I had a pretty decent time skiing for the first time here. We came on a very cold Wednesday so it wasn't too packed at all. I was able to learn on the bunny hill in about 1.5 hours, and found it pretty adequate. Some of the employees saw me struggling and came over to give me a couple pointers, which was very kind. I felt like it was sort of a judgement free zone, which I appreciate. I was able to make it on two of the medium hills by the end of the day, but still got pretty banged up from falling. A couple of the other reviewers mentioned that there is a large river at the end of the runs that isn't really roped off. I didn't have any trouble with this but I find this extremely problematic. Lawsuit waiting to happen! So be careful. My biggest issue is with the indoor lunch/dinner cafeteria area. The lodge is one of the most outdated places I've ever seen, and NOT in the charming way. Take note that it is cash only. You will have a lot of trouble eating if you have any sort of dietary restrictions....literally everything on the menu is some sort of fried food. I don't even think they offered a single salad. Food is overpriced too. You might be best off having some sort of a picnic in your car if it's not too cold out. Overall I'd be open to coming back here, but if you're a big time skier or not okay with outdated facilities....I would probably skip it. read more

This place doesn't care about any sort of Covid protocols. The majority of customers don't wear masks, there are signs but nothing is enforced. The allow crowds to form while half of their lifts don't run. It's like going back in time to when Covid doesn't exist.. read more

Blast from the past! Taking my kids there brought me back to my days in high school. The staff was as nice as I remember and the family had a great time. Can't wait to go back again. read more

This review is primarily for the hotel / resort: In summary: its a dump. Hotel: 1-star Bar: 3-stars Location (if you are going to see Phish-band at Alpine Valley): 5-stars We stayed here for Phish-band shows. The only benefit was it was closest to the venue (walking distance). The rooms are awful and in dire need of updating. Beds = uncomfort Nothing works in the room, TV, phone, shower was funky not sure if it was hot or cold or what. Walking around the hallways in the place had a dark and eerie feel. It's real, real bad. Staff were clueless. read more

3 stars is for the proximity to Chicago and lower price for beginners area versus same lift price as Wilmot charges. Also 3 stars because I couldn't figure out how to give 2.5 Wilmot service is super, especially after they were acquired by Vail. I completely agree with the safety hazard in Alpine, the unfenced river running right along the bunny hill unloading area. I read in the reviews that at least 4 people have fallen in. How come Alpine has done Zip about this blatant death trap? The beginners slope was a swift descent of ice. My ski boot clasp was ill fitting and when I took it back to the rental to swap it, a lady there just fastened it one notch over and said I'd be fine. Of course it popped open when I was going down the bunny slope. Very strange apathy to safety and equipment quality. read more

Let me say that this is the first time that I have had time to ski - in YEARS! I figured that the snow has amassed once again and it would be a perfect time to hit the slopes again. It was an easy drive up to Alpine and once there...it was packed!! Now, I don't have problems with crowds, but finding a parking spot was a pain. I immediately noticed that the snowboarders outnumbered the skiers at least 5 to 1 tonight. I also noticed that my "old-fashioned" K2 550 190cm skis made me look ancient to these kids! No big deal...I'll show these kids how skiing should be done! Now I don't mean to brag, but I ski like a machine! Ok, broken down has-been machine... :( I'm nowhere near old but the place was chock full of high schoolers and junior high aged punks and punketees. The runs were in great condition and the lines were reasonable. The rental area was jam packed and I think I'll rent next time to the newer elliptical skis. I also spent a little time partaking in the forbidden juices in the bar upstairs. There was a handsome crowd in there tonight and the liquor choices were aplenty. A good time and I will be back...if they'll have me! read more

My rating is for the hotel rooms. Both our rooms had mildew/mold smell. it was so humid as the air conditioners are ancient. The carpeting felt wet. Seriously, pull out that carpeting. It's so gross and stained. They could have cleaned the toilet as well before putting on the strip of cleanliness. Our window did not lock and we were on the ground floor. Were told not all windows lock in that area. The staff were very nice and friendly however. But clean the place up. read more

For $50 to ski from 9AM-5:30PM, this place is great! About a 2 minute wait for lifts, very empty for a Sunday! Maybe the 10 degree weather feeling like -12 can be attributed to the lack of a crowd, but I'll take it! No overlapping, lessons were on the easy slopes, and even though there was a ski race occurring, most trails were relatively open! There are only 2 black diamonds (which are very easy in my book, being from the east coast and accustomed to Stratton) so not much of a challenge. Overall I was very impressed with the short wait! I wish the runs were longer and more difficult. read more

Alpine Valley Resort - View from the top - Ski Resorts Near Me - Elkhorn, Wisconsin

Who's brilliant idea was it to have no fence at the bottom of a freezing lake at the bottom of a ski hill? Saw one woman fall into the lake and catch her self at the edge. By standards had to help her out. By the time the staff came back all they had was a life saver ring and didn't really want to help her. Cheese curds were $8 for a handful of them... Half the beers on the menu were not on tap. The one my friend got tasted like dish soap. I did like the live music and price of the beers. Most of the trails feel the same. Pretty decent terrain park. Most of your time will be spent on lifts and clipping in your snowboard boots, def more of a ski place. Prices were reasonable for the quality of the snow. Nothing froze over. read more

The food was average and expensive for the quality and people were not wearing their masks and nobody said anything. i expect better during this pandemic. the hills were good. read more

Love going to this place every winter. The food, people and snow events help make winter tolerable. The food is pretty amazing, considering most people come hopefully to ski or snowboard. The amount of runs and lifts they can pull off in the small town of East Troy is impressive. Love the hum of the people and the movement in winter at Alpine Valley. Oh, and there is guitar music often on the weekend and cozy fires read more

Definitely nothing to make more than a 2 hour drive to see. I prefer Devils Head over Alpine, but this is much closer to Chicago. It is a good enough time with a few runs, just nothing special by any means. The little bar area is quaint and there is decent service. If you are looking for somewhere to make a day trip to ski, its worth a visit. read more

Alpine Valley Resort - Resort from the slopes - Ski Resorts Near Me - Elkhorn, Wisconsin

Second time at Alpine this season was a disaster. The place was such a mess that there's no way we're going back. Under staffed, long lines, lifts breaking, terrible food. Nothing positive to say. read more

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I was here for the Jimmy Buffet concert in August, so I can't speak for how this place is for skiing. As far as a concert venue, holy cow. So many people, so many tents, so few proper places to use the bathroom..... (bring your own hand-sanitizer, and maybe even toilet paper) I was mentally prepared for a large crowd of half-naked wastrels, so that didn't bother me. Everyone was beyond friendly, parking was a breeze (though if you plan to leave early, let me just say, no you're not.), and the show was fantastic. Bring your own food and drink and pregame, though. Once you get into the venue, prices skyrocket on steroids. You can't buy a beer for cheaper than $12. Food prices are also ridiculous. read more

Alpine Valley Resort - So many people in the dark - Ski Resorts Near Me - Elkhorn, Wisconsin

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I had a lot of fun here as a day trip from Chicago, but I don't think it had much to do with Alpine Valley itself. The resort is really run down and the condition of the slopes were not great. Probably the worst part was that the lift tickets and equipment rentals were just as much as skiing in Colorado. Are you for real? But I was even more bummed with the ski slopes themselves. Two words: packed and icy. I totally recognize that this is Wisconsin not the Alps, but the straight and short runs felt unsafe with patches of ice almost everywhere. And even for February, it was so packed that there were several near-collisions with out-of-control snowboarders. Sure, it's great that you can go skiing in Wisconsin, but this is not the kind of place I want to ski in. Save up a little more money and buy a ticket to ski out west read more

I do enjoy coming to this mountain for day skiing. It's definitely not as big as some of the mountains out West, but you'll still get some good quality skiing and high-speed chairlifts for a good time. There are some beginner runs with a small chairlift and magic carpet on the one side for those who are brand new to skiing/snowboarding. For those who are more experienced, I'd recommend staying on the middle part of the mountain or on the far left side by the terrain park. You'll enjoy the length and the steepness of the runs. They groom the mountain each night, so you'll be able to get some clean, high-quality skiing. The view at the top of the hill is really nice, especially at sunset! The bar at the lodge is really nice, and the food isn't too bad either. I would recommend this place for anyone who'd want to enjoy a good day of Midwest skiing/snowboarding. You'll get your money's worth here :) read more

Alpine Valley Resort - Beautiful panorama sunset at the top of Alpine Valley! - Ski Resorts Near Me - Elkhorn, Wisconsin

It's pretty good for southeast Wisconsin. Best part is staff is really nice. Great for kids.

I would like to praise the quality of care this place gives their customers. We lost an expensive pair of ski goggles. Not only were they brought to the front desk, the management was kind enough to send them back to us in Saint Louis! That my friends is what customer service is!! Thank You! Now in regards to the skiing. The guys said that there was enough challenge for a variety of levels. Guys had a great day!! Thank you again! read more

go through my school and its always fun and good food.good for beginners and very experienced riders.

The music is too loud, they have a guitar player but geeze while your mother would thing you are great, I think most ppl prefer lower radio music read more

OVERALL: Alpine Valley is the place to be if you want a great snowboarding experience and live in Northern IL. We love it here. Definitely recommend going during the week since the weekends seem to get PACKED! During the week waiting for a lift is minimal so you get more runs in and can try more things. We're beginners, so having space is important :) The staff has always been very friendly and we have never had an issue. LESSONS: Our very first time there we did try private lessons, which I would recommend staying away from, our instructor was on the older side and didn't even snowboard himself! He was awkward, did a poor job explaining the techniques, and overall we just felt like it was a waste of money. Instead, take your time on the bunny hill - spend a day there even, work on standing and slowing navigating the slope - practice makes perfect! DINING: We've tried dining at the restaurant as well as the cafe, the food is okay but a bit overpriced. We always pack a lunch, they have open seating and welcome sack lunches, so that has been our plan everytime now. Definitely recommend Alpine Valley! read more

This is probably the most newbie-friendly place I've ridden at. I don't want to give you the impression I know what I'm talking about when it comes to snow or mountains or activities that involve the said two items but let me try to sell you this review anyway. Ok? Someone tried to make a point about this place and mentioned "snow base" and I immediately had to google the term and yet I still don't understand how that impacts a mountain or snowboarding conditions. Like I said, I'm not one of THOSE people. I have no idea what's going on. If, you too, have no idea what you're doing on a mountain or why you've decided to look up a review of one, then we're probably on a similar vocabular level and you'll understand and appreciate that Alpine Valley is built for people like you and I. The bunny is overly crowded but at least the hill is decently maintained and there is no sign of the dreaded Rope Pull (of DEATH) here. Instead, Alpine Valley, in accordance to their Pro-Newbie Regulation, have installed the Magic Carpet system which is like a conveyor belt to the promised land. If you have ever dealt w/ the rope-pull, you will thank a higher power when you first lay your eyes upon the Magic Carpet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Carpet_%28ski_lift%29). It's as if a rightful, just, mechanical god had collected your dreams of a better way to traverse the bunny hill (for crying out loud) and have manifested them in steel and rubber. It will make you cry. If and when you do work up your skills and confidence to brave the green runs, you will no doubt appreciate the gentleness of the slopes. Many purists will obviously balk at the mountain labeling such runs in the green category but for us beginners, this is the very sweet spot of the mountain. There are 2 lifts that feed into the green area (by the bunny hill) and each run is evenly tempered and most importantly, manageable for the aspiring rider. You can easily generate a decent amount of speed on these runs but there are enough flat parts for you to collect your thoughts and try your hand at progression. Mercifully, the runs don't snake on and on and you'll be back at the bottom in no time. Having said all of this, it'd be helpful to point out that this place gets crowded. The side effect for running such a newbie friendly place is that all the newbies show up. En masse. Right when you show up. This can hamper your riding time as you wait for the family of 6 as they try to navigate the entire run as a single unit or the cute couple where invariably one is at wits' end in teaching the other while the other just wants to get it over w/ and head straight for a nice bath. Either way, you'll need to pace your runs so you don't cause a pileup while trying your first stabs at those dreaded toe-side turns midway down the mountain. The food is edible if not decent. The lodge is reminiscent of a high school cafeteria gone horribly wrong. This is where you'll find burgers, hot dogs, mysterious chicken bits, pizza, fries and of course, the sugary drinks. There was an outdoor grill the last time I visited but the line seemed to be perpetually put on pause so we dared the madness inside. Fries are good. Stay away from the chicken bits. Cash only. Here's a pro tip - when you first enter the lodge from the lifts, there is a hallway to the right. Go down that hallway and discover another of set of bathrooms. These are the bathrooms you want to use. First of all, EVERYONE uses the bathrooms to the left (near the cafeteria) b/c those are easily seen and identified. It also helps there is a steady stream of people moving in and out of these doors to signal their importance. But, if you like to buck the system like I do, you'll cleverly (and appreciatively) use the other set of bathrooms as they are less crowded and better maintained. read more

Alpine valley has been my goto resort every winter being that it is about an hour away from where I live. I enjoy this slope better than the others in the area. Wilmot Mountain and Grand Geneva are a lot smaller than alpine. It's cheaper than both too. read more

Alpine Valley Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Elkhorn, Wisconsin

Disclaimer: I cannot give any Midwest ski resort greater than 3 stars. Those who've skiied out West should understand. ::nose in the air:: Now that we've got that awkwardness out of the way, I'll go over the pros and cons: PROS -- close to Chicago -- fast quad lift -- average lift ticket prices ($42 for weekends) CONS -- super crowded -- extremely icy, especially on the black diamonds -- too many damn kids -- long lines to get on the lifts -- gets monotonous real quick I can't comment on the food other than that it's overpriced (but this is expected). I'd skip out on this one. There are several other decent ski areas in WI that are worth the trip. read more

As for the Southern Wisconsin snowboarding scene, this is one of my favorites for several reasons. 1. Fun runs, very well groomed (has trees!) 2. Great if your just starting out 3. Night ski/snowboarding 4. Has "resort" that looks like its going for the Swiss look 5. Fairly close to Chicago Its a good place to learn, and get better at snowboarding or skiing. Kind of pricey, but that comes with the sport... read more

I am a bit biased as I am a beginner-intermediate skier and Alpine is where I started, but I have been to other places such as Granite Peak, Wilmot, and Cascade mountain (for snowboarding or snowtubing). Ill start by saying that I am in love with Alpine, the distance is perfect as it is roughly 35-45 minutes away from Milwaukee. I think alot of people will downvote Alpine because they prefer Colorado or Europe, but what can you expect from Wisconsin? Anyway, I love Alpine for its natural feel, trees provide a natural barrier between the slopes and for one I feel at peace with nature when I am cruising down the hill, not a care in the world. There are many runs to go down, from the easy-going greens, a few manageable blues, and the steep black diamonds. The black diamonds are a pretty nice size, not as steep as Wilmot per se, but are very fun to go down for some killer speed. My favorite is probably Black thunder for the purpose of speed. But if you like to go off a few tricks, try the Mohawk! (I think thats what its called). It has nice big hills with some jumps that'll launch you in the air, and to the furthest left is a nice small hill type of area kind of isolated from the public. I recently have discovered the trails within the trees, the paths that are underneath the ski lifts which are actually pretty exciting! It for sure kept me on my toes and offered a nice challenge. The snow itself of course depends on the weather, but I never really had an issue with terrain. Overall I enjoy the variety of slopes Alpine has to offer. The ski lifts range from the slow-painful ones to the new and comfy fast lifts. In most cases you can get on a lift, go down a slope, and immediately get on the lift provided that it is not crowded (weekends and nights). One issue I have in this aspect is how crowded lines get, sometimes ending up out of control. Some times theyll have an employee help form fair lines, which is something I think they should continue to implement. I do, however, really enjoy how someone is always outside to watch your skis for free if you so choose. Just make sure you dont lose the token they give you! Inside the lodge/bulding/whatever is pretty nice, a bit small for the number of people that come on weekends. Also there arent alot of outlets for plugging in your phone which I found disappointing. They may want to exand to accomodate the massive influx of people on weekends so that everyone has a seat. The food is average, a little over priced. AND WHATS WITH THE NO CHEESE CURDS???? The hot chocolate, however, is a saving grace, always good to have when you've been on the slopes too long and have frost nip. Recently, I have discovered the bar area and had a few beers. I must say the area is perfect for adults to get away from kids and large families, really a nice place to have a seat and still have the slopes within eyesight. The staff is very friendly, as is the general public (probably a ski thing :)). The live music I heard (Sunday Feb 9th 2014) was amazing! I think from now on I will be going to the bar more often. Overall I love going to Alpine, whether it be with a friend or more or by myself. I will continue to go back and maybe next time get a Seasons Pass seeing as how I go so much. read more

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Well, it'll do pig. For a Midwestern Ski Resort, it is ok. But I do believe that Michigan and Wisconsin offer better. But are these better resorts only 2 hours from Chicago? No. So, Alpine won this time out of convenience for sure. I actually grew up in Michigan and my go-to ski hill there was Alpine Valley as well! Isn't it Ironic? Don't you think? Ok, not really. But I will say that they remind me of each other. Limited lifts, limited runs, limited amount of time to hold my interest. But, the 3 runs that were labeled "most difficult" on the main part of the mountain were nice rides - but felt more intermediate to me. Either way, Alpine Valley is good for Beginner, Intermediate or just warming up your ski legs. Otherwise, doesn't satisfy the desire to shred it up for reals! But would be good for a group to go, as many different levels can enjoy this place. I'm glad we went snowboarding and overall I enjoyed myself. As the day went on, riding down the same few runs helped me prepare for what was ahead and work on my speed and carving. Going on Monday President's Day was a good idea. Not too busy and thinned as the day went on, but I'm sure it was better than a weekend day. I should tell you, that I am spoiled. Growing up I did frequent northern Michigan and went to Boyne Mountain often - of which my memory tells me is MUCH bigger and many more runs to choose from. But, I was younger - maybe it just felt big? But, then I moved out to California and visiting Tahoe a few times a season. Damn. I will never be the same. After riding a hill FOREVER 'til you get to the bottom and seeing the views, snowboarding Tahoe has changed me. Lived out here and hit up 4 or 5 seasons... then moved back to Midwest. Whoops. We are going to try a little further north, at Devils Head in the next week or two, and see if that serves a better fix. Oh, by the way - bring your own food like we did - the food court was all grease, and looked nasty. read more

I called and reserved a room for my birthday and they reserved the wrong day. Obviously, I know the day that I was born on so it was completely their mistake on mishearing my request. The day I arrived they were able to find a room for me. Luckily the staff was very nice and accommodating for their mistake - HOWEVER CHARGED ME DOUBLE. Meaghan the manager is the worst hotel management associate I have ever dealt with and should go take a course in customer service if she is going to ever get anywhere in life at a customer service based job. Will definitely be taking my ski groups to other resorts after this experience. read more

We stayed for a golf weekend with about 8 or 9 couples. Those of us not on the golf package could pay $28 for a very limited buffet or order off the bar menu for dinner both nights. What a drag! I had a sandwich one night and a salad the next. The real kicker is, they have a nice menu but didn't offer the dinner menu because there was a wedding that weekend. Someone else gets married so all other guests suffer? Met another group of about 30. They were complaining about food too. Kim in the dining room provided decent service, although she sure didn't want to hear us complaining. Also, it was weird that they wrote on every restaurant tab "suggested gratuity is....." I know how to figure a tip. Rooms were very smelly, but I suppose that's because its a ski resort. Not really sure. It was clean enough. Not spotless, but I don't think I expected spotless at Alpine. In the weeks leading up to our trip, each couple called to confirm their rooms, rates, etc. Each of had a bad experience on the phone. One was told they weren't being charged for the extra person in the room and they were lucky, another was told they didn't have time to talk to them about their reservation. When we checked in, front desk staff was downright rude and somewhat confused. Check in was a nightmare! Those gals acted like they were doing us a favor letting us stay there. Call there and ask the price of the golf package vs a regular room. Good luck getting a straight answer. We did have fun on the patio at night. And the maintenance man was so, so helpful in making us comfortable. The folks in the pro shop are very nice and very helpful. The food in the hut at the turn is good. We are deciding whether to bring the group back here next year or go somewhere better. We've been there as a group probably 10-12 times over the years and I don't remember these problems. New management maybe? Oh well, we had fun and we have time to find a new resort for next year. The other group of 30 might find a new place with us, That would be fun! read more

As far as slopes go, this is a very good option for those who live in northern IL. Both times I've been, the trails were maintained well. Great experience for snowboarding as there are several terrain park options. As for the food and bar area, this could use some work. Seems a bit outdated compared to other places. There is no cards accepted in the downstairs cafeteria area, not that anyone would want to eat anything there, as the food is pretty poor in quality. Food upstairs is better but still mediocre. If you bring your own food and drink, you'd be better off but overall I'd say the experience one of the better ones I've had in a days drive from Chicagoland read more

Horribly managed. The most telling thing is the complete apathy of the employees inside and out. No one managing lift/conveyor loading, patrols not removing or reprimanding unsafe and out of control behavior. If you ask three employees the same question you'll get three entirely different answers. One hand doesn't know what the other is doing. It is sad too, because if the ownership had a CLUE, this place is a gold mine. They need to hand it off to someone who will put the technology and automation in place to make this destination top notch. I beg the ownership, please pass the torch and sell. read more

First off, I want to say that three stars is way too low of a rating for Alpine Valley Ski Resort. Hopefully the average will become higher over time to more accurately reflect this business. I've been to Alpine Valley twice: once in March '14 for skiing and once in March '15 for snowboarding. I had a great experience both times and I would definitely come back here! Downhill skiing: I skied for the first time here and by the end of the eight hours (!) we spent skiing, I had progressed all the way to the black diamonds. I ended up skiing down every single "mountain" available here, which was pretty incredible. I'm sure these hills aren't steep enough to thrill expert skiers, but I was certainly pleased/impressed. I fell while skiing down a black diamond at night (which wasn't a new thing considering I was just learning to ski there that day). When I didn't get up immediately, one of the paramedic guys came over, asked if I was okay, helped me get up, and made sure I made it safely the rest of the way down the mountain. What great, caring service! Snowboarding: My boyfriend had been talking about wanting to try snowboarding, so I gifted him a day snowboarding at Alpine Valley for Christmas. We are from Chicago and I did a ton of research ahead of time trying to figure out the best place for beginners (without taking pricey lessons). We decided on Alpine Valley because it's only 1.5 hours from the city, it's not horribly expensive at $80/pp, and it's not the steepest (at least compared to Cascade and Devil's Head), making it better for beginners. We had an excellent time here! We had the bunny hill lift tickets, which $5 less than the other. The tickets were good for all the green and blue mountains, but we stuck to the same two bunny hill green areas the entire day/evening. Snowboarding is hard! The snow was powdery, though, and there wasn't ice; falling didn't hurt. We still hadn't figured out to stop without falling at the bottom, so maybe we'll splurge on lessons next time! The only negatives were that the lodge has pretty bad, unhealthy, not tasty food options. We dined in the lodge restaurant upstairs because there was nowhere in sight to sit downstairs and the service was extremely slow and lackadaisical. I recommend packing your own food if you want to eat healthily. My other complaint is that it was REALLY busy when we went for snowboarding. There were long lines for the lifts and the bunny hills were polluted with kids. We wish there were an adult only ski/snowboard section because I think the adults teaching the kids saw us adults and assumed we would have control over our boards. Wrong! We were beginners, too. Overall, I'm a fan of Alpine Valley and would certainly return. It's an excellent option for being so close to Chicago! read more

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Okay I give Alpine a 4 based on MidWest Ski Standards. I will also say that I am a lifelong Volkl skier so the ice here in the MidWest can actually provide for good skiing with the right boards. That said, there is a time and place for everything. If you happen to only have a day to ski and are in Chicago, Alpine is your best option because of it's close proximity. The skiing is typical MidWest - it'll get old after awhile so you'll have to improvise by mixing up runs and hitting the terrain park. This is a fun and in-expensive place for couples or just a bunch of guys. It's also good for families - we take our 12 year old and despite the "State Law" that many other bars claim, she's always allowed in the bar where the food is actually pretty good and reasonably priced - moreso then Devils Head or Cascade. The atmosphere in the bar is light and fun - service has always been good. If you're looking for great skiing and have the time - head to Granite Peak. But if you're just out for some quick skiing, good food, music and a few drinks, definitely head on up to Alpine! read more

If you end up paired with a chatty stranger on the chairlift, the conversation invariably starts with "So, where do you *really* like to ski?". Love it. If you live in Chicago, this is the best it gets. Sure, you could drive 3+ hours to get to a slope that is only slightly better than Alpine Valley, but in my opinion, nothing else within day-trip driving distance is worth the travel time. The runs mostly go straight down, and there aren't many of them; as another reviewer pointed out, skiing here can get monotonous. But that's true of anywhere in the Midwest, unless you go to northern MN or the Upper Peninsula. The food is actually decent (for a chalet), and they have Spotted Cow, from the lovely local New Glarus brewery, on tap! That alone is almost worth the drive. read more

I have to give Alpine credit for firing up the snow guns every chance they get, and it's good snow. Alpine is good if I want to ski/snowboard for a few hours after work, but on the weekend I don't bother. If I was closer to Cascade or Devils Head, I would go there after work instead. I often wonder why Alpine doesn't make more trails, you know, try to expand on the hill?! It's been the same forever, and I see parts of the hill that are "untapped". Granite Peak is always trying to expand on their hill. I do think that for the size of the hill, Alpine charges a little too much on weekends. But they know they've got the Chicago crowd locked in, based on location. So I guess, why wouldn't they jack prices on the weekends?! But really, for the size of the hill, price shouldnt be $5 less than what Cascade charges when Cascade has twice the amount of runs. Overall, 3.5 stars because they really bust their ass trying to be/stay open despite unfriendly weather at times. read more

I'm not a big ski export but I thought that for my first time that this place was pretty. The green and red slopes weren't to bad for me and I had a heck of time out there. They have a pretty descent group discount and can make a great outing for people looking to do something different. Beginners should enjoy this place. It seems like it's pretty crowded on the weekends but if your patient it's not that bad. Probably the biggest downer for this place is the lack of good eating and available seating inside the lodge. If your not going upstairs to dine, be prepared to have cash on you in order to avoid paying the atm fees. read more

My first experience snowboarding. This place is really nice because it has a range of slopes for different experience levels. You can go with an expert snowboarder and still have fun if you've never been before. Well, expert snowboarders probably wouldn't go here, but hey, you gotta get out of the Midwest for better slopes. The place gets kind of crowded and that's when it hurts more when you fall because it's just ice when there's lots of people. Wish they put fresh snow up more frequently so my tailbone doesn't hurt for a month later... read more

I came here for my first ever experience snowboarding and I definitely don't regret choosing to come to Alpine Valley! I've never been elsewhere, so obviously take my review with a grain of salt because I have absolutely nothing else to compare it to. We decided to come a Sunday morning, which in hindsight may not have been the best idea because it meant being extremely sore the next day at work. Was it worth it? Absolutely! We chose Alpine for its proximity to Chicago: about 1.5 hours. That's nothing. It was crowded when we arrived at around 2 PM, but it didn't take long to get our lift tickets and equipment rental. I recommend paying the extra $10 for a helmet! You will fall a lot if you're new to the sport. A tip I also have is if you're snowboarding, you need to figure out which way you lead. You can do this by having someone push you to see which foot you stick out first to brace yourself. Worked for us. We stuck to the two green "bunny hills" the whole time. It was really fun, even though I did get annoyed at times with too many kids around trying to learn and also overpopulating the lift. A lot of kids fell and got entangled with others on the lift throughout the day, so you really have to be careful. Even though it wasn't in the cards to get a lesson this time, I would consider it next time. Or maybe we just should have prepared better with watching more YouRube videos. I did think the slopes were very beginner-friendly, though, if that's a major consideration for you like it was for us. Sure, maybe the lodge is a little outdated and the food isn't great, but is that really why you're here? No! Get out on those slopes and have fun. You won't regret it. read more

Great place to learn how to ski or snowboard! Staff easily spots the beginners and is quite helpful. They gave me a few nice pointers. The "beginner" runs are short, but it's the perfect length if you are just beginning. Went on a day where it was barely above 0, so no lines at all. Towards the end of the day it did start to get pretty icy. Would definitely go back again. read more

Alpine Valley Resort - "Ez-Rider" Ski Lift @ Alpine Valley Ski Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Elkhorn, Wisconsin

The mountain is okay compared to other places like Chestnut, Cascade, Devils Head, and Granite Peak. However, the plus side is the location, because it is closer to Chicago than the other places. The food downstairs is awful, but we always go upstairs where you can have a nice meal for around $10 a person. One thing that does bother me about Alpine is their overpriced tickets. The hill is small, yet they charge the same or even more than the bigger ones. My boyfriend broke his hand here on 1/10/15. The ski patrol people were absolutely amazing. They were willing to help with anything. They helped me take his jacket, sweaters, and shoes off. They offered us tea, coffee and hot chocolate. We joked around and then they helped him walk to the car so he would not slip. When we got to the hospital, the nurse commented that the ski patrol did a great job on the make-shift sling for his arm (made from some dressing and a piece of cardboard!). I would give the ski patrol 5 stars because those people were selfless and amazing! I wish I remembered their names but I was so stressed out that I don't remember anything. All I remember was one white male with a mustache who was icing his knee, an white older male (Jim? Tim?!), and a white older female with short, light brown hair. The others I don't remember but there were a lot! Thank you!! read more