Winter is here, and with the snowy season in full effect, many have dusted off their skis and snowboards to hit the slopes. Unfortunately, lots of people don’t know places close to Southeastern Wisconsin to ski/snowboard. If you’re one of those people, don’t worry. Ranked in order of worst to best, here’s a list of some great ski and snowboard hills in the area.
In third place is Little Switzerland. This resort is just off of highway 41 in Slinger Wisconsin. There are 18 runs at Little Switz, three of which have a terrain park integrated into them. There are five easy runs, with another run being a learning area for beginners. Additionally, the park features five more difficult runs. Finally, there’s four difficult runs to challenge advanced riders. Also, there are small, medium, and large freestyle terrain parks. Getting people back up to the top of the hill is no problem for Little Switzerland. Four double chairlifts, two handle tows, and two rope tows are placed all around the hill. At the bottom of the hill, there is a chalet with a full-service restaurant, bar, game room, snack bar, and pro shop. The elevation at the top of Little Switzerland is 1,269 feet, and the hill has a 200 foot vertical. There are 50 acres of skiable land at Little Switz. This hill is unique because it has two sides, both of which skiers and snowboarders can ride down. Here, the longest run is 1,800 feet. Overall, Little Switzerland has great drops and descents and terrific terrain to experiment with. However, Little Switz is not as big as others on this list, making it come in third place. Lift tickets start at $22 for kids and seniors, and $32 for adults.
Coming in second place, is Alpine Valley. Located in Elkhorn Wisconsin, it’s 2.1 miles from Interstate 43. The hill has seven green trails, seven blue trails, and six black diamond trails, three of which have a terrain park incorporated. Alpine valley has a large beginner area for anyone learning how to snowboard or ski. In this beginner area, there are gentle slopes with gradual descents that first-timers can ride on to get the hang of ski/snowboard skills. There’s also four Wonder Carpet lifts that allow beginners to stand up while they ride back up to the top. Once the beginner area has been mastered, skiers or snowboarders can move onto the rest of the hill. This resort features over 90 skiable acres, a vertical drop of 388 feet, and a 3,000 feet long run. Alpine has many steep descents that provide a fun adrenaline rush for skiers and snowboarders, and there are many technical terrain features for riders to challenge themselves with. Also, Alpine has three high speed Quad Advanced Chair lifts, three express triple chair lifts, and one double chairlift, to get you back up to the top fast. There also is a rope tow at a terrain area. When you’re done on the slopes, the chalet has tasty food options. All in all, Alpine Valley is a great ski and snowboard resort, but it’s spot in second place for this list comes from the fact that it’s vertical descent and land area can be topped. Lift tickets start at $29.
Finally, in first place for ski and snowboard hills around Southeastern Wisconsin, is Cascade Mountain. Cascade Mountain is in Portage, Wisconsin. It’s near the Wisconsin Dells, and is about an hour and a half drive from Milwaukee. For some people, this hill might be a little out of the way, but it’s worth it. Cascade Mountain features forty-four runs, four of which have terrain parks integrated into them. There is a learning area for first-timers at Cascade. Outside of the learning area, there are thirteen easier trails, seventeen more difficult trails, and ten most difficult trails. Riding down some of Cascade’s bigger runs will turn your stomach upside down. There are narrow, tree lined, runs that will test your stopping and turning skills. Jumping off terrain will make you feel like a pro. To ensure that most of your time is spent going down the mountain instead of waiting at the bottom or on the lifts going up, Cascade has nine lifts, with two being high-speed quads. There’s also a rope tow by a terrain park. Cascade has been well reviewed as an awesome place to shred the slopes on Tripadvisor. The hill’s top elevation is 1,270 feet, with a 450 foot vertical. There are 160 skiable acres, and the longest run is 5,300 feet. There is a chalet at this hill with great food options to refuel with. Overall Cascade Mountain is the best hill due to the amount of runs, vertical descent, and sheer size of it compared to other hills in the area. Lift Tickets start at $25.
Hopefully now it’s easier to choose a slope to snowboard or ski at that fits your budget, skill level, and driving distance limit.
