Wisconsin, Usa
Cascade Mountain
47 runs, 175 acres near Madison, Wisconsin. Eleven lifts, night skiing, Walz family-owned since 1977.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
6 Dec 2025
Closes
13 Apr 2026
Days open
128
Annual snow
4ft
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Cascade Mountain's summit reaches 1,280 feet, dropping roughly 460 vertical feet to a base at 820 feet across 47 runs spread over 175 acres near Portage, Wisconsin. Terrain splits 40 per cent intermediate, 38 per cent beginner, 21 per cent advanced and 1 per cent expert. Average annual snowfall is low at roughly 50 inches, meaning the resort depends heavily on snowmaking. Cascade Mountain carries no major multi-resort pass affiliation and remains independently, family-owned.
Eleven lifts, including four quads, two doubles, two triples and three surface lifts, serve the 47-run network, a dense lift count for a Wisconsin hill of this size. Night skiing runs alongside daytime operations, popular with visitors from the Madison area roughly 30 minutes away. A 2016 expansion added eight trails and two chairlifts, growing skiable terrain by roughly 30 per cent. The resort's beginner and intermediate-heavy terrain suits families and learning skiers.
Local developer Dewey Belton opened Cascade Mountain on 13 January 1962 as part of a planned recreational community near Portage. Financial difficulties in 1974 saw control pass briefly to North Carolina National Bank, which oversaw operations into the early 1980s. Phil and Adele Walz bought the ski operation in 1977, beginning continuous family ownership that passed to their children Rob and Vicky Walz in 2006, with a third generation now involved in daily operations. The Walz family's 2016 expansion added eight trails and two chairlifts, growing the resort's terrain by around 30 per cent to its current scale.
With no major pass affiliation, Cascade Mountain sells its own day tickets and season passes directly. Adult full-day tickets range from 65 to 99 US dollars depending on date, with night skiing available separately and a Platinum Season Pass at 599 dollars. The resort suits Madison-area families seeking accessible, learning-focused skiing roughly 30 minutes from the city. Its continuous Walz family ownership since 1977, now spanning three generations, sets it apart from larger corporate Midwest competitors.
459ft
Vertical
47
Runs
175 acres
Skiable
4ft
Annual snow
The Terrain
47 runs across 175 acres skiable
Cascade Mountain spreads 47 runs across 175 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 40%, with 18 beginner runs to find your feet and 10 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
47
runs
47 runs across 4 grades
Beginner18 runs · 38%
Intermediate19 runs · 40%
Advanced10 runs · 21%
Expert0 runs · 1%
Time it right
When to visit Cascade Mountain
The 2025-26 season at Cascade Mountain ran from 6 December 2025 to 13 April 2026, a roughly nineteen-week window supported substantially by snowmaking. The resort's low natural snowfall means season length depends heavily on temperatures suitable for artificial snow production. Season dates can shift based on early and late-season weather. This is a comparatively long season given Cascade Mountain's modest natural snowfall totals.
Average annual snowfall of roughly 50 inches is low even by Midwest standards, meaning Cascade Mountain depends on snowmaking for nearly all of its season-long conditions rather than natural accumulation. This makes temperature, far more than storm cycles, the key variable in the resort's operating reliability. Base depth is maintained almost entirely through machine-made snow. Specific snowmaking coverage percentage is not confirmed in available resort information, though it is understood to be extensive given the low natural totals.
Midwinter, from late December through February, typically offers the most reliable conditions once snowmaking has built a consistent base. Night skiing sessions extend the useful hours of each day, particularly popular with Madison-area commuters. Weekend crowds are heavier than weekdays, given the resort's role serving day-trip visitors from Madison and surrounding communities. Late-season visits into April can be inconsistent as temperatures warm and snowmaking becomes less viable.
Cascade Mountain's calendar centres on family and learning-focused programming rather than festival events, consistent with its beginner and intermediate-heavy terrain. The Walz family's continuous ownership since 1977, now into a third generation, has shaped operating priorities toward steady, family-oriented growth rather than destination-style programming. Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. As a Madison-area day-trip resort, the calendar leans toward reliable, accessible conditions throughout the season.
Season 2025 - 2026
6 Dec 2025
Opens
13 Apr 2026
Closes
128
Days open
4 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Cascade Mountain, and where to stay
Cascade Mountain sits near Portage, Wisconsin, with a base elevation of 820 feet and a summit at 1,280 feet across a vertical drop of roughly 460 feet over 175 acres. This is south-central Wisconsin, a region of rolling hills and farmland rather than mountainous terrain. The resort was originally developed as part of a planned recreational community by developer Dewey Belton in the early 1960s. Portage itself is a small city along the Wisconsin River.
Portage is the nearest town of note, with Madison, Wisconsin's capital and second-largest city, roughly 30 minutes away by road and the resort's primary visitor source. The Wisconsin Dells, a well-known tourism destination, sits nearby, adding to the area's broader recreational profile. The region carries a mix of farmland and small-town character alongside its recreational draws. Milwaukee lies further east, a longer drive but still within reasonable day-trip range for some visitors.
Interstate 90/94 and local roads connect Portage and Cascade Mountain to the broader south-central Wisconsin highway network. The drive from Madison takes roughly 30 minutes under normal conditions, a key factor in the resort's popularity as an after-work and weekend destination. Winter driving on Wisconsin highways can include snow and ice, though major routes are generally well-maintained. No direct public transport service reaches the resort itself.
Dane County Regional Airport in Madison is the nearest airport with commercial service, roughly 30 to 40 minutes from the resort by road. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport offers a larger range of flight options but sits considerably further away. Most visitors reach Cascade Mountain by car directly from the Madison area rather than flying into a specific regional airport. No rail service reaches the resort directly.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Cascade Mountain, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Sundance Mountain Resort Is Getting a New High-Speed Quad and More Back Mountain Terrain This Winter
Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain is finally getting a proper lift. The Electric Horseman Express opens for 2026-27, unlocking a new bowl next to Bishop's Bowl and three expert gladed chutes across roughly 105 fresh acres - on top of the Storyteller ridge run that debuted in preview form last season. It's Sundance's biggest expansion since 1985, and it turns a three-lift slog into a single six-minute ride to Bearclaw Summit.
19 Aug 2026
Nassfeld Invests €13 Million in New 6-Seater Chairlift for 2026/27 Season
Nassfeld is putting €13 million into a new 6-seater chairlift, the Tressdorfer Almbahn, connecting Sonnleitn with the Tressdorfer Alm from December 2026. It replaces three ageing drag lifts and will run through summer too, from June 2027, moving up to 2,500 people an hour on the roughly three-minute ride. It's the latest step in Carinthia's largest ski resort building out a genuine year-round offering, following last year's Gartnerkofelbahn gondola.
17 Aug 2026
Stelvio Glacier Suspends Summer Skiing, Leaving Continental Europe Without a Lift-Served Slope
Italy's Stelvio Glacier has pulled the plug on summer skiing from August 15. It was the last lift-served ski option left standing in continental Europe, and now there's none. Operator SIFAS pointed to persistent heat, storms, and a snowpack that simply wasn't refreezing overnight anymore. The cable car keeps running. Whether skiing comes back later this summer depends on the weather turning - and right now, nobody's promising anything.
15 Aug 2026
Maverick Mountain's Only Chairlift Destroyed as Sand Creek Fire Tears Through Montana Ski Area
Firefighters saved every base building at Maverick Mountain, Montana, but the resort's sole chairlift didn't survive the Sand Creek Fire. Owners Erik and Kristi Borge say the lift is "most likely" out for the 2026/27 season after flames tore through the mountain on August 8. The wildfire has since grown past 27,700 acres with zero percent containment. It's a gutting result for the tiny, one-lift operation near Dillon - though the lodge, groomers and equipment all made it through untouched.
15 Aug 2026
Fairmont Niseko: New Luxury Resort Revives Stalled La Plume Site for Early 2028 Opening
Fairmont is bringing its second Japanese property to Niseko, and this one's got history. The 165-room resort will rise on the site of the stalled La Plume project, which collapsed into bankruptcy in 2025 before J-Will Partners bought the site for redevelopment. Set between Mount Yotei and Mount Annupuri, it's slated for an early 2028 opening - putting it in play for the 2027/28 season. Expect two restaurants, a spa, onsen bathing, and a kids' club, a short drive from Niseko Village and Hirafu.
12 Aug 2026
Saas-Fee Closes Its Glacier to Summer Skiing as Heat Wave Drags On
Saas-Fee is closing its glacier to summer skiing from Monday, August 10 - the second major Swiss resort to shut in under two weeks after Zermatt suspended operations on August 1. Persistent heat and warm nights that won't let the glacier refreeze are behind the call, per Saastal Bergbahnen. That leaves Italy's Stelvio as the only glacier ski area open in the Alps. Reopening could come as early as August 17, though nothing's confirmed - and racing teams are already looking south instead.
8 Aug 2026
Silvretta Montafon Plans New 10-Person Gondola to Replace Ageing Hochjoch Lift
Silvretta Montafon wants to retire one of its most distinctive lifts. The plan: a single 10-person gondola running direct from Schruns to 1,870 metres, replacing both the two-stage Hochjoch cable car and the 1985 Kropfen chairlift in one move. Capacity jumps from 620 to 3,000 people an hour, and the mid-station transfer disappears entirely. The public hearing lands August 27, 2026 - construction hasn't been confirmed yet, though lift databases are pointing to 2027.
5 Aug 2026
Ski Pass on Your Smartphone: Dolomiti Superski's Plans for the Next Three Years
Dolomiti Superski's general assembly has unanimously re-elected Andy Varallo for a third consecutive term, running through 2029. Alongside the leadership renewal comes a bigger shift: a Smartpass that puts your ski pass on your smartphone, more AI in guest services, and an expanded Dolomiti Supersummer program. The 46-year-old Alta Badia cable car entrepreneur says the region's marketing is moving beyond skiing alone, toward positioning the Dolomites as a year-round destination.
4 Aug 2026
Trail map & terrain
Terrain split
47
runs
Beginner38%
Intermediate40%
Advanced21%
Expert1%
175 acres skiable71 hectares
Resort Stats
Elevation
Base820ft
Summit1,280ft
Annual snowfall
4ft
Season
2025 - 2026
6 Dec 2025 - 13 Apr 2026
Trail coverage
47 runs
175 acres (71 ha)
About Cascade Mountain's trail map
Explore Cascade Mountain's full trail map with 47 runs across the mountain, colour-coded by difficulty and shown alongside the terrain split. Use it to plan a day that matches your ability, find lift-served pockets of your favourite grade, and see how the resort links together. Download the piste map (PDF) ↗
More Cascade Mountain intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.