Family friendly skiing (Madison, Wausau, Rib Mountain: rental, unemployment, neighborhood)

[remcycle]

Hey all...it's been a while since I posted here, but we're coming up on a year since we moved from Texas to Madison...honestly, this will never be the place we truly settle and I think we have another year in us here before moving on, but it's been interesting.

In the meantime, I have a question about local ski areas. Which is the easiest in your opinion for small children to learn on? We've got a seven year old who is just starting.

We've been to Tyrol Basin twice. Now, she can turn really well on the bunny slope as well as any super-gradual cruiser green slopes, but Tyrol doesn't have any of those. They've got one green run from the top and it's steeper than most of the blues out there (and I've done all of them, being a pretty good two-planker myself) until you get near the bottom...then it's gradual, wide, open, fast and fun like a green is supposed to be. Trying to get her down the mountain last night was just horrible, as she wasn't ready for what we thought would be a good beginner hill.

I've skied Devil's Head and remember the two long runs at the top, The Burns and The Meadows, being really nice for new skiiers to learn cruising, but the last time I looked at Devil's Head's website, those two runs are currently closed.

We haven't been to Christmas Village (haven't wanted to make the drive after work) or Cascade yet (haven't had the $300 it would cost for the three of us midweek...someone hasn't yet told them it ain't Aspen), but does anyone have any insight on the green-runs on these or any other area hills? I'd even drive all the way to Granite Peak if I knew my daughter would have fun without being confined to the rope tow.

Thanks all!

[Megan1967]

Hi Remcycle,

I'm sorry to hear things haven't turned out the way you hoped. Not much advice about the ski runs as I don't know what the color coding means, but there is another place, about three hours north of here called Ribb Mountain, it's in Wausau. I learned to ski there as a child.

Just curious after year in Madison how it compares to Austin since I'm still considering a move there.

Megan

[Paige65]

I think Cascade is a good option. It shouldn't cost you anywhere near $300 for two adults and a child. Kids ski free there with an adult (lift ticket), so the only cost for your daughter is rental. I think rental and lift ticket for adults is in the neighborhood of $75 total on weekends, so your total cost should not be more than $180 for all of you. It may even be less during the week or if you only want to ski during the evening. Christmas Mountain isn't much less expensive than Cascade. Unfortunately, I can't get on to those websites (Devils Head or Cascade) at work to check for you for sure, but it should be easy for you to verify.

[remcycle]

Originally Posted by Megan1967

Hi Remcycle,

I'm sorry to hear things haven't turned out the way you hoped. Not much advice about the ski runs as I don't know what the color coding means, but there is another place, about three hours north of here called Ribb Mountain, it's in Wausau. I learned to ski there as a child.

Just curious after year in Madison how it compares to Austin since I'm still considering a move there.

Megan

Hey Megan...

Yeah, Rib Mountain has been renamed Granite Peak and is the largest area in the state now, I think. We're headed up to Devil's Head in two weeks, and I skied there when I was a youngster, so I know it's not TOO difficult.

A comparison to Austin will have to come via offline message. There are a lot of differences to be sure, but a lot of similarities too. Unfortunately most of those similarities are bad points.

You still mulling over the idea, eh? Unemployment down there right now is HORRIBLE, not like up here, which isn't too bad at all according to the numbers.