In a heartening turn of events for the ski community, Indy Pass and Unofficial Networks have teamed up to breathe new life into Hickory Ski Center in Warrensburg, New York. This collaborative effort marks a significant milestone for the beloved ski center, set to operate its lifts again after an eight-year hiatus.

The Hickory Ski Center, with its rich history dating back to 1946 and founded by 10th Mountain Division veterans, had been a cornerstone for the local ski community. Its recent struggles with operational costs, especially soaring insurance prices, had cast a shadow over its future. However, the center’s relentless spirit and the support from Tim Konrad, the publisher of Unofficial Networks, and Erik Mogensen, CEO of Entabeni Systems and Indy Pass, have sparked a glimmer of hope.

Konrad’s personal connection and passion for Hickory, coupled with his awareness of the center’s struggles, propelled him to reach out to Mogensen. This call ignited a chain reaction of support, leading to Indy Pass and Unofficial Networks stepping in to offer a much-needed lifeline. Mogensen’s vision to involve more organizations in supporting independent ski areas aligns perfectly with this initiative, offering a sustainable future for these cherished local gems.

The partnership has resulted in Hickory Ski Center reopening as well as joining the Indy Pass for the 2023/24 season.

Sue Catana, Hickory’s manager and the daughter of its founders, expresses deep gratitude for this intervention. The collaboration between Unofficial Networks, Indy Pass, and Entabeni Systems not only ensures the operation of lifts for the season but also brings hope for many more seasons to come. Furthermore, the team from Indy Pass and Entabeni will offer their expertise in streamlining operations at Hickory, reinforcing the center’s journey toward sustainability.

The collaboration of Indy Pass and Unofficial Networks in the revival of Hickory Ski Center reaffirms the two entities’ dedication to safeguarding the unique culture and legacy of independent skiing.

In commemorating this remarkable achievement, we are reminded of the immense strength of community cooperation and joint efforts. It is our hope that the rejuvenation of Hickory Ski Center extends beyond a local victory; it serves as a shining example and source of inspiration for small, independent ski areas across the globe.

About Hickory:

Hickory Ski Center, nestled above the Hudson River in Warrensburg, NY, stands as a hidden gem in the world of skiing. This quaint center, reminiscent of the 1950s, charms visitors with its vintage lodge, complete with a unique, handmade fireplace, and a welcoming front porch that offers panoramic views of its main slope, “The Hunny Run”. Ideal for relaxed lunches or après-ski socializing, this porch epitomizes the center’s community spirit.

Hickory boasts 1,200 vertical feet and 19 trails, providing a variety of terrains accessible via three vintage surface lifts. These trails, maintained by a dedicated community of members and volunteers, preserve the authenticity of old-school skiing, untouched by modern machinery. The tree skiing and steep runs off the summit are highlights of the terrain, especially on a snowy day. The ski area relies entirely on natural snowfall for an authentic experience.

Hickory’s The atmosphere is distinctly family-friendly, welcoming skiers of all ages. Practicality is key in dress code, with skiers opting for comfort and utility over modern ski fashion.

For those interested in more stories and details about this charming ski haven, the Hickory Ski Center Blog offers an in-depth look at the experiences and memories created at this unique skiing destination.

Image Credit: NYSkiBlog

Official Press Release:

INDY PASS AND UNOFFICIAL NETWORKS TEAM UP TO KEEP NEW YORK’S HICKORY SKI CENTER OPEN

 23/24 INDY PASS WAITLIST TO CLOSE ON DECEMBER 10th 

GRANBY, COLORADO – Indy Pass and Unofficial Networks announced today that they have combined efforts to provide financial assistance to Hickory Ski Center in Warrensburg, New York, so the resort may run its lifts for the first time in eight years.

The ski center will join the Indy Pass for the 2023/24 season, and season passes go on sale today at skihickory.com. Hickory pass holders will be eligible to purchase Indy AddOn Passes at a 30% discount. The Indy Pass will close the 2023/2024 waitlist on Sunday, December 10th.  

Hickory Ski Center was founded in 1946 by veterans of the 10th Mountain Division and has served the surrounding community and offered uphill traffic only since 2016. With rising costs, specifically insurance, the ski area faced an uncertain future until their plight caught the attention of Tim Konrad, publisher of Unofficial Networks.

“My family spends much of the winter in the Adirondacks, and I have been ski touring at Hickory since 2015. Over the years, I’ve been keeping close tabs on their struggle to reopen lifts, and when I learned how far they had come and how close they were to achieving their goal, I knew we had to do something. So I called Erik at Indy Pass to discuss how we could offer our support,” said Konrad. 

“After Tim called, we did a quick assessment and decided that Entabeni would step in on this one. It is important to recognize the collaboration between Entabeni, Indy Pass and Unofficial Networks. The more organizations we can get involved to stabilize these small, independent areas, the better our chances of scaling this movement,” said Erik Mogensen, CEO of Entabeni and Indy Pass.

“We have been working with our Hickory skiing community to help overcome the financial obstacles that could prevent the opening of the lifts at Hickory. The emergence of Tim and Erik with their lifeline has put us in a position to operate this season with lift certification, and hopefully for many more to come,” said Sue Catana, Hickory manager and daughter of founders Fran and Hans Winbauer.

The Indy Pass and Entabeni team will also consult with Hickory management on how to streamline operations and become more sustainable.  

Indy Pass and parent company, Entabeni Systems support independent resorts from Europe to Japan, but primarily in the US and Canada. On October 18, 2023, Black Mountain, New Hampshire, announced that support from Indy Pass would enable it to remain open for the coming season and has since hired a new GM and retained ski resort turn-around expert Andy Shephard to help secure a buyer.

About the Indy Pass –

The Indy Pass is the fastest-growing multi-mountain pass in the world. It offers 180+ Alpine and Nordic resorts across the US, Canada, Europe, and Japan, each providing two days of skiing or riding. Indy resorts are independent of any major corporate ownership, and many are owned and operated by multi-generational families providing a uniquely authentic and affordable skiing experience.

About Unofficial Networks –

Established in 2006, Unofficial Networks stands as a leading online destination for mountain adventure, with a strong emphasis on skiing and snowboarding. The website boasts a passionate team of contributors who diligently craft, curate, and highlight a broad spectrum of content. This includes in-depth features on global skiing culture, up-to-date news, and diverse entertainment aspects related to mountain sports. Serving as a comprehensive resource, it appeals to a global audience of mountain sports aficionados, from beginners to experts, providing them with insightful, engaging, and informative content that celebrates and promotes the captivating world of skiing and snowboarding.

Follow Indy Pass on Facebook and Instagram @Indyskipass, #indyrevolution

Follow Unofficial Networks on Facebook and Instagram @UnofficialNetworks

The gray walls of my cubicle were made of plastic and other bland material, but they might as well have been the iron bars of a jail cell.

Sorry. That’s a little dramatic. Let me try again.

The gray walls of my cubicle should have been the first sign that I wasn’t cut out for corporate America.

I tried to spruce things up by plastering every inch of my workspace with colorful trail maps, but even James Niehues’ masterful artistry wasn’t enough to keep me from feeling the dull, aching pain of making 30+ phone calls every day to doctors.

I never wanted for my first job out of college to be selling colorectal cancer screening kits to doctors over the phone, but as Matt Damon said in ‘Good Will Hunting’ I “had to see about a girl…”.

I spent most of my days doing my best to avoid the gaze of my boss, faking phone calls, glaring at the same aforementioned trail maps, and religiously reading Unofficial Networks.

The seemingly endless feed of goofy blogs felt like my personal mainline into the ski culture that I so badly wanted to be apart of. I was living in Wisconsin, and while there’s certainly a diehard population of skiers, I was a long way from the slopes of Vermont and Utah that I loved so dearly.

One day, as I was scrolling through Unofficial’s main website feed, I saw a blog titled: ‘Unofficial Is Hiring Interns!’. I clicked not knowing that it would change the trajectory of my life.

I started off writing 2-3 pretty mundane blogs about news related to skiing and snowboarding, but I was instantly hooked. The fact that I, a stupid ski-obsessed kid from Delaware, was writing for the most-viewed ski blog in the country, was something that I just couldn’t get over.

My writing got better over time, and I became even more obsessed.

I got in trouble multiple times at my poop-in-a-box-selling-job (seriously, that’s what I was selling) for writing blogs or researching topics. I didn’t care. The satisfaction I got from writing for Unofficial’s audience brought me joy when I needed it most.

Two years passed and I finally made the jump to writing full-time in November of 2020- just a couple of months after I was married. My then-wife (more on that later) didn’t approve because I took a serious pay cut, but I knew that this was what I meant to do.

Writing full-time about skiing felt like my answer to the over-used trope about work. You know, the one where people say ‘If you love your job you will never work a day in your life.’ Let’s be real, writing 10 blogs everyday is definitely work, but I was excited to wake up each morning to do it.

Things went seemingly-well for the next two years or so. I wasn’t making a lot of money, but I was able to travel the country for stories. Ski for free and write about it? Yeah. I could live with that.

Unfortunately, my world was turned upside down in April of 2022. Here’s a way-too-quick summary of what happened: I was abusing substances, my wife filed for divorce, I ended up in the hospital for mental health concerns, I moved home with my parents in PA, and I felt like I had nothing left to live for.

Heavy stuff I know, but I think it’s all relevant to the story.

Despite everything I was going through, the guys at Unofficial stood by me. I took some much-needed time off, but I was back at it grinding out content by the end of the month.

Don’t get me wrong, I was in a rough spot for the better part of six months, but I genuinely looked forward to writing every single day.

Writing about skiing was something that I could always find motivation for even on my darkest of days, and I’m forever grateful that Unofficial’s editor Mike Dudek and Unofficial’s CEO Tim Konrad continued to give me endless opportunities to flex that creative muscle. I needed it.

All of this gratitude is why I’m sad to say this:

I’ve published thousands of articles since I started in June of 2019, but this will be my last.

I have accepted the role of Lead Trending News Writer for Powder Magazine. I start in just a couple of weeks.

Unofficial’s CEO Tim Konrad asked that I write this blog to say farewell, and again, I’m grateful for how generous he has been through this whole process.

So, loyal readers of Unofficial Networks, I’d like to finally say- thank you.

Thank you for reading my nonsense through all of these years. Thank you for calling me out when I made mistakes. Thank you for laughing at my terrible jokes. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your interest. Thank you for reading.

I don’t know where I’d be without you. You have done so much for me without knowing it. You have been a guiding light through my dark journey through depression, divorce, and substance abuse. Your interest in my work is the greatest gift anybody has ever given me.

I know that the folks at Unofficial will continue to pump out great content, and I know you will continue to support them in their never-ending mission to provide you with the news and entertainment you have come to expect.

This is farewell, but I know that our paths will cross again.

I’ll sign off with the only way I know how:

Thank you AGAIN, and stay safe out there, friends.

-Matt

Telemark skiing, more commonly referred to as the ugly stepchild of traditional alpine, is on the rise. With more people than ever dropping a knee on the hill, you might be wondering, WHAT THE HECK? The stone age has passed, there are electric cars that make fart noises and calculators that play Mario Cart.  Why would anyone choose to use a Model T instead of an F-150? Tele skiers are constantly ridiculed by those of us who ask why anyone would do something that is objectively harder, slower and less fun.

But ask a tele skier that question and they will say “The answer lies within. When you free the heel, you get to free the mind.” They will say that the first turn on a pow day is the “most liberating experience” that they “feel total freedom,” and that getting face shots of 4 inches of snow is well worth it.  Tele skiers LOVE that their chosen lifestyle is harder and requires more strength than normal skiing. They are proud to stick it to “the man” and drop knees on all types of terrain.

At one point in my life, I looked down on tele skiers. I thought they were smug pretentious jerks who were afraid to go fast, and who always introduced themselves with sayings such as “Hey, I’m Brutus, did you know your girlfriend cares that I tele?” Although that might be the case at times, I have learned that most tele skiers have chosen their lifestyle for the love of the sport. They don’t care that they may look stupid. They don’t blink an eye at the MANY people ridiculing them for being different.

Over the years I have gained a whole lot of respect for those knee dropping fools (though my heel will always be locked in).

I have taken it upon myself to look through the annals of history and speculate on some liberating, free spirited people who were not afraid to battle criticism in name of what they BELIEVED WAS RIGHT. Oh, and they also tele-d.

Abraham Lincoln– Honest Abe, The Liberator, The Great Emancipator. Old Abe was definitely a Tele Skier. The only thing he believed more than freeing the heal was freedom itself.

Marie Curie– The first woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize for her work in science. A pioneer in science and women’s rights. Marie Curie + a tele setup = THE PERFECT EQUATION. She also refused to use poles.

Colin Kaepernick- Former pro QB, current civil rights activist and probably a telemark skier. Off-piste or on, Colin Kaepernick is versatile knee dropper and not afraid to stand (or kneel) for what he believes in.

Nelson Mandela– Pioneer for civil rights, the first black president of South Africa and an overall hero. I think he probably tele’d.

Blue “Heel”er- Known for its ability to “heel”, this good boy/girl loves dropping knees and taking names. Also enjoys peanut butter and a good tummy rub.

Dr. Anthony Fauci– The ultimate “heeler” of our time. He recommends that you stay at least 6 feet away from him while skiing unless you want to be blinded by massive FACESHOTS.

Jesus – The dude turned water into wine. Was not afraid to “heel” the blind and have them watch as he made some sick turns. He loved freeing things so why not the heel.

Amelia Earhart– Free spirit and was no stranger to a challenge. Inspirational aviator, leader for women’s rights and lover of adventure. She was allegedly the first person to drop a knee on every continent in the world. Refused to switch from cable bindings.

Achilles– Rumor has it that his heal was weak from a stress fracture because the dude SHREDDED (and because he hated his new NTN boots). Always found with a PBR in hand and proud to have dropped knees for 10,000 days straight.

Oliver Twist– Dude loved free refills on a 4-inch day. Put him on a pair of the outlaw bindings dropping some knees. Free Refills all day.

Iaso– The Greek Goddess of Heeling. Backcountry pack included: First Aid Kit capable of repairing an ACL on the spot, 10 different pairs of sunglasses and a two-gallon bota of wine.

After reading this article you might say, “Wow! I had no idea all these people tele-d or even skied.” You might think, “Maybe if I tele I will be just as cool as these people” or “This is fake news planted to try to convince me that telemark skiing is actually cool”. Yes, the photoshop is quite convincing but in truth these are merely egregiously far reaching and punnily drawn conclusions of fierce people who were not afraid to go against the norm. And a dog. If you tele, don’t let it get to your head. Don’t compare getting teased by your friends to the real courage that Nelson Mandela or Marie Curie had in the face of adversity. Nonetheless the conclusion here is: if you tele you aren’t necessarily smelly. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

Commons Images from: My personal photos, Telemark Skiing Facebook Page, Mono Ski Facebook Page, Oliver Twist Wiki, Jesus Wiki, Jesus Wiki 2, Amelia Earhart Wiki , Abraham Lincoln Wiki, Iaso Wiki,  Blue Heeler Wiki, Marie Curie Wiki, Achilles Wiki and Dr. Fauci Wiki Colin Kaepernick Flickr (Mike Morbek- Uploaded to commons via Moe Epsilon)  Flickr KingKongPhoto

Ski patrol has historically gotten a reputation of being fascist snow pigs, the bad guys, the ones out to steal your fun. In reality ski patrollers are usually pretty cool people. They are pretty cool people who Love Skiing. They love it more than you do, why else would one give up all their time and energy to get a low paying job. They do not want to take your pass. Their job is to make sure everyone is having the best and safest experience possible.

So you have gotten stopped by a patroller for breaking the rules, what should you do?

THE DO’s

When you get stopped by a patroller, you only need to know one thing and one thing only.

BE APOLOGETIC. That’s it.

The moment you get defensive or accusatory… that you did not duck the rope that you know you ducked. You are making the patrollers job much harder, they obviously caught you doing something you shouldn’t and more than likely they are just going to educate you, especially if you present as nice and apologetic….(Even if you don’t care).

THE DON’TS

Let’s just start off by stating the obvious, DO NOT EVER DUCK A ROPE INTO CLOSED AVALANCHE TERRAIN. One you could die, two you could endanger the lives of the patrollers who might be doing explosive work in that terrain and three, if you get caught…. and you will, you could not only lose your pass, but also get arrested and heavily fined.

With that being said, given all the situations we have just mentioned. If you get stopped by a patroller for doing something you weren’t supposed to, don’t be defensive. Don’t try to prove them wrong. They know the mountain like the back of their hand and to have some pretentious kid or adult try to tell them otherwise is insulting. Admit to your wrong doing and apologize for it, if you fight, they will fight back. It’s pretty easy.  More than likely if you are not a jerk, you will get a slap on the wrist.

If you live in a mountain town, you probably know some patrollers, and they have probably told you they hate clipping passes. However, they are also prideful people and if you insult them, they have zero problem exercising their power.

In conclusion, if you find yourself in the situation of being stopped by a patroller for an infraction. Just be apologetic, they are skiers and riders who just love to be outside and help people, they aren’t power hungry fun police looking to reprimand you to bring up their moral self-esteem.

Thank you for coming to my TED TALK.

Images from National Ski Patrol Facebook

Christmas sucked this year. There’s really no other way for me to say it.

I noticed my throat was feeling a little dry and itchy on Monday, December 20th, and decided to get a PCR COVID-19 test that morning. I woke up the next day to the same news that hundreds of thousands of Americans have received in recent weeks. I was positive for COVID-19. My symptoms were mild, but the news effectively cancelled all of my plans for Christmas and New Years.

My family was supposed to visit me here in Wisconsin for a week of holiday festivities, but they decided to stay home, which was obviously the right decision. I was distraught.

Christmas came and went, and my mild COVID-19 symptoms cleared in just a matter of days. I was trying to figure out a way to see my family when my dad made a suggestion-

“Why don’t you just come to Whitefish with me and your brother?”

Bingo. Halleijuah. Wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am! That was the suggestion I was looking for. Screw opening Christmas presents around a tree and watching cheesy movies. A ski trip beats everything.

I was booking a flight while I was still talking to my dad on the phone.

I wasn’t supposed to go on this trip originally. It was going to be a special trip for just my dad and brother, but the cancelled Christmas plans secured my invitation. Kind of funny to think I had to get COVID to go on a ski trip with my dad and brother, but hey, that’s just the way the world is these days.

I arrived into Kalispell International Airport on Tuesday, January 4th. The clouds were low, but I could see some of the surrounding mountains in the distance. I caught a shuttle to the condo my dad booked in Columbia Falls, MT and started to get settled. My dad and brother weren’t arriving until late that night, and I needed to get some groceries.

You might be asking, ‘Why in the hell is Matt telling me about groceries? I could care less.’, well good sir or madam… let me explain. I’m doing this so that any of you planning on visiting Kalispell, Columbia Falls, or Whitefish doesn’t make the same mistake I did.

You, without a doubt, should book a rental car when visiting this section of Montana. I waited 35 minutes for a $35 Uber to the grocery store that was only 2 miles away. Then, I waited 45 minutes trying to find an Uber to get back to the resort after shopping until I finally gave up. I saw some dude checking out at the grocery store wearing a Whitefish Mountain Resort hoodie and asked him for a ride.

He was incredibly nice, and I slipped him a $20 bill for his troubles. It ended up not being that much of a hassle, but I started to wonder how we were going to get around for the rest of the week. We ended up getting a rental the next day.

I got back to the condo and learned that my dad and brother’s flight was cancelled and that they wouldn’t get to Kalispell until the following night. Bummer, but I went to bed knowing that there was fresh snow arriving overnight. I would have to make due without the companionship of my dad and brother for at least one more day.

I arrived to Whitefish Mountain Resort on Wednesday, January 5th. It had snowed 6″ overnight, and a line had started to form on Chair 1 before 9AM. I met up with a couple of employees at Whitefish and rode the chair up to the top shortly after it opened at 9:30AM.

We got to the summit and I couldn’t see a damn thing (something that I learned is pretty common at Whitefish), but I was stoked. The whole mountain was open, and I had 4 people who knew the place like the back of their hands to show me around. It was going to be a good day.

My group took me down an awesome gladed trail called Black Bear on the mountain’s North Side. I was greeted with fresh tracks in blower snow that felt unbelievable. I had only skied hard-pack frozen granular in the Midwest up until this point this season, and turning on legitimate powder snow brought an instant smile to my face.

The group was pretty stoked as well. They all shared that what we had just skied was best quality snow of the season thus far. I was congratulated for picking this week to visit. Turns out that my COVID Christmas actually led to some pretty spectacular timing.

We rode Chair 7 back to Big Mountain’s Summit Area, and made a beeline for Hellroaring Basin. I’d read plenty about Whitefish’s recent decision to move Chair 8 in Hellroaring Basin, and I was ecstatic to check out this part of the mountain’s terrain.

I followed my group just to the skier’s left of Hellroaring Basin’s Picture Chutes. Again, I enjoyed fresh tracks in steep gladed terrain. I really couldn’t ask for anything better. We got below the Picture Chutes and traversed back to the skier’s right under the cliffs. We then skied an open bowl feature in untouched snow. I was beaming ear-to-ear.

I followed my group around the rest of the day to explore the entirety of the mountain. I was impressed by Whitefish’s layout and variety of terrain. There really aren’t many mountains out west that you can ride one lift from the base to the Summit, and riding Whitefish’s Chair 1 reminded me of an East Coast ski resort in that only one chair was needed to reach the peak.

Even Whitefish’s groomed runs were spectacular. I enjoyed laying some steep carves on Big Ravine and Toni Matt on the Frontside. It was a fantastic day of skiing.

My dad and brother still weren’t arriving until late that night so I met up with one of the Whitefish Mountain Resort employees at Bulldog Saloon in downtown Whitefish. What a dream that place was.

Bulldog Saloon is the diviest of dive bars, but I absolutely loved it. The drinks were cheap, the vibe was relaxed, and the bathrooms were smothered in pin-up girls from the 1980s. It just felt like a ski bar, ya know?

I had an excellent burger at Bulldog and made my way to the airport. My dad and brother were finally here. I was over-the-moon excited.

My dad taught me how to ski when I was 4-years-old. He didn’t grow up with much money, and didn’t get on a pair of skis until he was 19. He told my mom from the time that I was born that he wanted me to start skiing as early as possible. I attribute so much of my passion for skiing to my relationship with my dad. Skiing accounts for 95% of what we talk about, and skiing with him just feels right. I’m sure you know what I mean. We all have that person who taught us to love skiing or snowboarding.

Being on the mountain with him and my brother was a truly special time. We used to take dozens of ski trips together, but times have changed. I live 1000 miles away, my brother is in college, and my dad is getting older. Ski trips don’t come as frequently as they used to. I made sure to enjoy every single moment of this trip.

My dad doesn’t ski as hard as he used to, but his physical ailments don’t keep him from laying finely-tuned turns on groomers and moderately-pitched tree runs. I had a blast watching him tackle the soft snow at Whitefish with precision and skill. He complained about his knee hurting and his legs being tired, but he was ultimately happy. He was doing the sport he loved with his two sons, and I know it was a special moment for him.

The last day of our trip, Friday, January 7th was legendary.

The snow report claims that only 7″ fell overnight, but it continued to snow throughout the entirety of the day. Powder runs were abundant. The only downside was the visibility. We were so socked in that I lost my balance a couple of times. It was hard to distinguish the slope from the surrounding fog, but that didn’t stop us. The snow was too good, and we weren’t going to let some stupid clouds deter us.

We’re east coast skiers after all…

We finished up a a great run on Whitefish’s Northside around 1:45 PM. Hellroaring Basin had been closed all day for avalanche work, but I noticed that the rope had dropped, and the status was changed to OPEN on the digital trail map.

We made a mad-dash to Connie’s Coulee and had the run of our lives. We couldn’t see shit, but the bottomless pow blowing over our heads was all that mattered. I took it slightly slower than normal, but the snow was fantastic. Again, I could see anything, but I imagine we looked like those hero shots you see ski resorts posing on their social media accounts.

Skiing that steep pitch in waist-deep powder was worth it. I was beaming from ear to ear, and so were the other 50 people waiting to hop on Chair 8 after their runs. The stoke was through the mother-f’in roof.

We finished the day with some more runs in Hellroaring Basin, and I know that I’ll never forget that day. Looking back, it was weird how little I cared about the visibility. I mean I really could have gotten hurt considering I could only see 5 feet in front of me and I was skiing unfamiliar terrain. But, that desire to ski pow with my dad and brother just kept me going, and it was glorious.

We rounded out our trip with fantastic Mexican food from Jalisco Cantina. The three of us shared plenty of laughs and smiles reminiscing on the fantastic time we had in Whitefish.

Our trip was short, but boy oh boy was it sweet. I’ll never forget how the three of us were able to reunite on the slopes of Whitefish following the disaster that was Christmas 2021.

The trip served as reminder how truly special the sport of skiing is to me. I’m far from a religious guy, but my spiritual connection to sliding on snow with wooden and metal planks is the closest thing I have to a religion. Celebrating and honoring that connection with the people I love the most was a fulfilling experience.

Please credit Matt Lorelli, Unofficial Networks for all images in this story.

Mike and I from Unofficial Networks took a little trip up to Sheboygan, WI for a day of disc golf, sight seeing, good food, and great company.

I’ve been on a crazy kick of playing disc golf this summer, and I really wanted to check out Wisconsin’s oldest 18-hole disc golf course located in downtown Sheboygan.

Vollrath Park is a fairly-short 18-hole course that borders Lake Michigan. Most of the holes are Par 3s, even though some of the tee signs list them as a Par 4s, and there’s varying uphill, downhill, and flat holes.

I really enjoyed playing the course’s signature Hole 13. It’s one of the longest holes on the course with the waves of Lake Michigan crashing on the thrower’s right-hand side. The wind was howling, the ground was wet, and I played like absolute crap, but I still had a great time out there.

Vollrath Park has been inviting disc golfers from the around the country to test their short-game skills since 1981. Pretty incredible since most disc golf courses were built in the last 20 years or so.

We stopped by the course’s pro shop after our round and had a lovely conversation about the park’s history with the owner. She and her husband have run the The Shack for 20 years and even got married right in front of it. I bought a disc, and she gave us a bunch of free goodies. Sheboygan is definitely a disc golf town, and it was so cool to experience it first-hand.

Mike and I were craving a bite after our round and took a recommendation to check out Sly’s Midtown Saloon and Grill. We had the place to ourselves and enjoyed some classic Wisconsin cheese curds, fried pretzel bites, and an awesome burger dubbed ‘The Hangover’ fit with fried has browns, cheese, and a fried egg. I wasn’t hungover, and it was still absolutely delicious.

The bartended at Sly’s told us to check out the shop next door because she said we “Look like we would shop there.” Turns out she was right.

EOS Surf Shop is an awesome little gem of a surf/skateboard/windsurf/outdoors shop located right in the heart of Sheboygan. We met the store’s manager Mike, and he told us he was out surfing on Lake Michigan earlier that morning. We actually saw a couple of surfer’s out there earlier, and the waves appeared to be 6′-8′ high from shore. Not too bad for surfing a freshwater lake, huh?

It was pretty rad to see that EOS has been able to establish themselves as a legitimate surf shop in the Midwest. Mike said the store used to sell snowboards as well, and he is an avid season passholder up at Mount Bohemia, MI. He’s also a reader here at Unofficial Networks. Sup Mike!

EOS is a great little shop to check out if you’re in the area, and their website is an excellent source for surf conditions if you’re looking to hit up Lake Michigan in Sheboygan. Tell ’em we sent you!

It was really nice to get out of the house for a little bit on a random Thursday in the fall even despite the freezing cold temps, blistering wind, and rainy weather. Keep an eye out for more travel and disc golf content here at Unofficial Networks. I’m borderline obsessed with the sport, and I’m looking to explore more places in the future.

Hope you all have a great weekend and thanks for tagging along with me on this short story/adventure. Take care, friends!

Hey everybody! Go to *insert your local ski resort* this season. The locals are super friendly! Nobody cares if they have to wait an extra 30 minutes in the lift-line. Just let them know you read an article on Unofficial Networks and they’ll be totally cool with it. Below are some more tips for when you visit *insert your local ski resort*.

• The secret stash is located at *insert name of trail/area where the goods are hidden*. Be sure to get there before the locals!
• Bring as many small children as possible. The locals love to dodge crying kids, and they certainly don’t mind when your kids improperly load and unload the lift.
• Park like a total asshole. Seriously! Nobody will mind at all. Just park as close to the lodge as you can. Blocking the way out? Who cares?

• Flood the lodge for lunch all at the same time. The locals certainly won’t mind spending an hour waiting for a cheeseburger. The powder is skied out anyways, no need to rush back to the slopes.
• Act like a Jerry. This is the first time in your life of skiing that nobody will care if you act like a dipshit on the mountain. Downhill skiers normally have the right of way, but not on this mountain! Just feel free to plow down at whatever speed you deem necessary. Also, stopping in the middle of the trail is an acceptable practice.

I’m glad I can shed light on *insert your local ski resort*. The locals are just begging for more friends. They can’t wait to see you out on the hill this season!

*This is a work of satire*

Check out which ski resorts totaled the most snowfall over the last 7 days, and start marking your plans for a weekend of soft snow skiing/riding!

Go get that powder while you can!

*7-Day snow totals pulled from each resort’s website*

*Resorts without sufficient 7-day snowfall data are excluded*

Solitude Mountain Resort, UT

Weekly Snow Total: 28″

Red Lodge Mountain, MT

Weekly Snow Total: 29″

Grouse Mountain, BC

Weekly Snow Total: 30″

Grand Targhee, WY

Weekly Snow Total: 35″

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Eaglecrest Ski Area, AK

Weekly Snow Total: 35+”

Cypress Mountain, BC

Weekly Snow Total: 36″

Mt. Seymour, BC

Weekly Snow Total: 42″

Mt. Baker, WA

Weekly Snow Total: >42″ (only reporting previous 6 days)

Featured Image Courtesy: Grand Targhee Resort

Let’s face it.

Skiing 200′-300′ of vertical can be fun for a couple of hours, but the slow fixed-grip lifts and long lift lines of most Midwestern ski areas can detract from the overall experience.

Everything is relative, of course, and some Midwesterners are perfectly content with the typical Midwestern ski area experience.

Granite Peak is anything but typical for the Midwest.

I started the day (Friday) with a mid-morning departure from Madison, WI bound for Granite Peak with blue skies and temps ranging from the high-20s to mid-30s.

The two-hour drive from Madison felt long in the moment, but this is  what we have grown accustomed to as skiers, right? At least I was cruising at a cool 80 mph the entire 140 miles on I-39N.

I chuckled thinking about the suckers that were in bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-70 heading west of Denver. Then I got jealous. 

I arrived at Granite Peak around 11 AM, and was greeted by the sounds of children screaming, cars parking, and the sight of a long lift line forming around Granite’s Comet Express.

I, not so quietly, uttered to my friend,

‘Well shit. I didn’t think anybody was going to be here. The local kiddos must be out of school.’ 

We mustered up our best smiles as we geared up.

Admittedly, we were fearing the worst. Did we drive 2 hours to sit in lift lines all day?

We thought that by skiing on a Friday we could avoid the lift apocalypses that have been plaguing Midwestern ski areas all season.

Oh well. We don’t consider ourselves to be quitters.

I moseyed on up to the lift ticket line and flashed my driver’s license to redeem one of my two days at Granite Peak included on the Indy Pass. Redeeming those Indy Pass tickets never gets old.

I like to pretend I’m some sort of VIP. Then I remember it only costs $199 (early season) to purchase. It’s nice to day dream, okay?

The lift ticket attendant smiled and handed me a fancy-schmancy RFID pass, and I was on my way to the lift.

Remember how I expressed concern about waiting in lift lines all day just a few paragraphs above? Yeah, what an idiot I was.

You see, Granite Peak is home to three high-speed detachable lifts. A claim that few ski areas in the Midwest can make.

We joined in what seemed to be a long line, but were pleasantly surprised that we only waited for 5 minutes, and were ecstatic that we reached the summit in just 2-3 minutes of riding on the lift.

The temperature was ideal for February skiing in Wisconsin.

We had just exited a span of more than 30 days with high-temps below freezing, and the 35 degree air combined with direct sunshine was a welcome gift from the skiing gods.

They must have heard my prayers the night before.

The snow was a little firm on the first run of the day, but it gradually softened to a nice edge-gripping consistency that was still fast enough to get my blood pumping, and wasn’t so soft that I felt like I was skiing in May.

You get what I mean, right? It was perfect.

Granite Peak’s 55 trails are spread out over 200 acres along Rib Mountain. The maximum skiable vertical is 700′. A number that dwarfs the majority of Midwestern ski areas.

I was pleasantly surprised with the pitch of the runs at Granite. Most of the black-diamond runs provided an ample 300-400′ of ‘steep’ vertical that fed to various run-outs back to the lifts.

I’m usually not a fan of run-outs as they don’t provide all that much to the skiing experience, but having that extra 200’+ of mellow vertical was quite enjoyable considering I’ve only skied in the badger state this season.

Many of the small ski areas in the midwest offer similarly-sized ‘steep‘ runs, but they typically end right at the lift.

Having an extra few hundred feet of vertical to carry speed and work on my edge-to-edge turns ended up being one of the highlights of the day.

The sun kept shining throughout the afternoon.

I found that Granite Peak’s western runs off the Dasher Express were fun, but were slightly-more protected from the sun and therefore a little bit icy.

I spent most of the day lapping the main six-pack Comet Express, and the runs on Granite’s eastern flank off the Cupid Express. The best runs for challenging terrain off Comet are hands-down ‘Exhibition’ and ‘Sundance’. 

I also thoroughly enjoyed laying down some carves on ‘Shadow Ridge, Mission Ridge, and Idle Wild’ off Cupid Express.

I highly recommend skiers and riders visit Granite Peak to enjoy the best skiing experience offered in the state of Wisconsin, and one of the top-5 in the entire region.

I would compare GP to mountains such as Camelback and Jack Frost in the Poconos, or a small Vermont ski area such as Suicide Six.

While the resort lacks plentiful snowfall, and can be plagued with crowds, the high-speed lifts, great snowmaking, steep runs, and friendly faces will leave you pleasantly surprised.

I mean if you have an Indy Pass already, what’s stopping you?

Have you ever ridden a gondola and thought to yourself,

“WOW this view is great! I just wish I could experience it sweating profusely and dry heaving.”? 

Well weirdo, you’re in luck.

The Sauna Gondola, located at Ylläs Ski Resort in Lapland, Finland, is the cream of the crop when it comes to weird ski resort luxuries. It’s a 4-person gondola car that costs over $1,500 USD for a 20 minute ride!

The gondola is outfitted with a single 3-4 person sauna car that runs after the mountain closes for skiing.

Guests take a 20 minute round-trip in what I like to call the, “flying hot room of wealthy people”, and are returned to the spa for further treatments, use of the outdoor hot tub, and more.

The full Sauna Gondola experiences costs a whopping 1350€ (~$1,615 USD). Damn. 

Ylläs Gondola Stats

Make: Dopplemayer

Type: 8 person gondola lift (1 four-person sauna cabin)

Year of Construction: 2007

Length: 6,608′

Vertical: 1,408′

Speed: 6m/s (~13 mph)

Capacity: 2,000 people per hour

How far will they take gondola luxury next?

Here are my Top 5 Dream Custom Luxury Gondola Experiences:

1. Full-service bar (obvious choice)
2. Massage chairs
3. Urinal
4. HD TV with Wi-Fi
5. Water fountain

Would you be willing to shell out $1,600 USD to ride up a Finnish ski resort gondola turned sauna?