Wisconsin's Largest Ski Resort Launching a Significant Expansion

Thursday, December 29th, 2022 -- 11:01 AM

(By Rob Mentzer, Wisconsin Public Radio) Wisconsin's largest ski resort will launch a significant expansion after the state approved a new master plan for Rib Mountain.

According to Rob Mentzer with Wisconsin Public Radio, the plan also calls for the creation of new hiking, climbing and mountain biking trails at the central Wisconsin state park. The ancient quartzite hill outside of Wausau is already a site for skiing and hiking.

The operator of the ski resort, Granite Peak Ski Area, has been pushing for more than eight years to expand its footprint, and in 2019 the state Natural Resources Board approved the creation of a new master plan for the park.

More than three years and 6,000 public comments later, the board this month approved a revised plan that will expand the ski area, add mountain biking trails and campsites and create a hiking trail around the base of the mountain.

The plan's passage "sets the vision for the future of the state park and surrounding area," Wausau and Marathon County parks director Jamie Polley said in a statement.

"The addition of mountain biking and the expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities ... will improve the quality of life for residents, draw in visitors and grow the economic impact of central Wisconsin.”

It will be years before many of the new proposals are completed. But Granite Peak's owners have said adding new ski runs at the site is an essential part of its future.

That's in part because the ski area, whose economic impact in central Wisconsin has been estimated at more than $27 million per year, lacks many options for beginners and intermediate skiers.

All the runs that start at the top of the hill are relatively steep and better for more advanced skiers. Under the newly approved plan, an expansion to the west will create less-steep options.

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