Can anyone tell where is the best ski resort near chicago?

I am planning to go one day in my next visit to chicago, so consider distance and the place.

Thanks

For a day trip:

http://www.alpinevalleyresort.com/index2.php - very nice

and

http://www.wilmotmountain.com/ - the closest to the city

If you don't mind a 34 hour drive each way then:

http://www.chestnutmtn.com/winter/index.cfm - great place to ski.

Just don't forget, this is the midwest, so don't expect anything spectacular.

3 to 4 hour drive, not 34 hour...

We have been to all of the above. There is also one near Clear Lake in MI that is closer than all the WI and IA ones above, but I don't highly recommend it. It's ok for ski boarding and I hear has a nice ski school - Swiss Valley. It's about 2-1/2 hours away on a perfect traffic day. It's not far from Mendon. From those who do it, they say Alpine is probably the one most chosen.

This is the Midwest and the ski runs are not good. For instance, your very longest run is a fraction of the length of any Western Mountain region run. So I really wouldn't put any ski run here into the category of best and mean it.
You spend much more time going up that you do coming down.

How about Devil's Head north of Madisonevil's Head Resort
S6330 Bluff Road
Merrimac, WI 53561
http://www.devilsheadresort.com/snowsports/
or Cascade Mountain:
Approximate travel time:
Springfield 5 ½ hours
Rockford 90 minutes
Chicago 2.5hours
Madison 30 minutes
Milwaukee 90 minutes
WI Dells 20 minutes
http://www.cascademountain.com/
Again these are midwest ski areas, but the always seem to be busy.

Saying the ski runs are not good is a bit of an understatement. Keep in mind a ski resort in the midwest consists of a couple of glorified hills. If you've ever been skiing on an actual mountain, prepare yourself to be very disappointed.

i don't know where you learned to ski but if it was any where other than the midwest i'd skip the skiing and save your $, i don't think any skiing could be much worse than the chicago area. i grew up near Cleveland and learned to ski on the 9 pitiful runs in Cuyahoga Valley. I'd reccommend you go toboganing or tubing instead, it's a lot of fun and doing the same run over and over doesnt get boring, even after a whole day.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with the last 2 posters. Chestnut Mountain In Galena, IL. and Devil's Head in Merrimac, WI., are very nice resorts with good, challenging skiing.
It's not western states skiing by any stretch of imagination, and nowhere near Vermont long runs, but it's very satisfying skiing.
At Chestnut Mountain in Galena you actually ski down to the Mississippi River valley. Beautiful scenery and couple of very challenging runs.
Devil's head has a run or 2 that could stretch for about 1/2 mile, although some parts of it are not very challenging.

Anyway, for a day trip, you can't go wrong with either one.

Admittedly, Alpine Valley or Wilmot are your basic midwest hills, but could still be fun if you really love skiing.

You are right, AAFrequentFlyer- but I have had to run ski club trips, and because of the length of the drive, I would find either of those resorts to be farther than any day trip we could ever run.

Skiing is a very physical activity. Even with a designated driver or going on a bus- even the teen-agers were too pooped to make that kind of a trek home.

This always required at least one overnight stay to make any time on the hills feasible.

And although they are ok and the vistas can be beautiful- and are fine for me, my guy (whose nickname is skicanada) won't even bother to go. They are all hills to him.

Ok i understand the point so the closest one to chicago is?

Alpine Valley would be closet, then Chestnut Mtn.

Does Gurnee Mills is in the way to Alpine valley?