# Reviews on resorts within 5 hours of Chicago, IL area



## EverBorN (Jul 21, 2007)

*Granite Peak*, WI ~ _5/5 Stars_, 700FT vertical, 74 Runs, High Speed lifts!, Long Runs, Prices a bit high but worth it.

*Devils Head*, WI ~ _4/5 Stars_, 500FT vertical, 28 Runs, NO High Speed lifts ='(, Prices are more then fair however lacking high speed lifts will have to take away a star.(pain in the ass on those slow lifts for 6+ minutes) This place NEEDS high speed lifts!
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Chestnut Mountain*, IL ~ _4/5 Stars_, 475FT Vertical, 22 Runs, NO High Speed Lifts, Prices are normal/good, also lacking a star because of the lack of high speed lifts.

*Alpine Valley*, WI ~ _2.5/5 Stars_, Vertical unknown Guessing(300FT), 10ish Runs, High Speed lifts!, Prices are on the pricey side for what it is...but not god awful however the runs are short but decent if you live close it's one to hit up, if not don't bother. GREAT place for n00bs, 3 magic carpets. 
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Wilmot*, WI ~ _0/5 Stars_, Guessing on the vertical(150FT), Roughly 17 runs, old slow crappy lifts, Prices are insane at this place, $39 to rent haha, stay away from this place even if you live 10 minutes from it. Prices are CRAZY HIGH, smallest HILL I have ever seen, lifts suck. :thumbsdown: If they had much lower prices then the good places then this review might be different :dunno: This place needs to bank off being cheaper...but doesn't.
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Cascade Mountain*, WI ~ _4.5/5 Stars_, Vertical is about 450-500FT, 35 runs(However only about 20-25 are open at night time due to no lighting on certain trails) Lift tickets are on the normal side but rentals are bit high priced. Great runs for every type of skier/boarder, This place DOES have one high speed lift that goes to the top of the mountain & you can hit most if not all the trails from there. GREAT terrain park, many ramps/rails to hit!


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## EverBorN (Jul 21, 2007)

Updated fully to all the places I have been to around the Chicagoland area :thumbsup: Please leave your feedback as well!


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## Guest (Feb 17, 2008)

Cascade has some big air jumps and plenty of rails and boxs for all skill levels...great all around place...somthin for everyone


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## Guest (Jan 10, 2009)

I know this thread is pretty much dead so I don't know if you will be able to answer, but I will hopefully be going with some friends (all new to snowboarding/skiing) for a day in february. I have it narrowed down between Devils Head and Cascade. I had read that Devils Head has longer runs (with respect to other places in the area) and seeing as I had gone to Cascade and wished I could have stayed on a slope longer everytime I got to the bottom I thought Devils Head would be the obvious choice, but looking at the trail map there arn't too many easy trails so I was not sure if that would be the best choice for a group of people new to the sport.

Can you give me a recommendation from your experience on what the choice should be. Price is not really a factor as i think the difference for a lift ticket and rental is like 6 dollars or so.


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## MadBomber53045 (Dec 25, 2008)

take the extra bit of a drive and hit powderhorn or indianhead in the UP, they're worth it. hit rib mountain on the way home too.


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## Guest (Jan 10, 2009)

I wish I had the time for that sadly Rib is about 5 hours away from where I live and anything in the UP would be out of the question then. Rib does look awesome though and maybe later in the season I can take a trip up there for a day or two.

Thanks for the suggestions though, those will all be on my list for next season when I have my own setup to work with as right now I'm still just getting back into the sport.


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## w3iiipu (Feb 26, 2009)

i was visiting friends in chicago this past holiday season and we drove 3 hrs to devils head to check it out...

first thing that hits me was the higher then normal lift tickets. 50 bucks for an all day ticket seems a bit 
then my friends who were renting got some stone aged step in snowboards and worned out boots...very very crappy rental boards for 28 bucks.
chair lifts were very old and slow.
some of the beginner trails are jus straight out flat.

tho the place was not too crowded and i seem to see a majority of snowboarders then skiiers.
they have some decent long runs compare to other resorts around the area.

but mainly i hate it coz of the lift and the imo overpriced lift tickets.
________
Paxil Death


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## Guest (Jan 11, 2010)

great thread as I'am right outside the city I live about 40min from the city. I too have tried Wilmot, Alpine, and Devils head. Nice reviews.


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## bryantp (Dec 1, 2008)

*Near Chicago*

I've got to say it - Denver is a 5-hour flight away and only $250 round-trip. I know you can't do it every weekend, but sometimes you gotta live a little.


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## ColinHoernig (Aug 26, 2009)

bryantp said:


> I've got to say it - Denver is a 5-hour flight away and only $250 round-trip. I know you can't do it every weekend, but sometimes you gotta live a little.


Denver is actually only a little over two hour flight from ORD. Even better! :laugh:


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## bryantp (Dec 1, 2008)

*5 hours*

I just took the first one that came up...didn't shop.

When I was 14, I was a surfer from Texas. Something had to go. I did, hitchhiking to California seemingly constantly. Today's world, I wouldn't hitch but I would find a way. Sometimes we have to settle but we need to go for it sometimes too.


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## cokelacola (Jan 8, 2010)

i am taking a trip up to cascade this weekend pumped probably spend some time in the dells too, but is cascade nice, im not that good i started end of last year been to wilmot a few times and alpine once all ive done is ride and hit a few little jumps can get 180s and decent air sometimes indys im looking on starting rails ive gotta boxes and some smaller flat bars, will i b alright at cascade?


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## GC24 (Sep 2, 2009)

cokelacola said:


> i am taking a trip up to cascade this weekend pumped probably spend some time in the dells too, but is cascade nice, im not that good i started end of last year been to wilmot a few times and alpine once all ive done is ride and hit a few little jumps can get 180s and decent air sometimes indys im looking on starting rails ive gotta boxes and some smaller flat bars, will i b alright at cascade?


Yeah you will be fine at Cascade. The right side (when looking up the mt. from the base) is less steep and more beginner friendly.
I was there in the middle of December and they only had a few beginner boxes set up which would be perfect for you to learn on. However, I heard they have improved their park greatly since then.

Have fun and be sure to get your riding down before you go hucking your meat in the park.


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