Wilmot Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilmot Mountain |
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| Location | Wilmot, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Wilmot, Wisconsin |
| Vertical | 190 ft (58 m) |
| Top elevation | 960 ft (293 m) |
| Base elevation | 770 ft (235 m) |
| Skiable area | 120 acres (0.49 km2) |
| Runs | 23 |
| Longest run | 2,500 ft (760 m) |
| Lift system | 11 chairlifts |
| Lift capacity | 12,500 skiers/hr |
| Terrain parks | 2 |
| Snowfall | 48 in (120 cm) |
| Snowmaking | Yes |
| Night skiing | Yes |
| Website | wilmotmountain.com |
Wilmot Mountain is a fun ski area in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. It is located in the town of Wilmot, right near the Illinois border. This mountain was formed by glaciers, which are like giant ice rivers. People sometimes call it the "Matterhorn of the Midwest."
Wilmot Mountain was started by Walter Stopa in 1938. He chose this spot after looking closely at the land. The mountain has a drop of about 190 feet (58 meters). It is also wide open, meaning there are not many trees or barriers. This allows skiers to move across different runs easily. You can even ski at night on the whole mountain!
Wilmot Mountain is about 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Milwaukee. It is also about 55 miles (88 km) north of Chicago. The Stopa family owned and ran the resort from 1938 until 2016. Then, Vail Resorts bought it and spent about $13 million on upgrades in 2016. Sometimes, you can see small planes flying high above the mountain from the nearby Westosha airport.
Contents
Winter Fun: Skiing, Snowboarding, and Tubing
What You Can Do
Wilmot Mountain is a great place for skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing. A new snow tubing area opened in 2012. It has twenty lanes, each over 1,000 feet (300 meters) long. There is also a cool covered conveyor lift to take you back up the hill.
The snow tubing area is separate from the ski and snowboard runs. This means there is plenty of space for everyone. The longest ski and snowboard run is called State Line. It runs next to the Illinois and Wisconsin border. A small part of it is actually in Illinois!
Wilmot Mountain also has a terrain park. This park has many features like boxes, rails, and jumps. They are for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced riders.
Learning to Ski and Snowboard
Wilmot Mountain has a full ski and snowboard school. It has over 300 certified instructors ready to teach you. There are also special programs just for kids. The mountain also has an award-winning group called the National Ski Patrol. They help keep everyone safe on the slopes.
Racing on the Mountain
Wilmot has an active race program for skiers. Many race clubs come here to train. They have weekly race training sessions in the evenings. The Chicago Metropolitan Ski Council (CMSC) holds races eight days each season. These races use two special runs designed for racing. NASTAR races also returned to Wilmot Mountain in 2017.
Making Snow
Wilmot started making its own snow way back in 1952. They used simple machines at first. Today, they use a mix of old and new, high-tech snowmaking equipment. Wilmot makes snow whenever it gets cold enough, even when people are skiing! This helps make sure there is always enough snow for fun.
History of Wilmot Mountain
How It Started
- In 1938, Walter Stopa bought land from a farmer and started Wilmot Hills. He began with a simple rope tow. This tow was powered by parts from an old Model A Ford car.
- In 1968, Walter added the first chairlift at Wilmot.
- Walter passed away in 1986. His daughter, Diane Reese, and her husband, Michael Reese, then took over running the mountain.
- In 1989, Diane and Michael added the Iron Kettle dining building.
- In 2001, Dennis Sheen, Diane's son-in-law, became the general manager.
- In 2011, snow tubing was added to Wilmot Mountain.
- In January 2016, Diane Reese sold Wilmot Mountain to Vail Resorts.
- In March 2016, Taylor Ogilive became the new general manager.
- In the summer of 2016, Vail Resorts spent over $13 million to make big improvements to the mountain.
Race Track History
The roads around Wilmot Mountain's parking lot look a bit like a race track. That's because there used to be a race course there! From 1954 to 1967, the ski resort was home to the Wilmot Hills Race Course. In the summer, the ski lodge served food and drinks to race fans. Even today, if you look at old aerial photos, you can still see parts of the race track.
What You Can Find There
The resort has several places to eat, including cafeterias and pizza. There are also two pubs, a ski shop, and places to rent equipment and store your things. Nearby towns like Wilmot and Antioch have more restaurants and places to stay.
Images for kids
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CMSC Ski Racer
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Inside the Iron Kettle
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Strong winds hit the hill in February 2007
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Dedication Plaque to the hill founders
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Starting a race run
