more skiers and snowboarders up the Cyclops hill on busy weekends and holidays.
Devil’s Head also raised the off-ramp ramp at the top of the quad by 10 feet to make unloading easier, beefed up its rental fleet of skis and snowboards and renovated the Devil’s Den sports bar, adding six big plasma flat screen TVs.
Cascade Mountain, outside of Portage, continues to have one of the best bargains around with skiers 12 and under skiing free with a parent.
“We do this because we know that costs can be a barrier for kids to start skiing and snowboarding,” said Randy Axelson, general manager at Cascade. “But we also know that when they do get into it, they want to come back to the place they learned.”
Further north, Wausau’s Granite Peak resort is celebrating its 10th anniversary under the ownership of Charles Skinner. Since purchasing the resort in 2000, he has invested more than $15 million to turn Granite Peak into one of the best ski and snowboard areas in the Midwest.
Under Skinner, terrain at the former Rib Mountain ski area has tripled, a high-speed six-person lift was installed and half a dozen other lifts were replaced. In addition, a new chalet was built, the historic chalet was restored and other significant improvements were made.
Here’s a rundown on what the state has to offer for downhill skiers and snowboarders.
Alpine Valley Resort
Website: www.alpinevalleyresort.com
Phone number: (800) 227-9395
Location: Elkhorn
Vertical: 388
Lifts: Six
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $42, adult, child, senior weekend; $38, beginner.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Camp 10
Website: www.camp10skiandsnowboard.com
Phone number: (715) 362-0506
Location: Rhinelander
Vertical: 250
Lifts: Four
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $32, adult weekdays and weekends; $25, 13-and-under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Cascade Mountain
Website: www.cascademountain.com
Phone number: (800) 992-2754
Location: Portage
Vertical: 460
Lifts: 10
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $45, adult, with accompanying kids 12 and under free. Two-hour snow tubing tickets are $22 for ages 7 and up; $10 for 6 and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Christie Mountain
Website: www.christiemountain.com
Phone number: (715) 868-7800
Location: Bruce, 55 miles north of Eau Claire
Vertical: 350
Lifts: 6
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $33, weekend adult; $28, weekend 15 and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Christmas Mountain
Website: www.christmasmountainvillage.com
Phone number: (608) 253-1000
Location: Wisconsin Dells
Vertical: 250
Lifts: Five
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $34, weekend adult; $26, weekend junior, 6-12. Free kids 5 and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Crystal Ridge
Website: www.skicrystalridge.com
Phone number: (414) 529-7676
Location: Franklin
Vertical: 245
Lifts: Three
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $25, weekend adult, $22 weekend junior, 12 and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Devil’s Head
Website: www.devilsheadresort.com
Location: Near Baraboo
Phone number: (800) 472-6670
Vertical: 500 feet.
Lifts: 10
Lift tickets: Weekend adult, $47; weekend juniors 6-12 and seniors 60-plus, $40. Kids 5 and under ski free.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Terrain park: Yes
Cross country: 3.5 mile loop
Grand Geneva
Website: www.grandgeneva.com
Phone number: (800) 392-8000
Location: Lake Geneva
Vertical: 211
Lifts: Five
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: Weekend adult, $46; weekend junior 7-11, $38. Free kids five and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: Yes
Granite Peak
Website: www.skigranitepeak.com
Location: Wausau
Phone: (715) 845-2846
Vertical: 700 feet
Lifts: Seven
Lift tickets: $56 adult weekend, $44, juniors and seniors (65-plus) $44. Free kids five and under.
Snowmaking: 100 percent
Terrain park: yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Hidden Valley
Website: www.skihiddenvalley.us
Phone number: (920) 863-1450
Location: Maribel
Vertical: 250 feet
Lifts: Five
Terrain park: yes
Lift tickets: $29, adults 17 and up; $23 juniors 6-16; free kids 5 and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Highlands of Olympia
Website: www.skiolympia.net
Phone number: (262) 567-6048
Location: Oconomowoc
Vertical: 205
Lifts: Three
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $25 adult weekends; $13, juniors 10 and under weekends.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Kettlebowl Ski Area
Website: www.tourism.langladecounty.org
Phone number: (715) 627-0570
Location: Antigo
Vertical: 200
Lifts: One
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $5 for adults, $3 student 13 through high school; $2 ages 6-12 and free ages 5 and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: Yes
Keyes Peak
Website: www.florencewisconsin.com
Phone number: (715) 528-3207
Location: Florence
Vertical: 250
Lifts: Three
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $12 adult; $10 student, $8 children 12 and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: Yes
Mount La Crosse
Website: www.mtlacrosse.com
Phone number: (800) 426-3665
Location: La Crosse
Vertical: 516
Lifts: Four
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $46, adult; $43, juniors ages 6-17; free for ages 5 and under.
Snowmaking: yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Mount Ashwabay
Website: www.mtashwabay.org
Phone number: (715) 779-3227
Location: Bayfield
Vertical: 317
Lifts: Two
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $24 adults; $18 junior 17-6; free for kids 5-and-under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: Yes
Navarino Slopes
Website: www.navarinoslopes.com
Phone number: (800) 784-5501
Location: Navarino, near Green Bay
Vertical: 200 feet
Lifts: Three
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $27, all day
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Nordic Mountain
Website: www.nordicmountain.com
Phone number: (800) 253-7266
Location: Mount Morris, near Wautoma
Vertical: 265
Lifts: Six
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $35 adult Friday and Saturday; $26, youth 7-12 and seniors over 60, free for kids 6 and under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: Yes
Ski Sunburst
Website: www.skisunburst.com
Phone number: (292) 626-8404
Location: Kewaskum
Vertical: 214
Lifts: Seven
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $40, adult weekends; $24, children 12-7 weekends; $15, kids 5-6 weekends; seniors, 65-and-older; free, youngster 4-and-under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
Trollhaugen
Website: www.trollhaugen.com
Phone number: (800) 826-7166
Location: Dresser, northeast of the Twin Cities
Vertical: 280
Lifts: Four
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $41 adult; $31 kids 6-12; $34 seniors 62-and-older; free for children 5-and-under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: Yes
Tyrol Basin
Website: www.tyrolbasin.com
Location: Four miles from Mount Horeb
Phone: (608) 437-4135
Vertical: 300 feet
Lifts: Six
Lift tickets: $42 adult weekend, $37 juniors (6-12) and seniors (60-plus), free kids 5 and under ski free.
Snowmaking: 100 percent.
Terrain park: yes
Night skiing: Yes.
Cross country: No.
Whitecap Mountain
Website: www.skiwhitecap.com
Phone number: (800) 933-7669
Location: Upson, south of Ironwood, Mich.
Vertical: 400
Lifts: Five
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $45 adult; $34 junior 12-17; $22 child 7-11; $34 senior 65-and-older; free kids 6-and-under.
Snowmaking: Yes
Night skiing: No
Cross country: No
Wilmot Mountain
Website: www.wilmotmountain.com
Phone number: (262) 862-2301
Location: Wilmot
Vertical: 230
Lifts: Eight
Terrain park: Yes
Lift tickets: $42 weekend adult; $29 children 11-7; $21 seniors; free kids 6-and-under.
Snowmaking: yes
Night skiing: Yes
Cross country: No
