Wilmot Mountain

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1 Winter Sports - Skiing and Snow Boarding
2 Summer Sports – BMX, Skating, Boarding
3 History
4 References

Base of Hill, Evening

Upper Cat, Evening

Upper Cat, day

Wilmot Flyover

Lift #1, over State Line run

By Lift #8, in front of lodge

Base of Competition run

Middle of hill - Superior

Located in the southern region of Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine, Wilmot Mountain is the result of Glaciation. The self-proclaimed “Matterhorn of the Midwest” was founded by Walter Stopa in 1938 after a thorough research of the area’s topography. With a vertical drop of 230’ it is a relatively small hill. It is also one of the few hills where the mountain is wide open, with few trees or barriers to crossing the hill. A skier can transverse several runs while skiing downhill. Night skiing is available on the entire hill.

Wilmot Mountain is located 60 miles North of Chicago and has been owned by the same family since it was founded. It still retains a non-corporate look and feel, from the vintage lifts to the huge open fireplace. Most days small aircraft from the nearby Westosha airport can be seen high above, circling the hill.

[edit] Winter Sports - Skiing and Snow Boarding

[edit] Recreational

Wilmot Mountain Features two terrain parks (one beginner, one intermediate), 24 runs (6 black, 9 blue, 9 green), 8 chair lifts and a children’s area with tow ropes. The longest run, State Line, parallels the Illinois / Wisconsin border - a small section near the top is in Illinois. The terrain park at Wilmot Mountain has a full combination of beginner to advanced boxes, rails and jibbing features engineered, built and placed by Wilmot's own riders and instructors. Jumps and Aerial features are engineered with the help of experts from Powder Magazine.

Wilmot has a full service ski and snowboard school with over 300 certified instructors, a well tenured and certified snowboard instructor staff, and a comprehensive children's program.

It also has an award winning^[1] National Ski Patrol group.

[edit] Down Hill Racing

Wilmot has an active race program and is the destination of many race clubs and groups. Weekly race training is run in the evenings by their on-site race program. On four weekends the Chicago Metro Ski Council (CMSC) holds races on two runs (Superior and Competition) ^[2] NASTAR races were held weekly until 2004. Wilmot no longer holds NASTAR races.

[edit] Snowmaking

Wilmot started making their own snow in 1952 using Joe Tropiano^[3] snow machines, basically a lawn watering device with heaters to prevent freezing. Today they use a combination of older and new, high-tech snow making equipment. Wilmot makes snow whenever the temperature drops low enough, even during hours of operation.

[edit] Summer Sports – BMX, Skating, Boarding

Wilmot terrain makes it a natural destination for bikers and boarders. It offers with slalom, MBX, BMX freestyle, cross-country, downhill, skate boarding and in-line skating. One chair lift available for return trips up the hill.

[edit] History

[edit] Science Fiction Conventions

Wilmot Mountain was famous among Science Fiction fans for WilCon, a private invitation only Science Fiction convention hosted at the mountain by Jon and Joni Stopa over July 4th weekends. Guests still tell of the dozens of tents, acres of parties, special guests and unforgettable hospitality of their hosts.

[edit] Auto Racing

The roads surrounding the parking lot and resort have a very unusual unusual shape, including a hairpin curve. The design resembles a race track oval, and with good reason - there used to be a race course on the grounds. From 1954 to 1967, the ski resort was home to Wilmot Hills Race Course. In the summer months the Ski Lodge served food and drinks to race fans. Aerial photos of the area clearly show the race track, although part of the course is now covered by building additions.

[edit] Facilities

The resort has several cafeterias, a bar, pizza restaurant, ski shop, rentals and lockers. Nearby Wilmot and Antioch offer the typical selection of restaurants and accommodations.

[edit] Notable facts

Wilmot’s Ski School was founded in 1939 by Helmut Teichner ^[4]
Gander Mountain was founded in Wilmot
Exhibition Run was re-contoured in the mid 1980’s and a large boulder removed
Lights installed for night skiing in 1955 (It was such a novelty that the Tonight Show featured it)
Walter Stopa was responsible for several improvements to the original snow making machines
The local myth that the hill is a covered garbage dump is false

[edit] Location

Wilmot Mountain is located just 1/2 mile south of Wilmot WI on the east side of Fox River road and north of CK. It is 60 minutes northwest of O'Hare Airport. From I-94, take the exit for Route 50 west to County Road W south. W is not marked at the intersection - just look for the gas station. Go east on County Road C to Wilmot.