Sundown Mountain Resort in Dubuque, Iowa is one of the best Midwest ski resorts and the premier destination to take your family skiing and snowboarding this winter! Netherlands has a mean elevation of 98.5 feet (30 meters) above sea level and the lowest point is -7 meters at Zuidplaspolder, while the highest point is Mount Scenery reaching 2,877 feet (862 meters) above sea level. Would recommend it if you are looking for a nice inexpensive ski resort that isn't overly crowded. This is a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery. We couldn't have done it without him!! Chestnut Mountain Resort is Galena's premier hotel and resort near Chicago. Copyright 1995-2023 Mountain News LLC. Staff at Chestnut, on the other hand, hope to open for the season this weekend. Winter Activities. If you already have to ski day pass, you can upgrade to include tubing for $5! Cadillac MichiganDistance from Chicago: 283 miles; 4.5-hour driveThis 30-run resort features steep slopes, two peaks, five aerial lifts, and plenty of backcountry terrain if you're in the market for a snowy path less traveled. When we arrived Saturday we decided to let my 12 yr old daughter do the snowboard group lesson (only $15!) The stratovolcano is potentially active, the last eruption having occurred in 1640. Although a group of family farmers launched the resort in 1963, turning it into a popular winter getaway destination for the Twin Cities, Vail Resorts has owned it since 2012 and is in the process of adding $10 million in improvements. We were so impressed that we went back in Jan 2018 and took over 30 friends. Split into two parks, the 85-acre resort features 21 ski runs, along with lodges and warming stations (this is the Midwest, after all!) Chestnut Mountain has 19 ski slopes and 2 terrain parks. Haha! As if that wasnt enough, the resort also accommodates snow tubing, snowshoeing, winter ziplining, and bonfires where smores are highly encouraged. 56 trails and 15 lifts punctuate a combined 400 acres of skiable terrain, with Indianhead being the mountain of choice thanks to a 638-foot vertical drop and some of the finest trails in the region. The package will run until March 1, 2020 weather dependent and is only good for inn and courtyard rooms. Copyright 2021 KCRG. Most day trippers from Chicago stick to Chestnut. The mountain has mostly primary and secondary rainforests on its slopes, cloud forests, mosses and a rich diversity of flora and fauna. DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - It is snow-making time at Sundown Mountain Resort in Dubuque. The mountain is home to some animals such as lizards, iguanas, and some birds. So before considering all snow sports as a complete write off, I wanted to try skiing. Can't beat that! "When everybody else is sleeping, they are out making snow," Mark Gordon, general manager, said. There were only 3 people in my daughter's snowboard lesson 'group', there were several instructors available for that drop-in time slot, which meant she was able to get a lot of one on one attention from her instructor for questions and demonstrations. Best you'll get in Iowa. We were sitting trying to figure out how we were going to get through this. An adult weekday unlimited lift pass at Sundown Mountain Resort is $38 ($46 at weekends), ski and snowboard rentals are $32 for a day, making it an affordable option compared to some of the bigger resorts. Sundown Parks Video & Photo Contest 2023. Only Mount Crescent sleds are allowed on the slope, these are included in the price of the sledding hill lift pass. Parking was much easier than at Chestnut which is not impossible, it just can be difficult with how busy it is there. Food & beverage was very good and reasonably priced. Overall, Sundown Mountain was an awesome discovery and a fantastic ski resort for beginners (and probably even advanced skiers, as we saw many on the more advanced hills flying by and doing tricks) families, groups of friends, or really just anyone looking to have an amazing time. It also allowed me to practise getting on and off the chair lift without the fear of bringing the big main chair lift to a stop and having all the professionals look down on the idiot newbie skier! They have baby slops for people like me and big slops for those with more experience. So it is a lot of fun.. Snowboarding. "Going. USA. I think theres a 2nd a little further west! Since we've been going there forever, we never thought to look into other alternatives. Normally, we have about 350 to 400 (employees) and I can say we are quite below that this time; probably at least a hundred employees short at this moment, he explained. Have a wide variety of runs from Bunny hills to black diamonds with moguls to terrain parks with a wide variety of features from easy to hard. Chestnut Mountain perches high on a ridge overlooking the Mississippi River near the historic riverport of Galena. This is not Colorado, don't expect high speed lifts, and 2500 vert of fresh powder, but also don't expect to pay $150 dollar per lift ticket and a arm and a leg at lunch. Friendly staff that does a good job keeping it a fun environment - you didn't have a bunch of kids making fun of people who fall or swearing and smoking on the hill. and it seemed too good to be true. The view from the lodge was amazing! My large family has been going to the same ski resort (Chestnut Mountain in Galena, IL) since I was a teenager. This 1 night package includes 2 lift tickets per room to Chestnut Mountain. Beautifully carved through 85 acres of scenic cedar trees with state-of-the-art snowmaking, Sundown Mountain Resort is one of the best Midwest ski resort destinations and the only Midwest ski resort granted the NSAA Award of Excellence. (local-speak for Upper Peninsula) in the Keweenaw Peninsula, where the annual snowfall means you dont need snow-making equipment, Mount Bohemia ranks as the fifth-tallest point (at 1,465 feet). Seven out of ten times we are normally open by Thanksgiving, so this has been an unusual year, Michael Murphy, the resorts general manager, commented. WIJARA (Wisconsin/Illinois/Iowa Junior Racing Association) includes 9 Midwest Ski Teams: Sundown Mountain, Chestnut Mountain, Tyrol Basin, Cascade Mountain, Snowstar, Hidden Valley, Blackhawk, Four Lakes, & Wilmot. Nineteen ski and snowboard trails cut through solid rock bluffs range up to 3,500 feet in length and are geared to all levels. The mountain, though it has been dormant for a long time it is considered potentially active due to groundwater heating. Food area is a small cafeteria-like spot inside one of the lodges (similar to Chestnut although Chestnut also has an additional full restaurant on-site). Field of Dreams Movie Site Guided Home Tour in Dyersville, Small-Group Vineyard and Orchard Tour with Wine Tasting in Muscoda, Canoeing and Kayaking in Mississippi Wildlife & Fish Refuge, Participate in a Fun Scavenger Hunt in Davenport by Zombie Scavengers, Cedar Rapids City Scavenger Hunt Excursion by Zombie Scavengers, Iowa City Scavenger Hunt: City of Literature, Adventurous Scavenger Hunt in Davenport by 3Quest Challenge, Adventurous Scavenger Hunt in Davenport by Crazy Dash, Davenport City Scavenger Hunt Excursion by Wacky Walks, Explore Cedar Rapids with a Unique Scavenger Hunt by Wacky Walks, Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Cedar Rapids by Operation City Quest. We arrived at Sundown Mountain around 6pm Fri, later than we expected after checking into Hotel Julien but still an adequate amount of time to utilize the ski special until midnight. Lift prices are like $25-45.The lifts are old and slow, but at least the place is never cro. With destinations in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and more, these are 10 of the best ski resorts in the Midwest. that include Tips Up Food & Spirits (with two fireplaces and bowls of hot chili), Mollys Mountaintop Coffee (in lieu of making smores, order the smores latte) and The Barn (ski-in only, with a firepit). The package is not available to be booked on Martin Luther King Weekend (1-17-20 - 1-20-20) and Presidents Weekend (2-14-20 - 2-17-20). I would have liked if the bar was overlooking the bunny hill instead so parents could have a beer and still be able to keep an eye on their children but I believe it was intended as a convenience for the more advanced skiers to stop for a drink which is also nice. they even have something for those that don't ski we had a good day. It has an indoor swimming pool too. Such activities include mountaineering, rock climbing, hiking, and bird sighting, as well as watching wildlife. Thanks for sharing great pictures. That itll just come naturally next time! I could go on and on about this placeand I did! Plan & Stay . Mount Bohemia Ski Resort, Mohawk, Michigan, Chestnut Mountain Resort, Galena, Illinois, Perfect North Slopes, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, Giants Ridge Recreation Area, Biwabik, Minnesota, 10 Mountains You've Never Heard of but Need to Ski This Winter. Just across the border in Illinois, youll also find Chestnut Mountain Resort, which is 35 minutes closer to Chicago! Race Teams - Sundown Mountain Resort NOW BOOKING Weddings, Reunions, Graduation Parties, and MORE! With a whopping 74 runs plus six terrain parks and one of the highest elevations in the Midwest at 1,942 feet, this resort, dating to 1937, is also one of the oldest in North America. $59 per person lift ticket and rental all days on Sundays. The peak of the mountain has a rugged terrain with caves on the lower elevations of the mountain. Under the freshly groomed and mademade snow from the previous night was a week's worth of 45+ degree temps handywork. I ended up paying 4 times the price for an all area lift pass that I didnt even use as this is what was automatically given to me, despite the fact I had bought a 1 hour first timer ski lesson. The teachers were very heplful to us new comers. Somehow this place seems to make beginners on rentals think they can hit the black diamonds. At Sundown, there's more than one ski lift and I found that to be a wonderful perk for beginners that wouldn't be an option at Chestnut. 14 Best ski resorts in and around Illinois (2023 guide) - Wapiti Travel Over in Galena the Chestnut Mountain Resort is also opening up its slopes to the public on . 1086 222nd Drive,Boone, IA 50036 Tel:515-432-9457. The mountain attracts a large number of tourists mountaineering, and hiking. We spent 6 hours on the mountain total and my daughter did not even want to stop then, despite being exhausted. Sundown has 21 varied ski runs and 2 terrain parks on the property. Sundown opened for the season on Nov. 27, but has now been closed for five days because of high temperatures last week. 19 trails are in two parks Far Side Terrain Park (with a quarter pipe and two half pipes) and Chestnut (with a 475-foot vertical drop). The building will be active Winter 2015. If you havent been yet, I highly recommend it. Sundown Mountain Resort in Dubuque and Mount Crescent in Honey Creek, along with the 3rd Iowa ski resort Seven Oaks in Boone, are all part of the program. Not only is this the second-highest point in the state, but skiing has taken place here anchored by Rib Mountain since the 1930s, with Fred Pabst (Pabst Brewing Company heir and a skier himself) as the first owner and operator. My legs didnt feel like they were splitting apart anymore and I started to get a little confidence in myself! I signed up to a one hour private lesson for $48. What restaurants are near Sundown Mountain? It has a few less runs compared to Sundown Mountain, but it has more slopes that are beginner friendly. Were a true Midwest ski resort destination offering great snow and an unforgettable winter experience. Some of these mountains are home to a rich biodiversity of plants and animals unique to the climates in the country. At Sundown Mountain, we have something for everyone; whether you are an experienced winter enthusiast or just learning how to get down the hill, Sundown Mountain offers plenty of snowy fun and an unforgettable Midwest winter experience. 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