Featured Image, Please Credit: Matt Lorelli
Let’s be real here. You’re probably not itching to take a ski vacation to Wisconsin unless you’re from an even flatter state like Illinois, Iowa, or Indiana, and I don’t blame you.
The skiing is so-so at best when compared to larger resorts out west. The vertical is miniscule, the snow quality is usually poor, and its either blistering cold and dry, or warm and wet.
But you already knew that right?
So why are you still reading this blog?
*Okay, I think all of the noobs, posers, wannabees, fair-weather skiers, complainers, braggers, boasters, too-gooders, and losers have probably clicked away from this article by now. Let’s get to the good stuff.*
I skied legitimate, albeit small, gladed runs with fresh snow at Tyrol Basin, WI over the weekend, and I had an absolute blast.
The day started by a rudely-loud alarm blaring from my iPhone (1st-world humble brag) at 7AM. I checked the snow report.
*Widespread 3-7″ across Southern Wisconsin. Possible for Trace-2″ additional accumulation throughout the day.*
Hot damn. It was a Wisconsin POWDER DAY! I woke up my not-as-enthusiastic wife, and we started to get ready.
Tyrol Basin is one of the most unique ski areas I’ve ever visited, and I’m not just saying that so you continue reading this blog… or am I?
*Anyways*
The ski area is medium-sized for midwestern standards. There are three triple fixed-grip chairlifts, two rope tows, and a beginner’s magic carpet spread out over 30 acres. The vertical is… well… size doesn’t matter, right? (it’s 280′)
True to it’s name, Tyrol Basin has 24+ runs including gladed terrain running on one side of the basin, and parking located on the other. This can be somewhat challenging when trying to access the ski area.
On a busy day, like this one, we could only find parking 100′ vertically up the parking side of the basin. We then had to walk with our skis down the bottom of the basin, and then ride the lift up from there.
Walking back up to our car after skiing all day was also something I complained about. My wife made fun of me for it. I deserved it.
The cut runs at Tyrol Basin were fun considering their pitch and size. I was able to cut some nice edgy carves on my Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105s. The fresh soft snow on top of a cold-temp snowmaking base created ideal conditions for Southern Wisconsin.
My wife said at one point, “Wow. It’s so nice to not hear that sliding on ice sound.” She gets it.
I enjoyed skiing all of Tyrol Basin’s 5+ gladed zones. There was some surprisingly ‘steep’ (~25 degree pitch) sections that funneled into well-cut glades.
I felt like I was in Vermont for about a minute until I heard some guy talking about Aaron Rodgers, The Packers, JJ Watt, and cheese curds in the lift line.
If you’re ever passing through southern Wisconsin (for any reason), Tyrol Basin is an excellent place for a few turns. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the quality of the glade work off the C Chair.
We paid $50 for a full-day lift ticket for my wife, and I redeemed one of my day passes for Tyrol Basin from The Indy Pass.