greengiant

I'm a New Englander living in Chicago and am looking for ski advice. I'm planning to take my 6 1/2 year old son skiing in Chicagoland this winter as a warm up before heading to Park City for big mountain skiing in the spring.

Which "mountain" do you recommend near Chicago for a 3-day weekend?

My son has skiied for 3 years at Wilmont and Utah, and got up to blue squares last winter. This will be our first local overnight trip and I am prepared to drive up to 3 hours.

What is the best place for kids to have a great ski experience around Chicago? He'll be in ski school, and I will be wrangling my 2 year old off the slopes...

Thanks in advance for your help!

Michael

Here's aq midwest ski resort list:

http://www.onthesnow.com/midwest/ski-resorts.html

NorCal_Jo

Hi

I'm in the same situation (Montana native now living in Chicago and looking for somewhere to take the kids when we aren't flying to MT to ski. Really hoping for some good input by other Fodorites!

In the meantime, wanted to share a link that I had found that has many of the same places as the above poster's link but with an indication of distance from Chicago. Maybe you could marry this link up with the reviews on the other one...

https://www.timeout.com/chicago/spor...g-near-chicago

greengiant

Thanks so much for the replies! I had looked at these links in my research and they are great background, and was hoping to find some fodorites with personal favorites to provide a strongly opinionated "go here!" review ; )

fmpden

As a Coloradan who lived in the Chicago area for a number of years before returning, I think you will be disappointed with whatever you find. Never found anything with in three hours of Chicago. The downhill runs are just that - hills and short. Upper Michigan was so so but a long drive. I think I would look for an indoor place just for him to practice.

greengiant

Thanks for your feedback! It's helpful to know what the benefit of a longer drive is (or isn't!). I never thought East Coast skiing was great until I realized the Midwest alternative...

Thanks again.

abram

The biggest hill in Wisconsin is granite Peak in Wausau (400 acres, 700' vertical), but it's about 4 hours from Chicago. Fewer crowds because it's farther from Chicago.
Alpine Valley has 90 acres, 390' vertical, lodging on site, but can be very crowded because of it's proximity to Chicago.
Wilmot (120 acres 230' vertical) seems to be less crowded, IMHO; no on-site lodging.
Near Wisconsin Dells are Devil's Head (260 acres 500' vertical, lodging on-site) and Cascade (135 acres, 450' vertical, no lodging).

SusanM

I grew up in WI and now live in Chicago. My favorite skiing was Devil's Head. Cascade, Tyrol Basin and Alpine Valley are others I remember. Devil's Head is the farthest North.

SusanM

Sorry, I meant the farthest North of those I mentioned.

fishee

When I moved from N California to Chicago, I switched to snowboarding so that the short runs were less of a problem as a beginner. I can't imagine trying to downhill ski on these short runs. I did go to Granite Peak in Wausau once, but we made it a trip and did other things. I would have been disappointed if that was the only reason we drove 4 hours.

We went to Wilmot several times and as a novice boarder, it was close, convenient, and inexpensive (relative to Tahoe!) My son is almost 4 so I may drive him up there for his first lessons soon.