Summer in Wisconsin
Jul 25, 2023
It's a rainy Sunday and a perfect time for me to sit down with a cup of coffee on my porch to write and give you an update on what's going on here at Granite Peak and within the Midwest Family Ski Resort world.
Last Remnants of Winter
A local TV station here in Wausau annually runs a contest to "Track the Snowmelt Progress" of the last snow on Rib Mountain and they declared June 25th as the final day with a small patch holding on Western Frontier where rocks and shade do typically assist in holding on the snow the longest annually.
While the winter is behind us it is never far from mind as we have been busy with maintenance projects to ensure your experience here at Granite Peak is as smooth as ever.
Lift Projects
Currently, our lift maintenance department is focused on Blitzen as we change out all the bearings in the sheave wheels to new steel bearings. This is a tedious process. The team moves tower to tower removing the wheels, replacing the bearings, and then reattaching them to the lift and sheave trains. Primarily Kellen and Chip have been doing the climbing and so far Mother Nature has helped in giving us pretty good weather to keep the project moving along. As of right now, the team has about 50% of the project complete and once that is done they will move to Comet where we are doing an even bigger project.
Lights, Gantry's & More
On Comet we will be removing the upper bull wheel from the drive unit where a new backup drive will be installed. This will give us three total drives to be sure that our main lift and the core of our lift operations always run. We know that this lift is imperative to our day-to-day operation and Comet runs every single day of the season so the hours she puts in and the access given to the rest of the resort is imperative.
In other areas, we continuously are working to replace our lights each summer with LEDs and better / lighter towers for energy efficiency and proper coverage for our night operations.
Lift Gates have been moved at Santa and Blitzen. While this doesn't sound like a big deal it is. The position of the access gates created some challenges especially on Blitzen for loading guests.
Blitzen is highly used by both experts "yo-yo'ing" the top blacks and beginners accessing the lower Mystery beginner terrain. The gate was positioned quite close to the loading area and it posed challenges for our groomers to be able to keep the terrain level. Most winters a slope would be created causing mis-loads, stops, starts etc. Not only is this an annoying for you it puts stress on our beloved Blitzen. These improvements will feel will dramatically keep this lift spinning regularly.
Cookies & More!!!
Locally our region has been busy with tons of new businesses and buildings going up. The redevelopment of downtown Wausau has begun where the old mall once stood. The first thing to open there will be an exciting one for our families and children. The Children's Imaginarium will be opening up in the same building as HOM. This museum will feature plenty of activities and interactive displays for kids and parents alike. This project has been in the works for over a decade and it is planned to open this fall - just in time for the ski season.
Rib Mountain Drive also has some new businesses that will also provide value to our guests and visitors including a new Sportsman Warehouse, Crumbl Cookies is opening up soon, and you undoubtedly notice new developments at the crossroads of NN and Humingbird Road when you head to the slopes. Here a brand new branch of Connexxes Credit Union has opened up a beautiful building and behind it, a new restaurant - the Breakfast Bear is also opening up later this summer. This area will certainly see future development with rumors of an adult-themed arcade also in the mix!
I've been enjoying the summer here with my family in our new home in Weston. Wisconsin summers I have to say are probably my favorite compared to where I've lived previously. Typically dry, not too hot, and while I hear some complain about the bugs, to me they are nothing in comparison to what we dealt with in New England! So far the family has enjoyed trips to Lake Dubay, Lake Ada, a Woodchucks game, Concerts in the Square, and tons of baseball & soccer games - they never end!
My son Logan (far left holding his medal!), has taken to soccer and he's quite good. I grew up playing soccer traveling across New York to play every weekend. Locally we have (in my opinion) one of the best club soccer programs in MC United (Marathon County). I'm looking forward to watching him progress here!
If you're looking for a fun getaway for the family I strongly suggest you consider Wausau as your Outdoor Adventure Basecamp as VisitWausau.com has aptly branded this area correctly. Lakes, rivers, hiking, biking trails, and tons of culture all reside right here. For our family, it's a perfect staycation all summer long.
Enjoy the Summer!!
Greg