The Inevitable Delay

Dear winter enthusiasts:  

I hope this message finds you well and eagerly anticipating the upcoming winter season. I am writing to share some important information about our anticipated opening date of November 22, 2023. 

Regrettably, it's not the news we were all hoping for - we won’t be opening our lifts or trails for skiing or riding on our target date. Over the last five years, we've been fortunate to kick off the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with skiing and riding. However, this year, Mother Nature seems to be holding off on providing the ideal snowmaking temperatures in November.  

Our team shares your enthusiasm to see Rib Mountain's slopes covered in white, and we have our fan guns ready to blast away once the conditions align. 

In the meantime, our dedicated team is diligently putting the finishing touches on our facilities, ensuring everything is perfect for your return to our legendary slopes for our 86th season of skiing here in Wisconsin. 

If you're eagerly awaiting your Legendary Pass, rest assured that we are diligently processing and sending them out daily. We anticipate all early season passes will be dispatched by November 15th, ready to be in your hands when the lifts start spinning. For those opting to pick up their passes in person, our office is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, and 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays (closed on Thanksgiving Day). 

Now, you might be wondering, if not November 22, when can we expect the grand opening? Weather forecasting, as you probably know, is a challenging task, especially looking 10 days ahead. Until we experience a sustained cold stretch, we won’t be able to pinpoint an exact date, and unfortunately, we don't foresee one in the immediate future. 

Preparing a ski resort for opening day involves a considerable amount of snow and grooming time, but rest assured, we have one of the best teams in the Midwest. While we patiently wait, our team is far from idle. Our team is actively engaged in some last-minute clean-up of all our glades, lift lines, parking lots and base areas as we await all of our wonderful guests.   

If you need some activity before that Turkey dinner may I suggest taking part in a Turkey Trot!  Locally you'll likely find me hitting up the United Way Turkey Trot in Wausau.

We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time, and we can't wait to welcome you back to our legendary, winter wonderland soon. 

Best regards, 

Greg Fisher

General Manager 

Granite Peak Ski Area