Grab some coffee and join us for Ski Resort Sundays (SRS), where each week, we take a brief look at a ski resort from around the Midwest. SRS episodes are uploaded every Sunday morning, so check in each week to see which ski resort we are covering. Today, we will be examining Tyrol Basin.
Tyrol Basin is a ski resort located in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, which is about twenty minutes from Madison and just over two and a half hours from Chicago.
But long before it was called Tyrol Basin, the ski resort started in 1958 under the name Sutter’s Ridge. The ski area was started by Sandy Stevenson - a Chicagoan and avid skier who wanted to escape the big city. Just a few years later, Sandy would change the name of the resort to Norway Basin to coincide with the local Norwegian heritage. But he would quickly discover that many confused the ski area with a local living museum called “Little Norway,” so he changed the name to Tyrol Basin, and it has operated under that name since.
The ski area changed ownership and faced hard times in the 1980s, causing Tyrol to close for a few seasons, but this would change when Don Mackay entered the pictures in 1989. MacKay focused snowboarding scene and is credited with cutting one of the first half-pipes in the country.
More recently, Tyrol Basin was bought by Nathan McGree back in 2018. He has continued to develop the resort with additions such as tubing, a new bar/chalet, and improvements to their snowmaking capacity.
Today Tyrol Basin offers 18 runs and 300 feet of vertical drop, serviced by three chairlifts and a few surface lifts. And as you could guess, Tyrol Basin has a variety of great terrain parks that boasts a number of unique features. Their Barnyard park even offers a dedicated rope that makes lapping features a breeze.
On top of that, Tyrol offers some unique terrain, especially for the area. Both A and B Chairlifts give you access to great groomers, and off of the C Chair, you will find a variety of cliffs, glades, and steeps. This means no matter your skiing/riding ability; you will be able to find something for everybody at Tyrol Basin.
Lastly, Tyrol Basin is another Midwest hill that is full of charm and history. Their chalet is an old barn that has been renovated over the years but retains that classic Wisconsin vibe. The newly renovated sprawling deck and patio provide another great location to enjoy food and some drinks after a long day of skiing or riding.
If you want to learn more about Tyrol Basin, be sure to check out their website at www.tyrolbasin.com and we hope to see you out there this season!