ILLINOIS

MWLSAP Homepage Any information or assistance on the lost ski areas of Illinois would be greatly appreciated. Please contact: mark@mwlsap.org If you would like to share your memories or pictures of these lost ski areas please go to our Facebook page.

MIDWEST LOST SKI AREAS PROJECT

LOST AREAS Barberry Hills Fox River Grove, IL - northeast Illinois v: 145 ft; o: early 1960s Google Maps / Google Earth Fox River Picnic Grove, Grove Marina, Barberry Hills Ski Area - History of area The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down Buffalo Park / Buffalo Mountain - See: Raging Buffalo Camden Park Rope Tow (Mt. Camden) Milan IL - northeast Illinois Google Maps / Google Earth Ski, Sled, or Skate - Quad City Times, Dec. 31, 1987, p. 48 Hit the slopes, ride the hills,and . . . - Quad City Times, Jan. 12, 1989, p. 52 Facebook Post and Comments on Skiers and Snowboarders of the Midwest Group - see comment by Chad Mayerhofer picture1 picture2 picture3 Fox Trails Sports Area Cary, IL - northeast Illinois v: 135 ft.: o: 1962 c: 1974 2 rope tows Google Maps / Google Earth We Skied At Fox Trails in Cary - Facebook Page Fox Trail Sports Area Harry Hopes - Chicagoland history Fox Trails Ski Resort - The Remains - Vimeo video Cary, Illinois haunted abandoned "ski lodge" - Forum post The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down skimap.org Fyre Lake Sherrard, IL - northwest Illinois (Quad Cities) Google Maps / Google Earth Discover Excitingly Beautiful, Completely Private, Fyre Lake - Quad City Times, Sept. 12, 1971, p. 26 Gander Mountain Spring Grove, IL - northeast Illinois (adjacent to Wilmot WI, which is still open) v: 200 ft.; o: 1964 c: 1973 6 rope tows, 3 poma lifts Google Maps / Google Earth (just south of, and adjacent to, Wilmot Mountain Ski Area across the border in Wisconsin) SKI Magazine, Dec. 1974 - Chicago Metro Areas (third paragraph) coloradoskihistory.com Gander Mountain Ski Strassheim - Chicago Tribune, Dec. 30, 1966, p. 33 Trail Map / Location Map The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down New Ski Facilities - Sports Illustrated, Nov. 23, 1959 - ERROR: listed under Wisconsin advertisement GANDER MOUNTAIN Vintage 1972 HTF LOST AREA Ski Brochure Wilmot WISCONSIN Travel - ebay skimap.org Hidden Valley (see Lost Valley) Holiday Park Ingleside, IL - northeast Illinois v: 220 (208) ft. ; o: 1967 c: 1986 In 1978 (Skalka): 5 rope tows, 1 chairlift Google Maps / Google Earth (I heard that the hill has been bulldozed for houses) SKI Magazine, Dec. 1974 - Chicago Metro Areas (scroll down) The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down advertisement skimap.org (0 maps) Illiniwek Forest Preserve Hampton, IL - northwest Illinois Google Maps / Google Earth Ski Heil! - Quad City Times, Feb. 5, 1961, p. 39 From the notebook by Eloise - Daily Times (Davenport, Iowa), Jan. 29, 1955 Facebook Post and Comments on Skiers and Snowboarders of the Midwest Group - see comment by Lauren Wolfe Picture 1, picture 2 James Park Evanston, IL (located in southwest Evanston near Dodge Ave and Oakton St.) - northeast Illinois v: 65 ft.; o: 1977 c: mid 1980s 2 rope tows Google Maps / Google Earth Mt. Trashmore - wikipedia A Downhill Rush The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down skimap.org (0 maps) Lincolnshire Resort (Marriott) Lincolnshire, IL - northeast Illinois v: 60 ft. Google Maps / Google Earth In 1978 (Skalka): 1 poma lift SKI Magazine Spring 1977 The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down skimap.org Lost Valley (originally named Hidden Valley) Spring Grove IL - northeast Illinois v: 200 ft.; o: 1974 as Hidden Valley, became Lost Valley in 1976 c: 1979; Google Maps / Google Earth ??? In 1978 (Skalka): 3 rope tows and 2 chairlifts SKI Magazine, Jan 1978 Picture of Lodge - flickr The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down Lost Valley ski area celebrates grand opening - The Daily herald (Chicago) Jan 10, 1976, p. Spring Grove IL - northeast Illinois SKI Magazine, Dec. 1974 - Chicago Metro Areas (Hidden Valley, third paragraph) Mt. Camden - see Camden Park Rope Tow Mt. Hoy (never became active) Planned chairlift BUT never became a lift served ski area Warrenville, IL (DuPage County) - northeast Illinois Blackwell Recreational Preserve v: 150 ft. #FunFactsFriday: Mount Hoy AKA Mount Trashmore - Warrenvillehistorical.org Turning garbage into ski slopes - Chicago Tribune, Nov. 29, 1973 p. 111 Pere Marquette Grafton, IL (north of St. Louis) southwest Illinois (5 miles east of Pere Marquette State Park Lodge on Highway 100) v: 420 ft.; o: 1972 four rope tows, 1 chair Google Maps / Google Earth ??? Ski Area To Be Ready In December - St. Louis Post dispatch, Sept. 24, 1972 SKI Magazine, Jan. 1972 - brief mention The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down Quincy Park Quincy, IL - Google Maps / Google Earth SKI Mag, Sept. '67 The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down Raging Buffalo Snowboard Park (previously called Buffalo Mountain and Buffalo Park ) Algonquin, IL - northeast Illinois v: 200 ft. o: 1964-83 and 1993?-2019 Google Maps / Google Earth SKI Magazine, Dec. 1974 - Chicago Metro Areas (scroll down) The Lost Ski Areas of Illinois - coloradoskihistory.com - Scroll down skimap.org Wagon Wheel Resort not sure if it ever had skiing Rockton, IL (1.5 mi south) - north central Illinois o: 1980 ???? Google Maps / Google Earth SKI Magazine, Dec. 1976 Future Developments: " .. expected to open 1977-1978" SKI Magazine, Spring 1979 Hit the slopes, ride the hills,and . . . - Quad City Times, Jan. 12, 1989, p. 52 skimap.org (0 maps) MWLSAP Homepage STILL OPEN Chestnut Mountain Resort Galena, IL - northwest Illinois v: 475 ft.; 1959 SKI Magazine, Jan. 1977 website skimap.org Four Lakes Lisle, IL - northeast Illinois v: 100 ft. SKI Magazine, Feb. 1985 website skimap.org Plumtree (also called Lake Carroll) - private Lanark, IL (Lake Carroll) - north central Illinois webpage Illinois Ski Areas - skibum.net YouTube skimap.org Ski Snowstar Winter Sports Park Andalusia, IL - northwest Illinois v: 262 ft. o: 1981 website skimap.org Villa Olivia Bartlett, IL - northeast Illinois v: 180 ft. o: 1966 website skimap.org MWLSAP Homepage

1956 Lost Wisconsin Ski Areas Facebook Page - omissions noted