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The Midwest Lost Ski Areas Project (MWLSAP) is an attempt to list, and provide information on, the hundreds of ski areas of the American Midwest that are no longer operating. It will always be a work in progress.The American Midwest has a significant influence on the U.S. ski industry. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) during the 2022-2023 ski season lists three midwestern states in the top 10 with the most ski areas (Michigan is second with 43 areas, Wisconsin is third with 33, and Minnesota ninth with 21). The Midwest, as defined by the US Census Bureau, comprises twelve states. According to the NSAA these states have a total of 118 out of 481 ski areas operating in the U.S. Illinois (4, but actually has 5 ski areas), Indiana (2), Iowa (3, but now has 4), Kansas (0), Michigan (40, but actually has 45) , Minnesota (21, but actually has 22), Missouri (2), Nebraska (0), North Dakota (4), Ohio (5, but actualy has 7), South Dakota (3), and Wisconsin (33). MWLSAP lists 127 Midwest ski areas as still being open. But how many have we lost? - 451 ski areas are listed as lost at MWLSAP.org These pages will always be UNDER CONSTRUCTION. If you have any comments, corrections, or additions you can contact me via email at: mark@mwlsap.org  |
Initial lists of lost ski areas were found in the 1978 book A Complete Guide to Skiing in the Midwest, by Patricia Skalka, Contemporary Books Inc., Chicago, and on skimap.org. The bulk of the lost areas in Michigan and Wisconsin were already online at Michigan Lost Ski Areas Project (MILSAP) and the Lost Ski Areas of Wisconsin Facebook Page. With these sources as a starting point the search began. Other helpful sources included the Ski Area Guide, SKIING Magazine, Sept. 1969, pp. 162-164 and Michigan Ski Area History Facebook Page. Currently, I mostly rely on Newspapers.com and on sending emails to county historical societies.
TOTAL NUMBER OF LOST RESORTS IN EACH MIDWEST STATE
Ski with Dick Durrance - 1948-1949American Ski Language - 1939?
History of Skiing - freethepowder.com
Winter Sports Playgrounds, 1951-1952 Directory, Chicago and North Western Railroad
Hills Alive!, SKIING Magazine, Jan. 1989
Skiing The Big Muddy SKI Magazine, Jan. 2002
If You Don’t Love Skiing 200-foot Hills, You Don’t Love Skiing - powder.com, September 2, 2020 By Paddy O’Connell
New ‘Return of the Turn’ Reminds Us Who the Real Skiers Are - powder.com, October 14, 2019 By Sierra Shafer
Matterhorn of the Midwest - powder.com, November 2, 2017
Bring Bump Skiing Back! - powder.com
A Midwestern Night - powder.com
How to Survive (and Ski) a Midwest Winter - powder.com
Skiing’s Oldest Uphill Transit Method Retains its Timeless Pull - powder.com
Ode to the Small Ski Hill - unofficialnetworks.com
Sports Illustrated Magazine, Dec. 1, 1958 - Guide to Ski Areas
The Oldest Ski Area in Every State, 247wallst.com
All You Schussboomers - Watch Your Ski Language - Detroit Free Press, Jan. 29, 1960
http://www.skisprungschanzen.com/EN/Ski+Jumps/USA-United+States/
Father and Son Go Tandem Skiing in Wisconsin - unofficialnetworks.com and FacebookJames Bond Ski Scenes - snowbrains.com
James Bond 007 | EVERY SKI CHASE - YouTube
"Abandoned" - A Ski Film About Lost Ski Areas
https://offpistemag.com/abandoned-a-ski-film-about-lost-ski-areas/Skiing History
https://www.skiinghistory.org/resources/index-skiing-magazine-1949-1986https://www.skiinghistory.org/resources/ski-magazine-back-issues-and-index-1941-1993
https://www.skiinghistory.org/history/ski-resorts-years-they-were-founded
https://www.skiinghistory.org/resources/glossary-more-100-historical-ski-terms
Other Lost Ski Area Projects: http://mwlsap.org/#otherlsap
Game: http://mwlsap.org/game/game.htm
Ski Tips: How To Ride a Rope Tow (1955) - Minneapolis Morning Tribune, Wed, Dec 28, 1955
Winter Sports Playgrounds: 1956-57 Directory,
- Chicago and North Western Railway Company, 1956, 15 pages
- University of Wyoming Library, F355 .W568 1956
- http://uwcatalog.uwyo.edu/record=b4737435~S1
- Hebard Collection - Chisum Reading Room - Level 3,
- 1947 edition referenced at: https://www.mwlsap.org/wisconsin/Janesville_Daily_Gazette_Fri__Jan_9__1948_southernWI.pdf (see last paragraph)
- "Directory of Winter Sports Playgrounds" , 1948-49 , " Pamphlet of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company ...
1951-52 Directory Winter Sports Playgrounds, Chicago and North Western Railroad
MWLSAP.org by http://mwlsap.org
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