Midwest Skiing; it's not a total oxymoron

Steely Dan · #1 Posted: **Mar 1, 2011, 7:00 PM**

so our vast, mostly flat corner of the globe is not terribly conducive to alpine skiing and snowboarding, but there are places in the midwest that can at least allow one to get out and ski down some snow, even if it's only a small fraction of the experience one finds at proper mountain resorts out west.

i bring it up because i just spent the weekend up at Granite Peak (formerly Rib Mountain) ski resort in wausau, wi. and i came away very impressed with the place (by midwestern standards). with 700' of vertical, it's the tallest resort in wisconsin, and we got 4" of fresh powder as we were skiing on saturday so trail conditions were great. overall, i'd have to say i think that granite peak is probably the best skiing i've experienced in the midwest (though still a far, FAR cry from anything out west, obviously).

out of the places in the midwest i've skied, here's how i'd rank them:

granite peak - wausau, wi
indianhead - wakefield, mi (UP)
big powder horn - bessemer, mi (UP)
devil's head - merrimac, wi
cascade - portage, wi
chestnut mountain - galena, il
afton alps - hastings, mn
alpine valley - elkhorn, wi
wilmot mountian - wilmot, wi
grand geneva resort - lake geneva, wi

anyone have other favorite places in our flat, flat region that can at least allow one to get a small taste of what it's like to fly across snow?

mobyhead · #2 Posted: **Mar 1, 2011, 8:20 PM**

The ONLY place I have ever done any skiing was in Iowa just outside of Omaha. It was fun sliding on my ass down the bunny hill.

http://www.skicrescent.com/Trail_Map.php

hudkina · #3 Posted: **Mar 1, 2011, 8:36 PM**

The Upper Midwest is underrated when it comes to ski resorts. Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin all have really great ski resorts.

ColDayMan · #4 Posted: **Mar 1, 2011, 9:02 PM**

We had a nice resort in Ohio called Spicy Run down in Chillicothe (Appalachia) that had high verts for the region but that was killed due to the economy. Now we just have mediocre ski resorts (Mad River Mountain, Perfect North, anything near Cleveland or Mansfield). Ohioans now tend to go to Pennsylvania, West Virginia, or New York to ski locally. You'd think somebody would open a ski resort(s) in Southeast Ohio where there are 800-1,000 feet vertical drops all over. Then again, it's a bit warmer down there versus anywhere else in the state. Bah.

Steely Dan · #5 Posted: **Mar 1, 2011, 9:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hudkina

Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin all have really great ski resorts.

everything is relative. compared to the lower midwest, the upper midwest has "really great ski resorts", but compared to colorado or utah, everything in this part of the country is simply too short to be classified as "really great". you need vertical drops in the 3,000 - 4,000 ft. ranges before you start having the types and lengths of terrain that truly challenge a proficient skier. don't get me wrong, i had a blast up at granite peak over the weekend, and i will go back there with enthusiasm in the future, but i'm not naive enough to believe that a place with a 700' vertical drop can come anywhere close to hanging with the mountain resort big boys out west or even the bigger places in the east, like killington up in vermont.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColDayMan

You'd think somebody would open a ski resort(s) in Southeast Ohio where there are 800-1,000 feet vertical drops all over. Then again, it's a bit warmer down there versus anywhere else in the state. Bah.

yeah, i think the inconsistent weather down in that part of the midwest would be problematic. the cincy area definitely has the topography for downhill skiing, but a good ski resort needs more than that, you also have to have a consistently cold winter (and ideally lots of snow, though snow making machines make that less important) and those are only found up at elevation in the mountains or in the far northern section of the country, minnesota-wisconsin-michigan.

fishrose · #6 Posted: **Mar 1, 2011, 10:30 PM**

A lot of people really dig Boyne Mountain here in Michigan, but I've never been there.

vid · #7 Posted: **Mar 2, 2011, 1:15 AM**

I hear Lutsen, MN is nice. I think it is the longest run in the Midwest or something like that? Thunder Bay has the longest runs between Alberta and Quebec.

Hayward · #8 Posted: **Mar 2, 2011, 2:26 AM**

If you are advanced and want a full day experience check out Mount Bohemia in Mohawk, MI. 900' vertical drop. I'm kind of into that full day experience as opposed to skiing and snowboarding and just getting back on the freeway. So not far South is Houghton and Hancock, which is a nice college town. Lots of bars and restaurants to finish off the day right. Calumet has some great places too. Mount Ripley is fun too, plus it's got a view of Houghton's "Skyline"

http://www.aux.mtu.edu/aux_joomla/in...138&Itemid=278

Most people in Michigan rarely get up to those areas. The state's most populated areas can drive to New York City faster than reaching parts of the upper peninsula

Clevelumbus · #9 Posted: **Mar 2, 2011, 6:44 AM**

Boyne Mountain
Schuss Mountain
Boston Mills/Brandywine
Mt. Brighton

In that order..

I prefer Holiday Valley (western NY) and the Poconos (PA) for good skiing close to Ohio.

Steely Dan · #10 Posted: **Mar 2, 2011, 3:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayward

If you are advanced and want a full day experience check out Mount Bohemia in Mohawk, MI. 900' vertical drop.

wow, i was just checking out mount bohemia online, and it looks like the realest deal in the midwest. 900' vertical with absolutely no beginner or groomed trails and 300" of annual snowfall; they're certainly going after a niche market in the midwest. the only problem for me is that it's like a 10 hour drive from chicago. might as well just head out west at that point. granite peak is not as aggressive or as tall as mount bohemia, but at only 4.5 hours from chicago, it's very doable as a weekend getaway like i just did this past weekend, drove up after work on friday night, skied saturday and sunday, drive home monday; two days of decent skiing and only 1 day of vacation time used. mount bohemia would be a minimum 4 day weekend, with an awful amount of driving for 2 days of skiing. though something to definitely think about for the future.

i've also heard that lutsen up in minnesota has some of the tallest and longest runs in the midwest, but that's even further from chicago than mount bohemia.

Hayward · #11 Posted: **Mar 2, 2011, 6:36 PM**

Yeah, distance is the biggest issue. But if you are up there for a few days, it's a great experience, since the surrounding towns have a lot of stuff to do as well. As I said, I'm into the full day experience. I've only gotten out to Alpine valley, but my friends are basically like "okay, game over, let's get back on the freeway"

Buckeye Native 001 · #12 Posted: **Mar 2, 2011, 6:44 PM**

Some Cincinnatians prefer someplace in southeastern Indiana whose name escapes me at the moment...

Steely Dan · #13 Posted: **Mar 2, 2011, 6:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayward

Yeah, distance is the biggest issue. But if you are up there for a few days, it's a great experience, since the surrounding towns have a lot of stuff to do as well. As I said, I'm into the full day experience. I've only gotten out to Alpine valley, but my friends are basically like "okay, game over, let's get back on the freeway"

alpine valley is pretty awful in the grand scheme of things. the runs are WAY too short and the place gets WAY too overcrowded on the weekends. i was up there a couple of weeks ago, and even though me and my friends bought the full day package (day and night skiing), we threw in the towel by 7:00pm because we were just so tired of 30 second ski runs followed by a 5 minute line just to get back on the chair lift.

if you're looking to do just a simple day-trip ski from chicago, devil's head and cascade moauntain are my favorites (they're both up around portage at the 90/94-39 split. it's a fair bit of driving for a day-trip, but still doable, and the skiing is FAR superior to places closer to chicago like alpine valley or wilmot mountain.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001

Some Cincinnatians prefer someplace in southeastern Indiana whose name escapes me at the moment...

that's gotta be Perfect North, one of the places colday was talking about. i've never skied down there, and would be curious to know how long the snow holds up down there in the warmer part of the midwest.

Strange Meat · #14 Posted: **Mar 2, 2011, 7:20 PM**

I've ridden Mad River Mountain, Snow Trails, and Clear Fork in Ohio, as well as Holiday Valley in NY and Seven Springs in PA.

I've actually been up to MRM many, many times (30 or so?). I don't think I could ever ride there, again, I'd probably get thrown out for going "too fast".

The definition of "powder" back east is also whack.

I'm also never bitching about the 1 hour 15 minute (no traffic, 5 or more hours if it's a bad/busy weekend or something) drive to Key/Breck/A-Bay anymore, though.

ltsmotorsport · #15 Posted: **Mar 3, 2011, 10:35 PM**

I'm just glad my parents live a little over an hour away from the closest Tahoe resort. Makes it too easy to visit them and get a weekend in up on the mountain.

I think it's for this simple reason that I could never move further east than Colorado.

Strange Meat · #16 Posted: **Mar 5, 2011, 10:45 PM**

Keystone yesterday (and 5 of the last 10 days), Vail tomorrow. I hit up Keystone in the morning and then Breck in the afternoon on the 15th. I'm over 100,000 vertical feet ridden this season (which really isn't that much at all. I have friends who are approaching TWO MILLION vertical feet).

MNMike · #17 Posted: **Mar 8, 2011, 4:55 AM**

Lutsen, MN has a 1,088 foot vertical drop...I believe that is the biggest vertical drop for skiing in the middle of the US.

Northeastern MN is actually pretty hilly...for this part of the country.

http://gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls...rthshore.shtml

http://www.bahmaphotography.com/Land...340_s6xK3-A-LB

Southeastern MN is also hilly.

Steely Dan · #18 Posted: **Mar 8, 2011, 3:55 PM**

^ lutsen does look like one of the best places for midwest skiing, but it's unfortunate that it's just so damn inaccessible for most of the midwest. it just isn't practical for a weekend ski getaway unless you live up in the twin cities or thereabouts. if i'm gonna take the necessary time off of work to get all the way up to lutsen from chicago to make it worth my while, i might as well just fly somewhere out west.

vid · #19 Posted: **Mar 9, 2011, 5:32 AM**

That whole part of Minnesota is really just an extension of Canada. If Thunder Bay didn't exist, the Indian Casino at Grand Portage wouldn't, either, and Lutsen would have a lot less customers in winter. When you think about it, Cook County really should be in Ontario.

The mountains along the north shore of Lakes Superior and Huron are some of the oldest mountains on earth. The Manitoulin Islands were once the tallest in the world. They were middle aged when animals came into being. The Rockies started forming as dinosaurs were on their way out. So, cut us some slack. 1.5 billion years of erosion does a number on you.

Michi · #20 Posted: **Mar 17, 2011, 3:58 AM**

My home turf is Boyne Highlands in Michigan. I grew up just over an hour from the Highlands and use to have a season pass, so we'd go every weekend during the winter. Boyne Highlands overlooks the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan, so it got some awesome lake effect snows, which, in my opinion, made for the best skiing in the Midwest.

I never did make it to Boyne Mountain, but have always wanted to. I have a lot of great memories of the Highlands though, and it would be my first choice the next time I'm able to go skiing. I was one year away from competing in downhill races, but that hour drive, other high school activities and the darn cost of the sport, kept me from competing.