Skiing & Snowboarding

Granite Peak Ski Area at Rib Mountain State Park offers some of the BEST skiing in the Midwest, quickly becoming Wisconsin’s premier ski destination. The tallest vertical drop in Wisconsin (700+ feet), Granite Peak has the ability to make snow early and keep it late with superior snowmaking equipment.

With the recent improvements at Granite Peak, it’s getting harder to make a distinction between skiing out West and skiing close to home. Granite Peak has the terrain variety, the long runs and the reliable snow that you’d expect to find only after spending a few hours in an airplane. Luckily, it’s close to home, and easy to reach with a short drive on well-maintained interstate highways – no airport hassles, no rental car, no long travel day... just great skiing.

For equipment rentals, visit Granite Peak Ski Area or Shepherd & Schaller in downtown Wausau.

Visit this winter and see why the Wausau area is The BEST Place to Play in the Snow!

Cross-Country Skiing

Choose from four courses that accommodate all levels of expertise. Beginners will enjoy classical skiing across gently rolling terrain on the Ringle Trail. The Sylvan Hill Trail has a popular in-town location and is serviced by the Wausau and Marathon County Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department. Intermediate skiers will enjoy the remote Big Eau Pleine Park Trail, a scenic trail along the Eau Pleine Reservoir, featuring rolling and wooded terrain. The best facility in the area is at the Nine Mile County Forest and Recreation Area, offering 33 km of trails to choose from and even lighted trails so you can ski at night. Visit www.co.marathon.wi.us or call 888-575-SNOW (7669) for updated snow conditions and other trail information.

Park Name	Nine Mile country Forest Recreation Area	Big Eau Pleine Park	Sylvan Hill	Ringle Marsh
Difficulty	Beginner to Expert	Beginner to Intermediate	Beginner to Intermediate	Beginner
Length	20 Miles (33km)	7 Miles (11km)	1.3 Miles (2.1km)	3.4 Miles (5.5km)
Grooming	Frequently groomed 8' wide skating lane and machine set double tracks	Not groomed	Regularly machine groomed for single track and skating lane	Not groomed
Location	Exit 183 from 1-39/US-51. West on CTH N, 3.4 miles to Red Bud Rd.	Exit 179 from I-39/US-51. West on STH 153, 7.5 miles South on Big Eau Pleine Rd.	N. Sixth Street (CTH W) on Wausau's east side to Horseshow Spring Road. Turn right on Sylvan Street	STH 29 east of Wausau. North on HWY O, east on Poplar Lane 1.2 miles
Hours	Mon 9am-7pm* Tue-Thu 9am-9pm Fri 9am-5pm Sat 8am-9pm Sun 8am-5pm* *6pm after 1st weekend in February	Sunrise to Sunset	Sunrise to Sunset	Sunrise to Sunset
Costs	Fee	Donation	Donation	Donation