Ski Season Kicks Off Early Across Midwest

It's been snowing since early November at Ski Brule. (Ski Brule/Facebook)

Winter has arrived across the upper Midwest. Many ski areas and resorts are opening this weekend, and Thanksgiving Weekend also looks good if you want to get away for that first ski trip of the new season.

A combination of cold air, system snow and lake effect snow has put some natural cover on the ground and has been great for snowmaking. It’s among the best opening weekends in the Heartland in the last 20 years.

Minnesota’s Wild Mountain and Buck Hill, Trollhaugen in Wisconsin, and Ski Brule in Michigan’s UP have already opened.

Hyland Hills and Afton Alps near the Twin Cities and Little Switzerland near Milwaukee are opening Friday, Nov. 16. Minnesota ski areas opening on Saturday include Powder Ridge, Andres Towers, Welch Village and Mount Kato. Wisconsin’s Granite Peak and Michigan’s Nubs Nob also opens Saturday. It’s Nubs third earliest open ever.

Ski resorts opening around the Great Lakes this weekend are offering attractive early season overnight lodging packages.  

Boyne Mountain opens Friday and Boyne Highlands opens Saturday. Much of the front face at each resort will be open as well as beginner areas. The Mountain is offering ski and lodging packages beginning at $88 per person, per night. They plan on closing midweek, but reopening Thanksgiving Weekend.

Caberfae Peaks, near Cadillac, Michigan, is opening Saturday and has ski and lodging packages beginning at $69 this weekend and $99 for Thanksgiving Weekend.

Lutsen Mountains, located along the north shore of Lake Superior, is opening this weekend with plans to operate the Flapjack conveyor and 10th Mountain Chair with beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain available.  Meanwhile, snowmaking continues on Ullr, Eagle and Moose Mountains with at least four lifts and 12 to 18 runs projected open for the Thanksgiving weekend. Weekend lift and lodging packages start from $112 per person.

With the long range forecast remaining good for continued snowmaking next week look for more ski areas and resorts to open for Thanksgiving Weekend. You can log onto SnoCountry.com to check the latest conditions at your favorite Midwest snowsports destination.