The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Granite Peak's summit reaches 1,943 feet, dropping 700 vertical feet to a base at 1,243 feet across 58 runs spread over 155 acres on Rib Mountain near Wausau, Wisconsin. Terrain splits 45 per cent advanced, 24 per cent each beginner and intermediate, and 7 per cent expert, a notably steep mix for a Midwest resort. Average annual snowfall is low at roughly 65 inches, so the resort depends heavily on snowmaking. Granite Peak operates its own Legendary Pass, shared with Lutsen Mountains and other affiliated areas.
Ten lifts, including four quads, one six-pack and two triples, serve the 58-run network, giving Granite Peak the largest lift count of any Wisconsin ski area. The 700-foot vertical drop and steep terrain mix make it Wisconsin's largest and most advanced-leaning resort. The mountain sits within Rib Mountain State Park, one of the oldest ski areas in North America. Night skiing runs alongside daytime operations.
The Wausau Kiwanis Club donated land on Rib Mountain to the state in 1924, with the state acquiring further acreage soon after. The ski area opened in 1937, among the first in North America, with the Civilian Conservation Corps building the first downhill runs and tow ropes during the 1930s. A shelter house opened in 1939, described at the time as among the finest structures of its kind in the Midwest, hosting the Wausau Ski Club's first official function. Night skiing arrived in 1955 with 28 spotlights, and snowmaking followed in 1958, decades before it became standard at most competitors.
Granite Peak's Legendary Pass gives access alongside Lutsen Mountains in Minnesota and other affiliated areas under the same network. Adult full-day tickets range from 65 to 109 US dollars depending on date and time, with a discounted Wisconsin Wednesdays rate at 20 dollars and a Legendary Plus season pass at 699 dollars. The resort suits Wausau and central Wisconsin skiers seeking the state's largest and steepest terrain. Its operation on state park land under a private lease with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is a distinctive arrangement among Midwest resorts.
699ft
Vertical
58
Runs
155 acres
Skiable
5ft
Annual snow
The Terrain
58 runs across 155 acres skiable
Granite Peak spreads 58 runs across 155 acres skiable of terrain. It leans advanced at 45%, with 14 beginner runs to find your feet and 30 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
58
runs
58 runs across 4 grades
Beginner14 runs · 24%
Intermediate14 runs · 24%
Advanced26 runs · 45%
Expert4 runs · 7%
Time it right
When to visit Granite Peak
The 2025-26 season at Granite Peak 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 Granite Peak's modest natural snowfall totals.
Average annual snowfall of roughly 65 inches is low even by Midwest standards, meaning Granite Peak depends on snowmaking for nearly all of its season-long conditions. This makes temperature, far more than storm cycles, the key variable in operating reliability. Base depth is maintained largely through machine-made snow, a practice the resort has followed since adopting snowmaking in 1958. Specific current snowmaking coverage percentage is not confirmed in available resort information.
Midwinter, from late December through February, typically offers the most reliable conditions once snowmaking has built a consistent base across the resort's advanced-leaning terrain. Night skiing sessions, a Granite Peak tradition dating to 1955, extend the useful hours of each day throughout the season. Weekend crowds are heavier than weekdays, given the resort's role as Wisconsin's largest ski area. Late-season visits into April can be inconsistent as temperatures warm.
Granite Peak's calendar centres on serving skiers seeking the state's steepest terrain rather than festival programming. The resort's Legendary Pass connection to Lutsen Mountains and other affiliated areas ties its calendar loosely to a broader regional network. Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. As Wisconsin's largest and most advanced-leaning resort, the calendar leans toward serving committed skiers over beginner-focused programming.
Season 2025 - 2026
6 Dec 2025
Opens
13 Apr 2026
Closes
128
Days open
5 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Granite Peak, and where to stay
Granite Peak sits on Rib Mountain, within Rib Mountain State Park, in the Town of Rib Mountain, Marathon County, Wisconsin, just south of Wausau. Base elevation is 1,243 feet, with the summit reaching 1,943 feet across a 700-foot vertical drop over 155 acres. This is central Wisconsin, with Rib Mountain itself a well-known local landmark and one of the oldest ski areas in North America. The surrounding state park adds hiking and other recreation beyond the ski area.
Wausau is the nearest city of size, providing the bulk of lodging, dining and services beyond the resort itself. The Wausau Kiwanis Club's 1924 land donation to the state set the stage for the ski area's development on what was already public park land. The broader central Wisconsin region carries a mix of small-city and rural character. Green Bay and the Fox Valley lie a reasonable drive to the east.
US Highway 51 and Interstate 39 provide the main access route from Wausau and the broader central Wisconsin highway network. The drive from Wausau takes only a few minutes given the resort's position just south of the city. Milwaukee and Madison lie roughly two to three hours south by road. Winter driving conditions in central Wisconsin can include snow and ice, though major routes are generally well-maintained.
Central Wisconsin Airport, serving the Wausau area, is the nearest airport with limited commercial service. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport both offer substantially more flight options but sit two to three hours away by road. Most visitors reach Granite Peak by car directly from the Wausau area or drive up from Milwaukee or Madison. No rail service reaches the resort directly.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Granite Peak, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
Granite Peak Webcams
2 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
About Granite Peak's live webcams
Check live conditions across Granite Peak with 2 real-time webcams showing snow, weather, and lift operations, updated every 10 minutes. Check high-elevation cams for powder visibility and base-area cams for crowd levels before you head up.
Camera guide
- Granite Peak Summit 1,942ft
- Experience Granite Peak ski resort from the very top with our Summit webcam. This live cam offers an impressive view of the entire 700-foot vertical drop, showcasing the resort's 75 runs and spectacular Wisconsin River Valley panorama.
- Granite Peak Base Area1,243ft
- Check out the action at Granite Peak's base area with our real-time webcam. This live cam provides a comprehensive view of the main facilities, lift access points, and learning areas where skiers and snowboarders begin their mountain adventures at Wisconsin's largest ski resort.
Granite Peak snow cams FAQ
How often do Granite Peak snow cams update?
All Granite Peak snow cams and webcams update every 10 minutes with fresh images showing current mountain conditions. This frequent update schedule ensures you have access to near real-time conditions for planning your ski day at Granite Peak.
Which Granite Peak webcam shows the best powder conditions?
The high-elevation Granite Peak Summit webcam at 592m provides the clearest view of powder conditions and snowfall. These Granite Peak webcams capture fresh snow accumulation and visibility better than base area cameras.
Can I see Granite Peak lift queues on the webcams?
Yes. Multiple Granite Peak snow cams specifically show lift queue areas and chairlift operations, helping you time your arrival and avoid peak queue periods.
When is the best time to check Granite Peak snow cams?
Check Granite Peak webcams early morning (7-8am) for overnight snowfall assessment, and mid-afternoon for current crowd levels and weather. The live cams are most useful after storm events to assess fresh powder.
How can I check current conditions before buying Granite Peak lift tickets?
Use our Granite Peak webcams alongside the live snow report to assess conditions before purchasing lift tickets. The webcams show real-time visibility, snow quality, and operational status.
Do Granite Peak webcams work on mobile devices?
Yes. All Granite Peak snow cams and webcams are optimized for mobile viewing, so you can check live conditions from anywhere using your phone or tablet.
More Granite Peak intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.