2 Epic Pass Midwest Resorts Open This Week as Arctic Blast Hits Much of the Region

Afton Alps in Minnesota opened on Thursday, and Wilmot in Wisconsin will open today for the 2025-26 season. These two Vail-owned resorts opened with bitterly cold temperatures, with highs only in the upper 20s on Friday, and the lows below zero by Sunday.

• Related: Fresh Snow Boosts Opening Day as Big White Ski Resort, BC, Launches Winter Season

Afton Alps is located in the St. Croix River Valley just outside Minneapolis and St. Paul, and it opened yesterday at 3:00 p.m. for its opening day. The mountain opened with three trails: Nancy’s Nursery, Teresa’s Trail, and West LZ Terrain Park. Lifts 4 and 5, Alps Carpet, and West LZ Tow Rope were open, and Lift 3 is scheduled to start running soon. Three dining options were available: Alps Cafe, Paul’s Pub, and LZ Bar, and Paul’s Pub is scheduled to be open seven days a week this season.

Afton Alps Stats

• Highest Elevation: 700 feet (213 meters)
• Base Elevation: 350 feet (107 meters)
• Skiable Terrain: 300 acres
• Lifts: 17
• Snowmaking Coverage: 100%
• Terrain Parks: 3
• Trails: 50
• Beginner Terrain: 25%
• Intermediate Terrain: 50%
• Advanced Terrain: 25% (inferred to complete the 100%)

Wisconsin’s Wilmot Mountain Resort is approximately 65 miles from downtown Chicago and features eight chairlifts and 23 runs. It is scheduled to open today at 3:00 p.m. Wilmot plans to have these trails open: Turtle, Broadway, Upper Cat, Watler’s Folly, Paradise, Exhibition, Superior, and Sunnside Pop-up Terrain Park. The mountain will have Lifts 2 and 3, and Carpet 9, servicing skiers and snowboarders up the slopes. The mountain will be open from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Ski Hill Grill and Main Lodge Bar will be serving food from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. for guests. Walt’s Tavern is expected to open soon.

Wilmot Mountain Stats

• Highest Elevation: 960 feet (293 meters)
• Base Elevation: 770 feet (235 meters)
• Skiable Terrain: 120 acres
• Lifts: 10
• Snowmaking Coverage: 100%
• Terrain Parks: 3
• Trails: 25
• Beginner Terrain: 36%
• Intermediate Terrain: 32%
• Advanced Terrain: 32%

With cold temperatures locked in through the weekend and more snow guns ready to fire, both mountains plan to expand open terrain in the coming days. For Midwest snow enthusiasts eager to get their first turns of the season, the 2025-26 winter has officially arrived. Afton Alps and Wilmot Mountain are open, and the stoke is high.

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