• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Midwest 2021-2022 Midwest Ski Resort/Conditions/Meetups

Status
Not open for further replies.

Dwight

Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
Admin
Moderator
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Posts
7,440
Location
Central Wisconsin
Getting closer to the season now, so new thread. Personally, I have lots of waterskiing left to do, but the white stuff is in the West mountains.

Ski resorts are busy making new improvements and looking forward to the 2021 season.

Have fun, ski safe.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Dwight

Dwight

Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
Admin
Moderator
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Posts
7,440
Location
Central Wisconsin
The youngest GM is at the Rock. I've been at the sister hill for over a decade. The owners are great and glad to see they are teaching/leading new people.

 

itcomestoosoon

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Posts
30
Location
Minneapolis
This season I'm hoping to buy the Epic Local and Welch Village night pass, plus maybe the Mt. Bohemia pass if its as cheap as it was before. I greatly prefer Welch over Afton, so I hope to do my local skiing there and use the Epic for trips. Does anyone know how crowded Welch gets on Weekday nights?

Also, someone was posting in the last thread about backcountry at Lutsen. I saw it was offered at the local ski shop. any follow up from the poster?
 

MN_Drew

Putting on skis
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Posts
83
Great in-depth conversation with Charles Skinner (Lutsen & Granite Peak owner) here: https://www.stormskiing.com/p/podcast-52-lutsen-mountains-co-presidentco . Some new info on the Lutsen expansion, including that at UFS' request, they have removed the SUP area on the north face of Moose so that SHT is no longer impacted or rerouted. Charles mentioned that replacing Bridge Lift is their next major capital priority, and that they actually considered doing it this year but didn't move forward. Sounded like he considered a detach quad but a fixed quad was more likely. Also sounds like they plan to begin work on the Eagle side expansion as soon as the SUP is approved and would intend to have most of it completed in one season. Again, split on detach quad vs. fixed quad for the Eagle expansion lift. He did also mention that he would like to do a chondola for the center expansion lift on Moose that would connect the new Moose base chalet with the new Moose SW summit chalet. First I'd heard that. Really, a lot of good info in the podcast, definitely worth a listen.
 

focker

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
1,177
This season I'm hoping to buy the Epic Local and Welch Village night pass, plus maybe the Mt. Bohemia pass if its as cheap as it was before. I greatly prefer Welch over Afton, so I hope to do my local skiing there and use the Epic for trips. Does anyone know how crowded Welch gets on Weekday nights?

Also, someone was posting in the last thread about backcountry at Lutsen. I saw it was offered at the local ski shop. any follow up from the poster?

Crowding at Welch on Weekday nights??? :roflmao:

You'll literally wish there were MORE people there, just so you can ride the lift or have a beer with someone.

Let's plan on meeting up there this winter. I plan on doing several weekday night trips there. I have no pass at all this year, so night skiing it will be.
 

focker

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
1,177
Great in-depth conversation with Charles Skinner (Lutsen & Granite Peak owner) here: https://www.stormskiing.com/p/podcast-52-lutsen-mountains-co-presidentco . Some new info on the Lutsen expansion, including that at UFS' request, they have removed the SUP area on the north face of Moose so that SHT is no longer impacted or rerouted. Charles mentioned that replacing Bridge Lift is their next major capital priority, and that they actually considered doing it this year but didn't move forward. Sounded like he considered a detach quad but a fixed quad was more likely. Also sounds like they plan to begin work on the Eagle side expansion as soon as the SUP is approved and would intend to have most of it completed in one season. Again, split on detach quad vs. fixed quad for the Eagle expansion lift. He did also mention that he would like to do a chondola for the center expansion lift on Moose that would connect the new Moose base chalet with the new Moose SW summit chalet. First I'd heard that. Really, a lot of good info in the podcast, definitely worth a listen.

I'll need to give this a listen. As far as the lift go, I think they could get away with a Fixed grip quad for replacing the Bridge chair. Sure a detachable would be nice, but it's really not that long of a ride to need one. the extra capacity of a quad would certainly help on the weekends. I think they could get away with a fixed on the Eagle expansion terrain as well. Just not that long of a ride.

Any new lift on Moose should be a high speed however. I'm not sure why they think they need a Chondola though.
 

MN_Drew

Putting on skis
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Posts
83
Agreed with all of that.

I believe that the thinking behind the chondola would be to provide non-skier access to the new summit chalet for dining and especially weddings.
 

MN_Drew

Putting on skis
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Posts
83
The Lutsen DEIS is out for public comment: https://segroup.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=dabcb18b54cb4976b2c51f189274a147 .

Lots of new details on the new "Alternative 3" option. Here's the most direct description of the differences between it and the original proposal: "Under Alternative 3, Moose Mountain base area components, facilities, Lifts 2 and 3, and the temporary mountain access roads would remain similar to Alternative 2. However, Lutsen would not be issued an SUP for the approximately 110-acre area on the backside of Moose Mountain. Because Lutsen would not have a SUP for the area, no ski terrain (traditional or gladed) would be developed and the SHT would not be rerouted. Instead of the approximately 110-acre area on the backside of Moose Mountain, the SUP arae on the frontside of Moose Mountain would be expanded approximately 93 acres to the southwest and include a lift pod not proposed under Alternative 2. Other modifications from Alternative 2 include the addition of forest legacy patches retained on the frontside of Moose Mountain. These legacy patches would be areas without development and no construction or glading would occur within them. They would provide unaltered legacy patches for sensitive forest communities."
 

focker

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
1,177
The Lutsen DEIS is out for public comment: https://segroup.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=dabcb18b54cb4976b2c51f189274a147 .

Lots of new details on the new "Alternative 3" option. Here's the most direct description of the differences between it and the original proposal: "Under Alternative 3, Moose Mountain base area components, facilities, Lifts 2 and 3, and the temporary mountain access roads would remain similar to Alternative 2. However, Lutsen would not be issued an SUP for the approximately 110-acre area on the backside of Moose Mountain. Because Lutsen would not have a SUP for the area, no ski terrain (traditional or gladed) would be developed and the SHT would not be rerouted. Instead of the approximately 110-acre area on the backside of Moose Mountain, the SUP arae on the frontside of Moose Mountain would be expanded approximately 93 acres to the southwest and include a lift pod not proposed under Alternative 2. Other modifications from Alternative 2 include the addition of forest legacy patches retained on the frontside of Moose Mountain. These legacy patches would be areas without development and no construction or glading would occur within them. They would provide unaltered legacy patches for sensitive forest communities."

I don't really get the need for the new terrain off the backside of Moose anyway. Sure it's steep, but the runs are usually in terrible shape, even if they are open. Now they want to open what 4+ more runs? They can't keep the 3 runs they have open and in decent shape and now they want to put a lift back there and likely send more skiers down that same terrain? To me that terrain doesn't move the needle enough to spend the money on it as much as adding more terrain on the front side of moose or off of Eagle would.
 

focker

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
1,177
New lift at both Welch Village and Trollhaugen this season.
New upscale bar and expansive deck at Wild Mountain.

Should be fun to see these upgrades at the local hills. I know that new lift at Trollhaugen is going to be huge for reducing crowding, especially on nights when the HS racing teams are practicing and there is Beer league racing going on. The lift lines on those nights looked like a Saturday at 2:00pm at times.
 

Beach Bum

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Oct 2, 2018
Posts
378
Saw a headline that there was a fire at Big Snow. First thing I thought was no freaking way, and right after it allegedly was purchased. Then saw that it happened at Big Snow in New Jersey, the new-ish indoor ski resort out that way. Phew. Last thing the UP needs is another ski resort fire lol.
 

afski722

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Apr 24, 2017
Posts
207
Big future plans at Boyne Mountain:

Installing a high-speed 8 passenger lift to replace Disciples Ridge I & II.

Talk about crazy overkill for a lift.

 

Nathanvg

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Oct 29, 2016
Posts
525
Big future plans at Boyne Mountain:

Installing a high-speed 8 passenger lift to replace Disciples Ridge I & II.

Talk about crazy overkill for a lift.

What is the purpose of that bridge? The 8pack sounds like overkill but they probably will go low capacity and count on the novelty marketing.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Dwight

Dwight

Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
Admin
Moderator
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Posts
7,440
Location
Central Wisconsin
Probably a little late, sounds like Big Snow(U.P.) has another potential owner. Let's see if this person works out and closes the deal.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Sponsor

Staff online

  • Dwight
    Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
Top