Northern Wisconsin: Granite Peak and Whitecap Mountains

[Amie H]

I was at Chestnut a few years ago, I think before I was active on this forum.

There are a number of places in the Midwest I'd like to visit but bc of the drive time, I'd need to wait a few years when I'm retired and can take a week to toodle around Northern WI /UP and see what's what.

 

[Iwannaski]

Olympia stopped existing around the time I moved here… we still see the hill when we drive by Oconomowoc. I went to the resort/hotel/conference center for a work meeting around 2007 and it was BAD. Now that area is indistinguishable from any other suburbia in the Midwest. Just with a hill sticking up out of the ground.

 

[WaterGirl]

Olympia stopped existing around the time I moved here… we still see the hill when we drive by Oconomowoc. I went to the resort/hotel/conference center for a work meeting around 2007 and it was BAD. Now that area is indistinguishable from any other suburbia in the Midwest. Just with a hill sticking up out of the ground.

Olympia was built up from partly from Garbage - developed into the ski hill and conference center which was pretty big in its day.... polo matches in the summer /skiing in the winter...... lake country at its finest
Sad to know it was in such disrepair

Here’s what we know about the former Olympia Resort and plans for future development at the Oconomowoc site

Olympia Resort, which opened in 1974, has gone through many changes over the years. Here is what you should know about its history and what's next.

www.jsonline.com

paywall but looks like maybe they will revive the ski hill....

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2022/11/22/olympia-ski-hill-neumann-developments.html

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Really interesting article about Olympia - thanks for including the link! I was there for a business conference many, many years ago (decades) - 1977, I think. Did a few hours of night skiing when the conference was done.

I’ve thought of another that I’ve skied that no longer exists: Wintergreen, Spring Green, WI. It was another of those “top down” ski areas, like Indianhead (unsure of its new name), Chestnut, Ski Sundown. Only skied there once - again, many years ago. It apparently closed in 1991. Like NELSAP, there is now a MWLSAP - very interesting information therein. (Sorry, don’t have link to it.)

 

[Iwannaski]

FKA Indianhead and FKA BlackJack have been consolidated into one operating entity (Snowriver) made up of two areas (Jackson Creek and Black River Basin) by the Skinner family who also own and operate Lutsen and Granite Peak. This was their first year of new=operation, and I’ve been hearing good things. We may swap Snowriver for our GP outing next year. I’m excited to see all the momentum around “up nort” skiing for us, because it enables us to ski locally and then vacation either skiing or tropically LOL.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

FKA Indianhead and FKA BlackJack have been consolidated into one operating entity (Snowriver) made up of two areas (Jackson Creek and Black River Basin) by the Skinner family who also own and operate Lutsen and Granite Peak. This was their first year of new=operation, and I’ve been hearing good things. We may swap Snowriver for our GP outing next year. I’m excited to see all the momentum around “up nort” skiing for us, because it enables us to ski locally and then vacation either skiing or tropically LOL.

VERY interesting! FKA Indianhead has been around a LONG time. Powderhorn was next. FKA Blackjack, in the middle, came 3rd. I'm sure a lot of people will need some "time" to get the new name right?

I'd already skied in CO prior to hitting the UP - and I was simply amazed at the snow quality. Lake Superior for the Win. At Lutsen, we stayed at a motel right on the lakeshore, not far from Lutsen (forgot name - wow, these things happened decades ago). Much fun. In UP, we often opted to stay in Hurley or Ironwood. Again, Porkies is totally worth the extra drive "east." Nice place, also has great lake views, like Lutsen.

 

[Iwannaski]

You’re not the first person who’s raved about the Porkies. Next Christmas break, DH and I were thinking of taking the kids on UP ski safari during the week … yeah it might be busier than normal, but we thought it would be a fun way to explore.

I know a lot of people who go to Lutsen stay at the AmericInn in Tofte. We stayed at Lutsen so we could ski in/out. Since I’m the one who has to climb up to the roof box and I’m also the one who makes our plans…. ;)

 

[MaineSkiLady]

You inspired me to look up the hotel where we stayed in Lutsen. Cliff Dweller. Was last minute - slopeside stuff was all booked.

The last time we did a "safari," we went over son's spring break from school. It was early that year, last week of March. Conditions were really good, only warming up to thaw on our last day (Blackjack). Did the whole show: 5 ski areas in 5 days. Great fun - thanks for the memories! Been gone 22 years. Great skiing here, but -- I was tons younger in those days. <sigh>

 

[MaineSkiLady]

And one more <big sigh> memory: DH got his A-L2 at FKA Indianhead, 1977. DS got his S-L2 there as well, 2001. (Cue music to "The Way We Were")

 

[Amie H]

FKA Indianhead and FKA BlackJack have been consolidated into one operating entity (Snowriver) made up of two areas (Jackson Creek and Black River Basin) by the Skinner family who also own and operate Lutsen and Granite Peak. This was their first year of new=operation, and I’ve been hearing good things. We may swap Snowriver for our GP outing next year. I’m excited to see all the momentum around “up nort” skiing for us, because it enables us to ski locally and then vacation either skiing or tropically LOL.

The snow really can't be beat.

 

[shadoj]

*Ahem* So when/where are we all gonna meet up next year?! I think we have a chain of 5 Midwest in-person connections now? Who else has met up? Me, @racetiger, @ballen, @Michelle P, @Amie H...

I seriously have an unofficial DivaMidwest agenda in mind. Hopefully budget-friendly. Perhaps if we do this for a couple years running, @ski diva will find a reason to stop by between East and West!

 

[Amie H]

My Midwest skiing is usually semi-impromptu...like, I get the *idea* to do it, but don't book anything until day before or day of to see how the roads are.

 

[shadoj]

My Midwest skiing is usually semi-impromptu...like, I get the *idea* to do it, but don't book anything until day before or day of to see how the roads are.

Yeah, I understand the freedom appeal! Love running into nice ski folks locally, and hope we get an impromptu meetup someday DivaEast was a big planning adventure for me, but I'm *so* glad I went!

 

[racetiger]

*Ahem* So when/where are we all gonna meet up next year?! I think we have a chain of 5 Midwest in-person connections now? Who else has met up? Me, @racetiger, @ballen, @Michelle P, @Amie H...

I seriously have an unofficial DivaMidwest agenda in mind. Hopefully budget-friendly. Perhaps if we do this for a couple years running, @ski diva will find a reason to stop by between East and West!

I'd be down for it if it's organized a few months in advance for planning and getting the time off work wherever I'm gonna be next year and budget friendly is a Requirement! Trips that require an overnight stay and a long drive or a plane ride I need to plan ahead on. I'm obsessive like that.
We seriously do need some Midwest action here. Yeah we don't have mountains but we have the highest concentration of ski areas in a small space though.

 

[WaterGirl]

I'm in for Mt. Bohemia - its on my bucket list. Although its $ and time to get there from the west coast if we had a Diva Yurt it would make sense in a good snow year. Getting the $99 season pass would also help.

 

[Amie H]

My neighborhood friend and her college-aged daughter went to Mt Bohemia last Spring Break. Her daughter got hurt hitting a tree.

If you're into extreme terrain, ungroomed trails, and a youthful/wild party/singles scene then it might be for you.

Definitely not my kind of place.
I've aged /injured out of all that.

@shadoj my issue is not freedom per se, just that I won't drive in a snowstorm and my WI trips are driving trips.

 

[WaterGirl]

@Amie H certainly the lodging leaves much to be desired. I know they promote "spring break" hot tub etc.
But I am more curious about the lake effect snow/ cat / and uphill travel. I mean the vertical is 900 feet.... and for almost the same price to get there from LA I could be in Japan. again, just a bucket list item if anyone else was interested.....

 

[Amie H]

@Amie H certainly the lodging leaves much to be desired. I know they promote "spring break" hot tub etc.
But I am more curious about the lake effect snow/ cat / and uphill travel. I mean the vertical is 900 feet.... and for almost the same price to get there from LA I could be in Japan. again, just a bucket list item if anyone else was interested.....

Unofficial Networks has written rave reviews of the place. It definitely has its market.

 

[Amie H]

Well, looking at the weather for this coming weekend, March 3-5, I might go up North as looks like the roads should be clear and they will be getting snow earlier in the week. I'm going to keep my eye on the weather to make sure no storms crop up over the weekend.

I'm still unhappy about the lodging situation up in the Snow Belt. It's really expensive for a dumpy room most everywhere I look around Bessemer/Ironwood. And the "nice" rooms/rental homes are way outta my budget for a driving trip (like what I'd pay to go to Tahoe.)

Ideally, I'd leave Thursday afternoon, giving me 2 full days of skiing but I really can't take any time off to make it a more leisurely trip. Lodging prices go up later in March (I'm assuming bc of Spring Breakers.)

So I need to decide if it's worth 11-12 hours of driving and about $400 in lodging for a day and a half of skiing...

 

[Amie H]

UPDATE: Found a motel with good reviews, and I have status match through another points program I'm in, so with that, plus my AARP membership, I got a pretty good rate, plus possible free suite upgrade. As is, the room has fridge & microwave (plus free breakfast) so I can bring my meals from home. I can cancel by Thursday, so we shall see how it goes...