Standing 700 feet above the surrounding plain, Rib Mountain isn’t just the second highest point in Wisconsin, it’s also a defining feature of Marathon County. Visible from almost any point around town, Rib Mountain can be described as the back yard of Wausau. And like a back yard, Rib Mountain is a prime destination for recreation and relaxation.
One point of particular note this time of year is Granite Peak. The world-class ski resort that sits atop Rib Mountain draws thousands of visitors to the area and is a great source of entertainment and exercise for local residents year round, though there’s nothing quite like a bright, crisp winter day on the slopes.
Granite Peak opened its trails on Thanksgiving weekend this year, something the ski resort hasn’t been able to do for the past couple of unseasonably warm winters.
“It was really special to be able to open,” said Alysa Steinhilber, Granite Peak marketing director. “Now that we’ve had a really strong cold snap and are continueing into these winter storms, I think that’s really going to set us up for a really strong season. We’ve been making snow full-on since basically Thanksgiving weekend, that’s really helpful for our conditions.”
Granite Peak features 68 trails, including seven tree runs and four mogul runs accessed by seven lifts. The park ski area also features three terrain parks. Last weekend, Steinhilber said, 13 trails, two terrain parks and and two lifts were open.
“Once we open for the season and all the runs are operational and have snow coverage, we will remain open 100%, that is not an issue here,” she said.
According to Steinhilber, “quite a bit” of the ski trails should be open by the end of the month. Thanks to investments Granite Peak has made in snow generating technology, it doesn’t matter if there is snow in your backyard or not this winter -- there will almost certainly be snow on Granite Peak all season.
“We have the most robust snowmaking system – one of the most robust probably in the entire country – so we are really fortunate in our setup,” Steinhilber said. “We have snow at the resort because we make an extensive base and our groomers do a fantastic job at maintaining that and ensuring that there’s coverage and the snow is groomed to perfection.”
Granite Peak aims to offer something for skiers and snowboarders of all skills. Of the 68 trails, 25% are appropriate for beginners, 40% are classified as intermediate, 25% are for advanced skiers and the remaining 10% are recommended for experts.
“We have a variety of terrain here, we’re really fortunate at Granite Peak to have a lot of learning terrain and a really robust lesson program,” Steinhilber said. “Off of the Blitzen lift we have really great learning terrain. It’s wide open runs and you can really get a feel for what the sport is all about without feeling nervous about taking the lift all the way to the top because there is a de-load point at the lift station. That is really unique to us.”
The resort has made an effort to increase accessibility for beginners in a number of ways this year. Ski lessons are widely available in a variety of forms, some taking only about an hour. For those who aren’t looking to commit to the full price of a day pass, Granite Peak is bringing back Wisconsin Wednesdays starting in January. This discount program offers $22 lift tickets and $22 equipment rentals on Wednesday nights, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. There are also specialty drinks available at the historic chalet.
“Typically the historic isn’t open at night time during the weeks, which is our main historic chalet rather than the large Sundance Chalet,” Steinhilber said. “It’s a really fun opportunity to get out if you don’t have a season pass or don’t want to buy a full lift ticket for the full day.”
Those who plan their ski trips ahead this year will take advangage of discounted prices, as the earlier you buy a lift ticket the more money you will save.
“There’s a price break up to 21 days and then 0-2 days,” Steinhilber said. “It will always be cheaper than what our window rates are – our highest prices will always be our window rate.”
Granite Peak is also introducing a flex ticket this year, which includes three days of skiing access at Granite Park and its two sister resorts: Snowriver Mountain Resort in the Upper Penninsula (formerly known as Indianhead and Blackjack) and Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort in Minnesota.
“This flex tickets allows you to ski, no blackout dates, at any of the resorts and you can reload it for $69 a day … you dont’ have to ski three days in a row, you could ski one day in December, one in January and one in March,” Steinhilber explained.
Granite Peak will also host a series of special events this year, starting with Holiday Family Fest Dec. 19-21. Family Fest includes fireworks on Dec. 20, snowcat rides with Santa, storytime with Santa and more. In an effort to draw visitors to the area, Granite Peak has developed packages for these events that bundle lift tickets with local lodging. Steinhilber said the park has long valued its relationship with the local business communities that prosper alongside Granite Peak and the local residents who frequently recreate at the park.
“The relationship we hold with our community is really important,” she said. “We maintain a really close relationship with [Visit Wausau] in helping encourage travelers to visit this area in the wintertime and experience all we have.”
For those locals who see Granite Peak on the horizon every day, but have never skied down the summit, Steinhilber said to consider Granite Peak when looking for an outdoor activity with family and friends or when you want to clear your thoughts and just enjoy nature.
“There’s a lot to be said for being outside, even in the winter. As long as you have the right clothing for it, you can have some really great experiences outside in the wintertime,” she said. “There is something really exciting about being here when you see other people enjoying the slopes and spending time with their family and friends, having a good time and challenging themselves on the ski hill ... Being able to spend the time with your family, get outside and create some lifelong memories – I don’t think theres anything better than that.”
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