Midwest Upper Midwest 2020-2021

[focker]

@wallyk we noticed the racers at Buck. There was a high percentage of fantastic skiers there Saturday morning. We'd didn't make it into the lodge at either place really...covid...

@focker thanks for the heads up on Welch. Good info for sure and we'll try to hit it this winter. Maybe do a another quick weekend with the other day at troll and welch? How are lift lines at troll and welch on weekends?

Also, anybody have any thoughts on Coffee Mill Ski Area? Hadn't heard of it prior to last week and vertical looks nice.

Lift lines at both Welch and Troll on the weekends can get ridiculous... Troll more so when they are having a racing event. If you're coming back mid-winter I'd call and ask if they are having any races before you book a trip. Sometimes the races are happening at another hill and Troll can be pretty normal on a Saturday as all the racers are at another hill. If Troll isn't having races the lines are never too terrible. D Team race practice ends at 4:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays and IMO the place gets way less busy at that point, even with night skiers showing up.

Welch tends to have less race teams practice there as it's further from the metro and lines tend to be shorter overall.

 

[Nelliefj40]

thanks again everyone. Sounds like Welch definitely needs to be added to the list!

 

[Dwight]

Midwest skier is visiting different places right. Not a bad follow.

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[focker]

thanks again everyone. Sounds like Welch definitely needs to be added to the list!

If you're up here already try a night of skiing at Wild Mountain as well. IMO they have a few runs that are more fun than Troll has. Slightly steeper and longer.

 

[ejj]

Best skiing in the twin cities area, IMHO, is Welch. They don't have much open right now--hopefully we get some snow soon...

 

[focker]

Best skiing in the twin cities area, IMHO, is Welch. They don't have much open right now--hopefully we get some snow soon...

No doubt about it....

Welch: Best Skiing and best bar
Troll: Great vibe, fun bar, but very mellow runs overall
Wild: Less busy seems to have a good park setup
Afton: Expensive, boring, overly crowded
Buck: Never been, don't plan on it judging by the view from the interstate

 

[Beach Bum]

I wonder if the Chicagoland area will ever get snow in December again? It's been what, 4 years lol

 

[Dwight]

First shift in last night. Most of the runs are open at nordicmoutain.com. Considering most of the runs got pushed out the night before, the conditions were good. At least ski season has officially started for me.

 

[Beach Bum]

Potential for some serious snow up in the UP next week. Won't say more and jinx anything, but one can hope.

 

[Dwight]

LES might finally be turning, but no breath holding happening.

 

[motogreg]

Unreasonably excited to go up to Crystal here today....

 

[Jenny]

Unreasonably excited to go up to Crystal here today....

IKWYM, think we're hitting Caberfae tomorrow . . .

 

[Dwight]

Time to ski.

 

[afski722]

IKWYM, think we're hitting Caberfae tomorrow . . .

Unreasonably excited to be headed up to Nubs for the weekend. I'm oddly more pumped just to get back on skis this year than any year ever, even after the season I blew out my ACL in 2012.

Watched an old TGR film the other night, was rockin' out to some tunes in the basement last night getting all the gear around.

Started packing-up the car, firing off a few last emails on the last real work day of the year, and getting on the road north in about an hour. The beer is going to taste extra good tonight. The night before the first day of ski season is like Christmas Eve when you are a kid.

It. Actually. Feels. Kinda. Normal for once, something that I haven't said too much in the past 9 months.

 

[Dwight]

 

[motogreg]

Unreasonably excited...

It. Actually. Feels. Kinda. Normal for once, something that I haven't said too much in the past 9 months.

THIS is what we were saying all day today! The shutdown happened right at the end of the season last year, so this was almost like things picked up where they left off.....

 

[DerKomisar]

First night at Wilmot for opening night. Seemed like a mixed bag of people wearing masks and those that weren’t. Surprised that an Epic property didn’t have a more coordinated approach first night in operation. Plenty of signage all around, but not much support for the lift operators and scanners to enforce masks and social distancing.
People in general were trying to keep some general common sense protection, masks and social distancing. Just a few folks that skirted the rules. All in all, it was a decent opening night with lifts 2 & 3 running and ~5 runs with groomed fake snow.

 

[Beach Bum]

What's up with places like Whitecap have they made any announcements of late? I mean one of their worst snowfalls to date sucks but don't midwest resorts have snow making equipment? Bohemia and Porkies don't but they pretty much advertise that.

And what about Big Powderhorn? They were making snow for awhile as shown on their webcam and it's like they threw in the towel the other day. They wouldn't be opening this weekend and I don't see any snowguns on in the webcam but that only covers part of the hill. Anyone up in that area, do you see any snow making going?

 

[ADDvanced]

I've been following little switz on IG. They have changed their covid guidelines to "masks required where social distancing isn't possible".... yet their OWN fucking IG feed shows people in lift lines without masks on. Nobody seems to be enforcing anything. So pissed. Glad I didn't buy a season pass.

Really wish Little Switz would have just said "Masks REQUIRED in lift lines" and actually enforced it. I spent over $2000 there last season including the season passes, and talked tons of people into going. I guess they don't care.

On the upside I got XC ski boats, and am using some $16 XC skis I picked up at goodwill. New boots were $50 online. It's good exercise but it isn't very fun until you get to a downhill section, and the lack of control compared to downhill skis is sort of exciting, I guess.

 

[Dwight]

They enforce it if you are there. You might not want to "manage" from IG feed.