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Southeast Wisconsin ski hills adapt with changes in season

By and FOX6 News Digital Team
Published  November 30, 2024 7:46pm CST
Winter Weather
FOX6 News Milwaukee

Ski hills in SE Wisconsin adapt for skiers, snowboarders

Winters of late have been less wintry. But ski hill managers are doing what they can to keep skiers and snowboarders coming back again and again.

The Brief

    • While your own yard might not have snow, managers of ski hills are doing everything they can to make sure skiers and snowboarders have the snow they need.
    • The ski hills must blow artificial snow to remain viable.
    • Skiers and snowboarders alike just want to hit the slopes.

SLINGER, Wis. - It definitely feels like winter outside. But the only place in southeast Wisconsin where it actually looks like winter is on the ski hill. 

With weather's ups and downs, the slopes are calling – and the snow is, well, sort of falling in Slinger. 

Little Switzerland Ski Area, Slinger

"We don’t have snow – we are not going to be open," said Brandon Wagner, Little Switzerland Marketing. 

Although we have only seen one substantial snowfall in southeast Wisconsin this season, Little Switzerland Ski Area is open for business. 

Little Switzerland Ski Area, Slinger

"We know that despite what Mother Nature brings, it’s the most important part of our business," Wagner said. 

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It is all thanks to snow-making machines. 

"Tons of money each season every year – we are going out, we got new snow guns," Wagner said. 

Little Switzerland Ski Area, Slinger

The ski hill is one of many now relying on artificial snowmaking to stay viable. Last season's unusual warm winter forced winter attractions to adapt. But some, like Winter Realms in Lake Geneva, simply could not and did not return this season. 

"They pulled out, they are no more," said Pat Michaels, a snowboarder.

For snowboarders like Michaels, the artificial snow feels no different. 

"Grew up skiing here, my dad was a ski patroller in the early ‘90s," Michaels said. "It’s awesome to see from the techno alpines, to upgrading the snow system."

Little Switzerland Ski Area, Slinger

"We make the snow pretty much better than everyone," Wagner said. 

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"Protect our winters! Lets go," Michaels said. 

A few months back, Sen. Tammy Baldwin wrote a bill that would free up disaster relief loans through the Small Business Administration for Wisconsin businesses suffering due to a lack of snowfall. The bill has not gone anywhere – it is still in committee. 

The Source

  • The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.