Plymouth, Wisconsin — An inspiring comeback story is taking place in rural Wisconsin, as work is nearing completion to restore a once-shuttered ski area.
This month, Nutt Hill Winter Park announced its projected opening date for the 2025-26 season. The ribbon-cutting and opening date is scheduled for December 16, 2025. The grand opening date is scheduled for January 16, 2026.
Lift tickets and season passes will be very affordable. Lift tickets will only cost $25, while snow tubing will be priced at $15 per hour, or $60 for a voucher book of 5. Season passes will cost $150, while a family season pass costs $500 (which includes two adults plus any/all kids under 18).
Conceptual work has been going on for a couple of years now, but the groundwork began in earnest this June with a groundbreaking ceremony. Work is now going strong at the ski area, with the lift completed, the trails graded, and infrastructure currently being installed.
History
The Town of Plymouth is known as the “cheese capital of the world.” Nutt Hill was named after Dr. Charles and Genivera Nutt, who have a significant legacy in Plymouth. In their wills, they gave the land to Mrs. Fred Steinecker, who then donated it to the town. In 1962, it opened as a ski hill with a rope tow and a couple of trails. It remained an operating ski hill for decades, teaching generations to ski and ride. It closed in 2014 due to rising costs from snowmaking and maintaining the other infrastructure.
Because of this, Joe Van Derven created Cheese Capital Winter Park, a non-profit that aims to reopen the Wisconsin ski hill. Last autumn, Cheese Capital Winter Park signed a five-year lease with the Town of Plymouth. As part of the agreement, the town will give the non-profit $11,000 to operate the ski hill. Fundraising efforts have been ongoing, as the non-profit has raised more than $2 million. Now that’s not a cheesy comeback story.
What’s New
Nutt Hill will seem like a very different place compared to when it closed in 2014. A new magic carpet lift will service the ski trails and snow tubing lanes. New snowmaking infrastructure will cover the slopes, and a snow groomer has also been acquired. For night skiing, new lights are being installed. Regarding new facilities, work is underway on a warming hut and on enclosing an existing shelter. According to the Sheboygan Press, a new electrical system is being installed, and the parking lot is being expanded.
The revived ski hill will feature three ski trails, one glade, and a snow tubing park, both serviced by a magic carpet. The seven-acre ski area will feature a vertical drop of 120 feet.
It’s exciting to see the recent small-ski-area renaissance in the United States. Some examples of new or revived ski areas or comebacks include Hoedown Hill in Colorado, Frisco Adventure Park in Colorado, Steeplechase in Minnesota, Norway Mountain in Michigan, and Snowland in Utah. It sounds like Nutt Hill will join that mix soon.
Image/Video Credits: Nutt Hill Winter Park, Skiers and Snowboarders of the Midwest.
