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Marc Adams
from Wausau, Wisconsin
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Feb 1, 2008 |
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Overall Rating: 4.4   |
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Very affordable for our entire family. While it's not the Rockies, the terrain is the best we've discovered in the Midwest. It was great for our youngest to learn while we were able to head off and explore their mountains. The view of Lake Superior from that high was breath-taking. And you're spread out over such a vast area that you don't notice the crowds on the weekend. The double diamonds are wickedly great trails ... somebody should update this site as they now have 43 runs, not 35!
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Jim O'Brien
from blaine, mn
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Jan 28, 2008 |
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| Overall Rating: 3.4 |
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This place is great! If you want the corporate service than go to Colorado. The prices are cheap and the snow is usually good. I rated this hill the best in the midwest besides bohemia which is in a category by itself and another 3-4 hours drive for me, so whitecap is the place for me. If you want a place to ski and be challenged than go to whitecap in the midwest.
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Bill
from Milwaukee
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Dec 26, 2007 |
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| Overall Rating: 1.8 |
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Whitecap Mountain could be a good place to Ski if the Old man would start grooming hills the way places like Powderhorn & Indianhead do. I just returned from four days up here where we spent three of those days skiing at Whitecap & One at Powderhorn. We received 24 inches of snow on Saturday & Sunday and we spent Monday at Powderhorn and the Skiing was top notch with all trails groomed powder. We then spent Christmas day skiing at Whitecap and even with a 24 hour lead time the owner still had no more then 20 % of the runs groomed. He is teriable even after 40 years of doing this he still can't get it done right ! We also bought a package that included Lodging & Meals, No heat in the room for two days ( they brought in a small space heater ) and the meals were not the best either.
Save your money & go to PowderHorn or Indianhead
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Bobby Jones
from Superior, Wisconsin
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Mar 17, 2007 |
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| Overall Rating: 1.0 |
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It's amazing! Best place in the world!
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Amanda
from Madison, WI
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Sep 12, 2006 |
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| Overall Rating: 3.8 |
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I agree with most of the rest here. The Skiing is great, and the crowds are small. The resort is run down and old. To truly enjoy WhiteCap Mountain rent one of the condos that are privately owned. These are Ski In/ Ski Out units. No schlepping up a hotel room or driving around. We pack the vehicle with food for the weekend. When we arrive we unload into the full size kitchen stocked with utensils to cook for ourselves. Nothing beats setting a pot of soup on to simmer while we ski. When we need a break we ski up to the door, place our gear on the deck, and are greeted to a room warmed by the fireplace and soup ready to eat. These units are great for families or groups of friends. With such easy access you never have to go into WhiteCaps resort. Just get a lift ticket and the rest of your vacation is on the hill or in your private condo. WhiteCap has absolutely no night life, but with your own Condo you can sled down the bunny hill right outside your door! With the large living room your group has plenty of space to make their own party.
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dobiusa
from Oconomowoc, Wi
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Jan 24, 2006 |
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| Overall Rating: 2.4 |
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We had 6 people in our group, did the family value pack. Our Room was suppose to be what they called a suite, A very musty smelling room with two windows facing the inside hallway, so bright at night we had to use blankets to cut some of the light out so we could sleep. The room looked like a cheap rural motel. The upside was the three hills. Very fun and plenty for all levels. Long runs, groomed with some areas of powder and most of them marked well. However, for kids, there is no terrian park which would make it a plus place to go for them. Hours are 9:00 for some lifts and 10:00am for others. It closes down sharply at 4:00pm. No night sking and absolutely no night life. Even the bar was closed. The staff, very few of them, where rude and acted like they could care less if you where there or not (exception, the chairlift staff). Breakfast is not served before 8:30am so bring your own coffee and if your hungry after the small serving, bring your own food too. Pricing wise, you get what you pay for.
Overall rating 1 thru 5, we gave it a 3 and that's just for the sking alone!
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Reid Wronski
from St. Paul, Mn
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Jan 20, 2006 |
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| Overall Rating: 4.8 |
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This place provided fantastic skiing at a fantastic value. Where else could one take a family of 5 for two days of skiing and two night lodging for less than $250. Check out their Family Packages. This was a slope side room with a kitchenette. There was a large pool and large whirlpool just down the hall. Breakfast for the family was included both days and we got 50% off on rentals. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Skiing is equally as fantastic. The resort faces three different directions so you can adjust to changing conditions as the day goes. We skied mon & tues with no lift lines at all. Terrain was varied with various degrees of difficulty from the same lift working well for a family. They even have a couple legit double blacks that are steep, narrow, with plenty of challenge. All of the lifts come close to converging at the top so you don't have to go on a trek to get back together with your group is you split up for awhile.
Lutsen in Minnesota is Great skiing but this wasnt that much less satisfying and in some ways was more satisfying. At 25% of the cost of Lutsen, there is no choice for our family spring break trip this year, were headed back to Whitecap for three days and nights this year.
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Joel Brammeier
from Chicago, IL
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Jan 5, 2006 |
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| Overall Rating: 4.0 |
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All this is relative to other Midwest resorts. If your priority is skiing/riding all day and getting challenge, interesting terrain, and a nice view of Lake Superior on a clear day, this is the place for you. I've been coming here for the last 5 years or so having been to the other UP resorts as well as a few spots in the northern LP. This is my top choice in the Midwest (yet to try Bohemia). While Whitecap definitely shows its age in the buildings and it's not exactly crawling with helpful staff, the mountain more than makes up for it.
It's very spread out-you can ride down at least two different faces from every lift. Feels much bigger than its stats would suggest, and you can usually find bumps and ungroomed trails in addition to the corduroy. There are no or minimal lift lines even on a holiday. If you want to ski hard for 7 hours and are satisfied with a beer and a soak for nightlife, this is your spot in spades. Indianhead and Powderhorn do offer more services and more modern facilities, but they don't come close to the "feel" of Whitecap.
Having said all that, a high speed lift or two WOULD be nice-they're old and slow.
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C.A. Nelson
from Bloomington, MN
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Sep 20, 2005 |
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| Overall Rating: 2.8 |
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Whitecap Mountains could be a blast.
We've visited Whitecap, but never actually skied there. Sadly, we probably never will.
In pricing, it and Indianhead are the most upscale of the four Big Snow Country resorts (Blackjack and Big Powderhorn are the others). Skiers used to be able to ski at Whitecap as part of the 'Hill Hopper' lift ticket package allowing holders to ski at any of the four Big Snow Country resorts. Whitecap pulled out of the 'Hill Hopper' arrangement in 2004. That extra cash outlay is a disincentive for many skiers alone.
Indianhead, Blackjack and Big Powderhorn are clustered relatively near each other just off U.S. Hwy. 2. Whitecap, in comparison, is out in the sticks - in an isolated area in the countryside east of Montreal, WI. It's a long drive to town down a long dark road.
We visited Whitecap on a weekday during a recent ski vacation in Big Snow Country. They have an attractive main lodge at the base and runs to please any level of skier. The runs look hard-packed, unlike those at Indianhead and Big Powderhorn. They need to be. Conditions at Whitecap are windier than at the other three resorts. You're more likely to encounter icy conditions there.
The base lodge was almost empty, except for a handful of employees and a smaller handful of customers. We cruised the cafeteria, dining area and ski shop. Not one of those employees greeted us.
After only three weekdays at Big Powderhorn, staffers there knew us by sight, if not by name. We got the red red carpet treatment from all. We'd really have to be determined to ski at Whitecap to lay out the extra $70 for a pair of weekday lift tickets.
Finally, a greeting from a lodging reservations staffer as my partner brought our vehicle closer to the door so I wouldn't slip on the ice covered parking lot. Just as I was leaving.
We left less than impressed.
If personal service is as important as a fun day on the slopes, don't go to Whitecap Mountains.
