From Cascade Mountain to Granite Peak, here's your guide to the best Wisconsin ski hills and resorts
Thanks to the glaciers, Wisconsin doesn't have much in the way of mountains for skiing.
But the Badger State isn't all flat. There are a handful of hills and "mountains" with enough vertical drop for a fun day on the slopes — at a much more affordable price than a trip out West. Plus, the shorter runs and more gentle slopes are great for beginners or those getting back into the sport.
All these hills have snow making abilities and can open if Mother Nature doesn't cooperate, although resorts in far northern Wisconsin often don't need it thanks to lake-effect snow. You can check snow conditions on resort websites or find an interactive map from Travel Wisconsin at travelwisconsin.com/snowreport.
All these hills also offer lessons, rentals and discounts for weekday and half-day lift tickets.
Another deal for those who want to try a variety of hills: a Skiing Wisconsin Passport. The $199 pass from Skiing Wisconsin Inc. provides one lift ticket for each of 18 participating resorts across the state, including all the Wisconsin resorts mentioned below — a value of $750, they claim. The passports are sold out for this season, but next season's passes go on sale in September at skiingwisconsin.com.
Here's a look at some resorts across Wisconsin where you can hit the slopes this winter, in alphabetical order.
Alpine Valley Resort, Elkhorn
Alpine Valley features two kid-friendly areas complete with magic carpet lifts, making it a great place for beginners. The resort also has a handful of black diamonds for more advanced skiers, plus three terrain parks. Other amenities include a lounge for an aprés-ski drink and a bistro that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The on-site hotel offers simple rooms and suites, including some ski-in, ski-out options slope-side.
Weekend lift tickets: $74 ($50 for beginner area only); $5 discount for seniors (62 and older) and military
Vertical drop: 388 feet
Runs: 20
Longest run: 3,000 feet
More information: (800) 227-9395, alpinevalleyresort.com
Cascade Mountain, Portage
Cascade offers one of the best ski deals in the state: Free skiing for kids 12 and under with the purchase of an adult ticket. The resort — which is about 20 miles southeast of Wisconsin Dells — also has three terrain parks and a tubing hill with a magic carpet to get you back up the hill.
Weekend lift tickets: $89 for adults, $79 for kids (13-17), kids 12 and under free with an adult ticket; online pre-purchase required for weekends and peak days
Vertical drop: 460 feet
Runs: 48
More information: (608) 742-5588, cascademountain.com
Christie Mountain, Bruce
Tucked into northern Wisconsin's Blue Hills, Christie Mountain is a good spot for families with two beginners areas and a handful of easy runs alongside more challenging trails. The hill also offers tubing.
Saturday lift tickets: $53 for adults, $48 for juniors (15 and under); $20 for the beginner area, which is free for kids 8 and under
Vertical drop: 350 feet
Runs: 29
More information: (715) 868-7800, christiemountain.com
Devil’s Head Resort, Merrimac
Less than 15 miles southwest of Cascade, Devil's Head offers one of the best weekday deals for skiers: $18 lift tickets on Thursday nights (4-10 p.m.). For more outdoor fun, the golf course features a 3.5-mile loop groomed for cross-country skiing. The resort has a handful of restaurants and lodging options, from basic rooms and suites to three-bedroom condos, plus a newly renovated sauna for relaxing those sore muscles after a day on the slopes.
Weekend lift tickets: $78 for adults, $68 for kids (6-12) and seniors (60-65), $50 for super seniors (66 and older)
Vertical drop: 500 feet
Runs: 30
Longest run: 3,500 feet
More information: (608) 493-2204, devilsheadresort.com
Granite Peak, Wausau
Wisconsin's largest ski destination, Granite Peak also features the state's largest vertical drop. The ski area is located within Rib Mountain State Park and features plenty of runs for both beginners and experts, plus four terrain parks, four mogul runs and four glade trails. The village at the hill's base offers food and drink options, plus live music on Saturdays and other select days.
Saturday lift tickets: $105 for adults, $95 for kids (ages 6-15); discounts available for students, military and buying in advance online
Vertical drop: 700 feet
Runs: 60
More information: (715) 845-2846, skigranitepeak.com
Little Switzerland Ski Area, Slinger
Just 30 miles northwest of Milwaukee, "Little Switz" is open late all week long (until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8:30 p.m. Sunday), making it a great spot for an after-work ski. The resort is owned by the same company that owns Nordic Mountain in Bruce and the Rock SnowPark in Franklin; SNO Pass season tickets give holders access to all three hills.
Weekend lift tickets: The hill uses dynamic pricing, so costs vary by day and how far in advance you purchase tickets, but they're typically $49 for adults and $39 for children (12 and under) and seniors (60 and older) online in advance and $75 and $65 at the door.
Vertical drop: 200 feet
Runs: 19
More information: (262) 297-9621, littleswitz.com
Mt. La Crosse Ski Area, La Crosse
Mt. La Crosse features one of Wisconsin's longest runs — the aptly named Mileaway, measuring 5,300 feet. The hill also has a terrain park and a chalet that serves food and drinks for aprés ski.
Weekend lift tickets: $69 for adults, $64 for kids (6-17), $10 discount for seniors (70 and older) and military
Vertical drop: 516 feet
Runs: 18
Longest run: 5,300 feet
More information: (608) 788-0044, mtlacrosse.com
Mount Ashwabay, Bayfield
Skiing and snowboarding at Mount Ashwabay come with superior views — of Lake Superior. The small hill also offers one of the most affordable lift tickets in the state. And if downhill skiing isn't your thing, the recreation area has 40 kilometers of trails groomed for cross-country skiing (including one trail open to skijoring), and 6 kilometers of trails groomed for fat biking and snowshoeing. Plus, with a location in far northern Wisconsin close to the greatest of the Great Lakes, you're almost guaranteed natural snow throughout the winter.
Weekend lift tickets: $28 for adults; $22 for juniors (10-18), seniors (65-79), college students and military; $8 for youth (6-9); free for tots (5 and under) and super seniors (80 and older)
Vertical drop: 317 feet
Runs: 12
More information: (715) 779-3227, mtashwabay.org
The Mountain Top, Lake Geneva
The Mountain Top is the spot for a weekend getaway full of family-friendly activities. The hill is part of the Grand Geneva Resort complex, which also includes a spa, a waterpark, indoor rock climbing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, sledding, ice skating and more. The complex also has plenty of lodging and dining options, including Leinenkugel's Mountain Top Lodge at the base of the ski hill.
Weekend lift tickets: $70 for adults, $45 for children (7-11), must be purchased online in advance
Vertical drop: 211 feet
Runs: 21
More information: (262) 248-8811, grandgeneva.com
Nordic Mountain, Wild Rose
Nordic Mountain in Waushara County offers runs for skiing and snowboarding, plus a tubing hill with a magic carpet to take you back to the top. The hill touts its "terrain based learning" method for ski and snowboard lessons, which consists of progressive stations with shaped snow features that help control speed and movement.
Weekend lift tickets: The hill uses dynamic pricing, so costs vary by day and how far in advance you purchase tickets, but they're typically $49 for adults and $39 for children (12 and under) and seniors (60 and older) online in advance and $75 and $65 at the door. A SNO Pass season ticket provides access to Nordic Mountain, Little Switzerland in Slinger and The Rock in Franklin.
Vertical drop: 265 feet
Runs: 16
More information: (920) 787-3324, nordicmountain.com
The Rock Snowpark, Franklin
The closest hill to Milwaukee, the Rock has a handful of runs alongside a tubing park that plays host to popular glow tubing on select Saturday nights. The lodge offers food and drink options plus fires for warming up around.
Weekend lift tickets: $42 for adults, $32 for children (12 and under) online in advance; $60 and $50 at the door. A SNO Pass season ticket provides access to The Rock, Little Switzerland in Slinger and Nordic Mountain in Bruce.
Vertical drop: 230 feet
Runs: 9
More information: (414) 235-8818, rocksnowpark.com
Sunburst Ski Area, Kewaskum
Sunburst is a southeastern Wisconsin favorite for tubing, claiming to have the world's largest tubing hill with 50 lanes spread across a 90-foot drop over 1,200 feet. But the hill also has plenty of runs for skiing and snowboarding, too, plus a couple terrain parks.
Weekend lift tickets: Adults $42, kids (6-12) and seniors (65+) $25
Vertical drop: 214 feet
Runs: 10
More information: (262) 626-8404, skisunburst.com
Trollhaugen Outdoor Recreation Area, Dresser
Night owls will love Trollhaugen’s late hours; the hill is open until 3 a.m. on Fridays. Those late nights include live music in the resort's lounge, which also serves up food and beverages throughout the day. And the skiing will be even better in a few years after the resort completes an expansion that includes upgrading chairlifts and adding new trails.
Weekend lift tickets: $63 for adults, $49 for kids (6-12) and seniors (62+); online pre-purchase is required for late-night Friday tickets (9 p.m.-3 a.m.), which cost $24
Vertical drop: 280 feet
Runs: 24
Longest run: 2,500 feet
More information: (715) 755-2955, trollhaugen.com
Tyrol Basin, Mt. Horeb
Tyrol was one of the first hills to open up to snowboarders, and now one-third of its 80 acres are terrain parks for adventurous skiers and snowboarders. The hill also offers tubing and a full food and beverage menu in its chalet (including a Friday fish fry).
Weekend lift tickets: $60 for adults, $50 for kids (6-12) and seniors (60+)
Vertical drop: 300 feet
Runs: 22
More information: (608) 437-4135, tyrolbasin.com
Whitecap Mountains, Upson
Located just west of Hurley, Whitecap’s prime spot in the Lake Superior Snow Belt guarantees fresh powder all season long — 200 inches, to be exact. The resort features a multitude of diverse runs spread across three "mountains" in the Penokees — an ancient mountain range that once rivaled the Alps but has been reduced to more moderate hills thanks to millennia of glaciers and erosion. The resort also has a wine hut along Weber Lake, and a full-service restaurant and lodging in the on-site hotel, with stay and ski free packages available during the week.
Weekend lift tickets: $75 for adults and $65 for juniors (6-17) and seniors (65-79), free for children 5 and under and legends (80 and older), online in advance; $80 and $70 at the door; 25% discount for military, veterans and first responders
Vertical drop: 400 feet
Runs: 43 runs
More information: (715) 561-2227, whitecapresort.com
Wilmot Mountain, Kenosha
Vail Resorts bought Wilmot in 2016, which meant not only upgrades to the resort, but also access to the company's dozens of other resorts across the country, including Vail, Breckinridge and Park City, with an Epic Pass. Skiing at Wilmot is a lot tamer than those big boys, of course, but the amenities are a closer match, with a full-service restaurant and bar, plus separate concessions for the tubing area.
Saturday lift tickets: $84 for adults, $79 for children (5-12) and seniors (65+) online in advance; $89 and $84 the same day
Vertical drop: 200 feet
Runs: 25
More information: (262) 862-2301, wilmotmountain.com
Contact Chelsey Lewis at clewis@journalsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter at @chelseylew and @TravelMJS and Facebook at Journal Sentinel Travel.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin ski resorts guide from Cascade Mountain to Granite Peak
