Wisconsin — The Midwest is full of many lost ski areas. One of the ones that is missed the most by downhill skiers is Telemark in Wisconsin. Opened in 1947, the ski resort became beloved by downhill skiers, cross-country skiers, and golfers alike. However, it grew too fast, leading to various financial issues over the years.
In the latest episode of Skier72’s video docuseries, The Lost Resorts, he delves into the history of downhill skiing at Telemark. In his longest episode yet, the video covers the ski resort’s history, its closure, the current use of the land, and the topographic features of Telemark’s skiable terrain.
The property was eventually bought by the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF). Mt. Telemark Village remains open to the public, allowing people to enjoy hiking, mountain biking, rollerblading, cross-country skiing, and birdwatching. The site is home to the American Birkebeiner, which is the continent’s largest cross-country ski event. However, downhill skiing last operated there in 2010.
The door isn’t entirely closed on a downhill skiing comeback for Telemark. Alison Slavick of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation noted that while bringing back downhill skiing is not an immediate priority, if an operator is open to running the lifts, they’d be receptive to the idea.
There have been a few recent comebacks in the Midwest ski industry, so it’ll be interesting to see if someone takes another crack at making Telemark a downhill ski area.
Image/Video Credits: Skier72, American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF), Skimap.org
