The hype has become a reality as snowfall has already started for much of the upper parts of the Midwest. Predictions are all over the board, but some models suggest upward to 2 feet of snow in isolated areas.
For those of you that live in the greater twin-cities or upper midwest - you have probably heard the folklore surrounding this iconic storm. A system that was supposed to bring rain - that surprised all and delivered nearly 30 inches of snow in areas across the Metro… Could this storm plow that record? Well, probably not - but it doesn't mean we shouldn't prepare for a fantastic pow-day.
Late Winter Snowmaking Pushes
And preparing is exactly what several ski areas across the Midwest are doing, as we saw several snowmaking pushes this past week, including Boyne Mountain, Welch Village, and Timber Ridge, just to name a few. I just Love seeing some late winter snowmaking pushes. So great to see ski areas prioritizing good snow conditions into March. Huge shout to all of the teams making it happen!
Bittersweet Spins New Lift
Another team that deserves a big shoutout is the team over at Bittersweet as they were able to spin their new highspeed quad for the first time late last month. This addition marks the ski area's second high speed, which is extremely impressive given the area's size.
Perfect North Announces New Lift + RFID
And while on chairlift news, we have yet another new lift that will be installed this offseason. Perfect North announced that they will be replacing their Red lift this offseason. The new chairlift will be a fixed-grip quad from skytrac that will replace the 1987 Riblet triple.. And before you ask.. No, the chairs from the old red lift will not be for sale, as they will be using them for parts for their other riblet chairs.
This announcement marks the Midwest's 10th new lift for this offseason, well, 11 if you count BOHO, but I'm still expecting announcements from two more ski areas in the coming weeks. Meaning the Midwest will see at least 12 new lifts for this upcoming season… crazy.
I decided to wait until they are all officially announced to do a full breakdown video - just to save me some time, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks.
As part of this announcement, Perfect North also shared that they will be installing RFID gates this off-season as well, meaning their pass holders will be able to go directly to the lift.
Nick Goepper Retires
Keeping with the perfect north theme, the once-local Nick Goepper announced that he has officially retired from competitive skiing. Nick has been a force in the skiing slopestyle scene over the past decade, taking silver medals in the last two Olympics and countless others at the X-games and World Championships.
It has been amazing to follow you over the past few seasons, Nick, and thank you for making the Midwest proud. Hopefully, your retirement is filled with endless powder days!
Paula Maltzan Helps US Win First Parallel Championship
Another Midwestern skier that made headlines recently is Paula Maltzan. Paula, the Prior Lake and Buck Hill native, helped the US team take home America's first-ever Team Parallel Championship last week but, in the process, broke her left hand in during her final run.
If this story sounds familiar, that's because it is. Paula broke that same hand last December and continued o race with it taped up during the Olympics. I'll say exactly what I said last season - she is Midwest tough. We wish Paula a speedy recovery and hope to see you back on the course soon!
Spring Is Nearing - Pass Sales/Events
With the ski industry's last holiday weekend, President's day, coming and going - it's time to look to spring events. Several ski areas announced their 2023/24 season pass sales this past week are now live.
For those unaware or if you're newer to the ski scene, every spring, pretty much every resort deeply discounts their season pass prices for the next year. On top of that, they usually offer discounted or even free skiing for the rest of this season as well. That said, if you plan skiing a bunch next season - keep an eye on your local resorts page over the next few weeks to pick up the lowest season pass prices available.
In addition to pass sales, spring always brings a host of fun events, including pond skims, demo days, and cardboard sled races, to name a few. That said, check in with your local hills, as these events are always a ton of fun and a great way to enjoy the season's final weeks.
Wilmot Featured on "That '90s Show"
A long-time Wisconsin ski area made a sneaky appearance in the new Netflix series "That 90s show." The show is a reboot of the Wisconsin themed "That 70s show." Although the new show is not as good as its original counterpart - their Midwest/Wisconsin decor is on point.
In a few scenes, viewers can make out a poster in the background for Wilmot Mountain, a staple in the Southeastern Wisconsin community for nearly 85 years. Always sweet to see Midwest skiing in mainstream media.
Buck Hill/Bridging Bedrace Featured on Kelly Clarkson Show
And Midwest skiing also got another spot across the mainstream, as the Kelly Clarkson show highlighted the 25th anniversary of "Bedrace for Bridging" at Buck Hill… And you read that correctly, a mattress race down the Buck Hill tubing hill.
This annual event is the largest fundraiser for the furniture bank Bridging - which provides furniture and household goods to those in need. This event is always a lot of fun and helps a fantastic cause. The Bedrace is going down on Saturday, March 11th, and click here for more information.
Red Bull's Heavy Metal Hits Motor-City
And I want to wrap up with another fantastic event that went down this past week. Last season - Benny Milam and Red Bull resurrected the Heavy Metal series after a nearly 20-year hiatus.
It returned this season, but it was Detriot's turn as the event went down in Hart Plaza this past Saturday. This year's event was led by burton rider Grace Warner, who hails from the Mitten and grew up riding Alpine Valley and Pine Knob. With some help from the Pine Knob Crew, Hart Plaza was transformed into a three-zone snowboard event in the heart of the motor city. The zones included the iconic 40-foot wall, a double kink rail with creepers, and a 50-foot down rail.
The riding was top-notch, and the twin city's own Ryan Paul grabbed 2nd place. Such an incredible event right here in the fly-over states. Click here to watch the complete recap of the event.
But there you have it, your fix of Midwest ski news from the past few weeks. We will drop a link below if you want to check out our last episode. But until next time, I hope all of you have a great week, pray for snow, and I'll see you guys out there!