Nordic Mountain: A WI Family-Friendly Ski Resort
Written by Taylor Bunn | Edited by Dara Barney
One of Many Midwest Ski Resorts
Located near the center of Wisconsin, you will find a small rural town called Wild Rose. With just under 700 people recorded in the most recent census of Wild Rose, it's the perfect place to get away for a secluded ski trip to Nordic Mountain. If you're an Indy Pass holder living in the Midwest, this mountain is one of many that will contribute to the incredible value of this multi-resort ski pass. Day and night skiing is available for shredding until your legs give out, plus there is an onsite pub to refuel with food and many places to spend the night if you're making it a weekend trip.
About Nordic Mountain
Open for 43 years, Nordic Mountain is a family-friendly mountain with staff that leave an excellent impression. Check out these raving reviews from the visitors of the mountain. Rising above the U.S. average snowfall by almost double in the town alone, roughly 45 inches of snow falls every year on Wild Rose. On the mountain, there is on average, 80 inches of snowfall, and a plethora of new snow guns to really fire up the powder power.
The mountain has 18 runs that vary from easy to black diamond levels. Three of those runs are terrain parks. There is one small, one medium and one large terrain park. One of the most notable opportunities this mountain has to offer is for beginner skiers and snowboarders. Everyone has to start somewhere, and Nordic Mountain is the place to be for beginners. There is an 80-ft conveyor lift for new riders and a 200-ft conveyor lift for the next step up to better learn how to control speed. Then, from there, you'll want to move on to the third beginner lift in place. This is a cable lift that takes you halfway up the mountain. From here, you'll be able to make your way down the hill with confident control of your speed and be able to work on your S-turns back down to the base. When you're ready to get to the top, you can take one of two chair lifts to the summit and conquer your run down to the base.
Due to its rural location, this mountain is never one to be over-crowded. Although their runs aren't very long, the lift lines are notoriously short, according to GondyLine. If you're looking for a place to hone in your skill, get experimental or conquer some tricks you've been working on, this is the mountain to do it on.
A Local Pub with Grub
On Nordic, you will have a chance to eat at the mountain restaurant, Nordy's Pub. This pub was built using the timber that was logged in 1975 to clear where the runs would be added! If your kids are running circles around you on the mountain and you need to take a breather (or enjoy a pint) at the pub, you can still watch them make runs from the provided view. Here you'll also find local beers, a full-service bar and locally sourced food. If you're not sure what to order, rumor has it that the Philly is the instructors' favorite. Considering this is Wisconsin, we'd say it's a fair bet that it's a mouth-watering sandwich.
Night Skiing Options
After you've enjoyed a bite to eat and once you're feeling good about traversing around the mountain, you will definitely want to take advantage of the night skiing. Available seven days a week, the mountain is open until 8 p.m. on Sundays, 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Previous visitors have mentioned that the evening runs have good light coverage, making it an ideal place to get those hours in after dark testing your skills.
Nearby Cities and Lodging
If you're looking for a ski resort near the Milwaukee metro area, Wild Rose is a must-stop spot. Wild Rose is an easy road trip from major nearby cities. Coming from Chicago? You've got about a three to four hour drive depending on traffic. The trip is a little bit shorter if you're coming from Milwaukee; you're looking at about a two-hour drive. It's just under two hours if you're coming from Madison.
Though there is no onsite lodging, there are many options within 20 minutes of driving. An excellent list of places is available on the Nordic Mountain website. All within a reasonable driving distance, this is a great resource if you're planning on staying in the area for a few nights to get the full experience of what Nordic Mountain has to offer. Here are a few that looked extra cozy:
- Evergreen Campsites and Resort is only 1.5 miles away from Nordic Mountain, that offers family-friendly cozy cottages.
- Mount Morris Camp and Conference Center is a four-minute drive to Nordic Mountain with cabins available year-round.
- Detjens Deluxe Vacation Rentals offer a more luxurious stay in their lakeside vacation homes. Only ten minutes from the mountain, if you stay two nights here, you get the third for free. It's an incredible deal, especially to split among a family or friends.
Multi Resort Ski Pass Options
The season pass price for Nordic is about $280, but this mountain itself isn't the only place you should be this season. This is an excellent mountain to spend a weekend on perfecting your skills and trying new things. If this is your first, or first handful of seasons skiing, you don't want to miss a trip to Nordic Mountain.
However, even with day passes that start at $49 (on weekends only), the best bang for your buck will be the Indy Pass. With this pass, you'll get TWO lift tickets to Nordic Mountain and 43 other resorts for the season, plus other discounts and benefits for under $200. Not to mention, several of those are within a day's drive of Nordic. It's the best multi-mountain ski pass you can get.
If you're an Indy Ski Pass holder: In under two hours you can get from Wild Rose, WI to Mount Horeb or Slinger, WI for two more mountains that are accessible with this pass. It's perfect for planning a trip with friends or family to test new terrain. Plus, that's just the available resorts in under two hours of drive time. There are eight Midwest ski resorts nearby. Head east to find 12 more, or west to find 14 more that are ready for skiers and snowboarders to experience with the Indy Pass this season!
