Indy Pass Road Trip To Upper Wisconsin And Michigan's UP
A n easy Indy Pass road trip for the upper Midwest would be combining a trip visiting northern Wisconsin and Michigan's western Upper Peninsula for skiing at four of the Heartland's larger ski resorts; Granite Peak, Pine Mountain, Snowriver and Big Powderhorn.
It makes a perfect week long road trip for Chicagoland skiers and those in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Think spring break in the Midwest instead of driving out west. It's an easy driving road trip.
Start with Granite Peak, which rises over 700 feet above the city of Wausau. They offer 60 trails that cascade down the mountain face, five terrain parks, and seven chairlifts, including three high-speed. The variety of runs range from long cruisers and glades to short cliff drops on top of the mountain. The city of Wausau offers a fine selection of lodging choices as well as restaurants.
It's 138 miles north, a little under a three-hour drive, to Pine Mountain Resort in Ironwood, Michigan. The resort has hotel accommodations with trailside lodging and fine dining, 27 downhill runs, three terrain parks and five lifts. Located on a ridge overlooking the city it offers a 500-foot vertical drop and scenic views stretch as far as the eye can see. They offer lodging and dining packages, and Iron Mountain also offers a variety of lodging choices.
Only 110 miles up U.S. 2 in the Upper Peninsula is Big Powderhorn Resort, which offers 45 ski trails, two terrain parks, nine lifts and an impressive 622-foot vertical drop. It’s one of the few Midwest areas where a trail map really comes in handy. From the top of the mountain, high peaks stretch across the valley providing an alpine view unequaled around the Midwest. Powderhorn has lodging, and nearby Ironwood offers several lodging and restaurant choices.
Just up the road from Big Powderhorn is Snowriver Resort, which offers the UP's only high-speed lift, along with seven other lifts that services some of the most unique terrain around the Great Lakes. It was once two different resorts, Indianhead and Blackjack. They sit across a valley from each other, but are not connected by trails yet. Both offer fine skiing with a variety of challenging trails as well as some great green runs, some close to a mile long, They also offer lodging and a fine restaurant.
