Due to recent changes in the weather, and about a foot of snow, we will be adjusting our column to skiing and snowboarding as well as other outdoor winter activities. We will be giving snow reports, as well as any updates regarding closure at any of the areas to ski in the area. 

We will be covering many different topics regarding everything related to winter. This includes midwest ski resorts reviews, gift ideas for skiers and snowboarders, and gear reviews of different skis, boards and winter gear. 

The resorts we will cover are Sundown Mountain in Dubuque, Iowa, Chestnut Mountain in Galena, Illinois and Alpine Valley in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. 

Sundown- Current base is 11″ – 25″ with all trails open, and the park having been moved from the North Side to Andrews. 

Chestnut- Current base is 32”-42”, with all 20 trails open. 5 of their lifts are open, and are currently artificially making snow. 

 Alpine Valley- Current base is 12”-28”, while recently receiving 11 inches of fresh snow. All trails are open, while currently making artificial snow.

Winter Gear Picks:

Ben: My pick is Kinco Men’s mittens. In my experience, these are some of the warmest gloves that will keep your hands warm and dry all season long. They are extremely durable and the pair I have has lasted me multiple seasons and still shows little signs of wear and tear.

Jack: My winter gear pick for the week are Men’s Burton GORE-TEX Mittens. These have kept me warm during some of my coldest days of skiing and are extremely comfortable.