By Kristen May
Minnesota's winters are bitterly cold, often snowy, and therefore wonderful for skiing. The only problem is that Minnesota lacks mountains, which means that many of its ski
resorts are far smaller than anybody who has skied in Utah or California is accustomed to. However, there are a number of great little ski resorts in Minnesota, including one with a vertical drop of more than 1,000 feet.
Lutsen Mountains
For the largest ski area in Minnesota, visit Lutsen Mountains in the northeastern tip of Minnesota, less than 20 miles from the Canadian border on Lake Superior's north shore. With a height of 1,000 feet from top to bottom, in addition to 1,000 acres of skiing terrain, Lutsen Mountains offers the best of Minnesota skiing.
Each of the four mountains in the Lusten Mountains skiing area has its own focus, with the family-friendly Ullr Mountain, scenic Mystery Mountain, 45 runs on Moose Mountain, and lake views and varied terrain on Eagle Mountain. These four mountains are connected by chairlifts and the only gondola in the Midwest.
Lutsen Mountains
129 Ski Hill Road
Lutsen, MN 55612
(218) 663-7281
lutsen.com
Giants Ridge
Ski Magazine rated Giants Ridge, 60 north of Duluth, as the top Minnesota Ski resort in 2003. It covers a lot of ground with a variety of difficulty levels for alpine and cross country skiers. Giants Ridge has a vertical drop of 500 feet and its longest downhill trail runs for 4,000 feet. Snowboarders will enjoy the terrain park of rails, boxes and a half pipe.
Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort
6325 Wynne Creek Drive
Biwabik, MN 55708
(218) 865-3000
giantsridge.com
Welch Village
Forty minutes from Rochester and the Twin Cities area, Welch Village has 140 acres of skiing terrain and eight chairlifts. Its most impressive feature is that in addition to beginner and intermediate terrain, it has more than10 runs with an advanced or expert difficulty level.
Welch Village Resort
26685 County Road 7 Blvd.
Welch, MN 55089
(651) 258-4567
welchvillage.com
Afton Alps
For a family-friendly ski trip, Afton Alps is the choice, offering not only skiing and snowboarding in a variety of difficulties, but also a large area for snow tubing. Its 18 chairlifts service 48 trails, and five chalets are scattered between the top and bottom of the mountain for taking breaks.
Afton Alps Recreation Area
6600 Peller Ave. S.
Hastings, MN 55033
(651) 436-5245
aftonalps.com
Coffee Mill
Coffee Mill Ski Area has the best skiing in southern Minnesota and the longest vertical drop south of Duluth. In addition, its prices are affordable. Two chairlifts service the 11 runs, including beginner, intermediate, expert, and a terrain park.
Coffee Mill Ski & Snowboard Resort
99 Coulee Way
Wabasha, MN 55981
(651) 565-2777
coffeemillski.com
Resources
About the Author:
Kristen May holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, specializing in childhood development. She has been writing for several online publishers covering topics such as entertaining, parenting, cooking, health and wellness, marriage and personal finance.
