I was all set to go to Tyrol Basin and up to Granite Peak @ Rib Mountain this week. Tyrol was offering lift tickets for 10 bucks! Granite Peak has rebuilt its mountain and now has almost 70 trails. However the warm weather has closed these and most of the ski areas in the Midwest. So I will be leaving my skis at home on future travels.

I still have a couple more articles on Midwest skiing in hopper for Scott.

Thanks for the support!

Tyrol Basin! That's it!

I was checking their website out. Seems they've added a few more runs and lifts in the nearly 30 years since I was last there! I remember seeing the commercials on TV for Alpine Valley all the time during the winter, especially as it was the closest one to Beloit, where I am originally from. Unfortunately, my parents were not skiers by any stretch of the imagination, and the only reason we even got to go to Tyrol Basin that one time was because my father knew the guy that owned it at the time and got us hooked up with some free skiing there. Alas, I've never got to ski Alpine Valley or Cascade mountain, although one of my older brothers did as part of a group outing. The only reason I was able to ski as much in PA when we moved out there was because I was able to cross-county ski to the little ski area we had there and then change into alpine gear to go downhill skiing. And man, some of the snow dumps we'd get in to that little place. We spent more time skiing through the woods than we did on the actual slope!

Now, that Granite Peak, which I've never even knew about! That place looks like it would just about be worth making a special trip out for! Over 70 runs on some 700+ feet of vertical, with a ton of tree skiing and some pretty sweet looking expert terrain and moguls! From looking at the trail map, that place looks like it could even put Snowshoe and Seven Springs to shame! And believe me, having lived in Wisconsin, I know all to well about some of the dumps that could be had, but it could also get brutally cold as well (20 below anyone? Before Windchill? )!

Ah yes, Granite Peak. I went there a couple times in the years before moving out east, after they had expanded to 70+ runs. Given that its in the Midwest it is an OK area - somewhat steep, several moguls runs, some glades. However, it still does not come close to the better Mid-Atlantic areas for the following reasons:

1) Trail count inflation: I know that most areas do this, but even by this standard the number of "official" named trails to distict ways down is pretty high.

2) Slope flatness. The slopes can be described as having almost all their steepness in the first 1/3 of the trail length. Thus, you basically get 200-300 feet of good steepness and the rest is a greenish runout. Most of the glades are in this flat area.

3) Relative lack of snow: the area is far enough south that it really doesn't get that much snow - about 60 inches per year. They do manage to get the glades open wth this amount, but the opportunities to powder ski are limited, and coupled with the frequently icy midwest conditions can make the glades somewhat unpleasant, imho.

4) Expensive for a midwest area. You definitely break the $30.00 barrier there!

On the other hand Granite Peak is the area closest to Chicago with a "ski town" feeling, and I have had good times there. I guess I am just saying that the on-paper stats can make the area look comparable to some of the better areas in the Mid-atlantic, and I just don't think that is actually the case.

For a place in the midwest I would love to try out some day, go online and check out Mt Bohemia in Michigan. I've never been there (it's like a 11 hr drive from chicago) but that place would be awesome!

Thanks again for the opportunity to discuss Midwest skiing!