Aerial view of a rural landscape with scattered buildings and trees.

What's New?

If you’ve followed Ben’s Blog  here at Snowriver, you know I started it as a way to share life on the mountain, from season recaps to behind-the-scenes looks at projects and the people who make it all happen. Since I joined the company in 2022, my involvement with our sister resorts has grown, and over the last year, I’ve transitioned from Snowriver’s GM to the Chief of Mountain Operations and Development for Midwest Family Ski Resorts. In this new role, I’m focused on the day-to-day operations of our three ski areas as well as the planning and oversight of projects, capital improvements, and long-term development of our resorts.

That means I’ll continue to share Snowriver updates right here, and in addition, I’ll be writing similar posts for Lutsen and Granite Peak. Now I know it's been a bit of a dry spell since my last post, but I'm excited to resume sharing the story of Snowriver while expanding my view to give you a full picture of how each mountain is investing in the future, and how we’re all working to make Midwest skiing stronger.

Every summer, we get a window to improve the mountain experience before the snow flies again. This year, we’re investing more than half a million dollars in improvements at Snowriver that touch all aspects of your experience at the resort. While not as flashy as the past few years, there are a number of important things to look forward to as we head into the winter season. Check out the rest of this post to get a glimpse of what the team has been up to and what will be waiting for you on your first day.

Brand New Condos

Our single biggest improvement for the upcoming season will be the debut of two brand new, two-bedroom condos in our Jackson Studios buildings. One of the condos is being built in Building C, where a bar/restaurant once operated back in the heyday. The other, in building A takes the place of a long-abandoned group bunkhouse. These units will give families and groups more options for staying slopeside, creating convenient lodging just steps from the lifts and the amenities in the Lodge at Jackson Creek. One of these units has already been completed and is available for rent now, while the other is expected to come online in time for the holidays this coming season.

Check It Out

Basement under renovation with wooden beams and dirt piles, ladder near stairs.
Room under renovation with exposed beams and scattered construction materials.
Basement under renovation with exposed ceiling and unfinished floor.
Stacked wooden cabinets in a room under renovation.
Spacious open-plan kitchen and dining area with wooden table and black chairs.
Spacious living room with gray sofas, armchairs, and a dining area in the background.
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Snow machines on a field with trees in the background.

Snowriver's First Winchcat

We’ve also added a new-to-us winch cat, a hand-me-down from our big sister resort, Granite Peak. This machine is a major step forward for our grooming and snowmaking operations, allowing our team to safely and efficiently work on our steepest terrain, including Spillway and Capsize. On Spillway, it will help us reopen the trail to racing by improving our ability to make snow and push it out across the run. On Capsize, we’re also repairing key sections of snowmaking pipe, giving us the capability to run snowmaking on that trail's steepest headwall. Together, these upgrades will help us deliver better snow quality, expanded terrain, and longer seasons — all thanks to a little sibling support.

Building with geometric windows and a tower, set against a blue sky.

Small but Sweet

We also made a smaller but highly requested improvement at Jackson Creek Summit, where we installed new roofs over the ticket windows. These additions provide much-needed shelter from snow, wind, and early-morning weather as guests pick up their tickets and get ready to hit the slopes. It’s a simple enhancement, but one that makes those first moments of the ski day a little more comfortable, especially on the gusty mornings we can experience at our mountain top chalet. 

Smooth Arrival

While it’s not a project we can take credit for, we want to share some appreciation for an improvement that’s going to make a big difference for everyone traveling to Snowriver this winter the reconstruction of Indianhead Road. The project, completed this fall by Mathy Construction Company, rebuilt 1.6 miles of roadway from US Highway 2 to just north of Apache Drive. The work included recycling and rebuilding the road base, laying new asphalt, improving drainage, and adding gravel shoulders and guardrails.

Funded through a partnership between federal, state, and local sources including contributions from the Gogebic County Road Commission and a significant investment from the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa this $1.2 million project has completely transformed the main access road to Snowriver. We’re especially grateful to the LVD Tribe for their commitment and financial support, which not only helped make this project possible but also reflects their strong belief in the future growth and continued development of Jackson Creek Summit.

A special thank you also goes out to Barry Bolich, former General Manager of Indianhead Mountain Resort and previously Commissioner of the GCRC, who shepherded this project over the past several years. Barry’s dedication and understanding of the road’s importance — both to our community and to the region’s economic future were instrumental in bringing it to life.

Paved road under construction with trees on both sides.
Paving crews work their way up Indianhead Road on September 18th, 2025.
A road flanked by green lawns and trees, under a cloudy sky.
Kyle Brasch
New pavement out in front of The Lodge at Jackson Creek on September 23rd, 2025.
Road construction with workers paving, surrounded by trees and cones, overcast sky.
Kyle Brasch
Crews work to finish the last section of road connecting into the main parking lot at Jackson Creek Summit on September 23rd, 2025.
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Always Getting Better

We’ve been busy making a bunch of smaller, but impactful, improvements at Snowriver to make your experience better and the mountain even more inviting. While some of them might be  immediately apparent, other upgrades are more behind the scenes, like new boilers in the Lodge at Jackson Creek. You won't seem them, but you'll certainly feel the difference. These updates might seem small individually, but together they add up to a more enjoyable vacation in the northwoods. Click through the gallery below to see some of what we’ve been up to!

Banquet room with decorated tables and chairs, warm lighting from chandeliers.
Gone are the flickering & buzzing bulbs on the second floor of the Sugar Maple Chalet. Brand new fixtures have been installed throughout the event space, making the light much brighter and warmer than before.
Cozy room with tables, chairs, skis on a wall, and bright window light.
With the newly constructed ticket windows, we thought it was time to remove the COVID era ticket booth from the corner of Jack's. This really brightened up that corner and created more usable space for those busy lunch times or apres music.
Outdoor patio with tables, string lights, and clear sky.
Bistro lights over the Jack's Patio make it much more welcoming and enjoyable when the sun sets all to soon on long winter nights.
Gray house on grassy hill with lake in background.
This summer we completed installation of air conditioning in all of our units in the Lodge at Jackson Creek & Studios, and important improvement for our summer visitors. For our winter guests, new boilers in the lodge will ensure a comfortable night's sleep, even when temperatures plunge below zero.
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See You Soon!

Thanks so much for taking the time to catch up on what’s been happening at Snowriver this summer. While we’ve been busy here, the teams at Lutsen and Granite Peak have also been hard at work, tackling projects both big and small to make your experience on the mountain even better. I’m excited to share more stories and behind-the-scenes updates from all three resorts in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned — we’ve got a lot in store as we get ready for another great winter on the slopes, and I can’t wait for you to see it all in action.

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Skiers glide through snowy forest trail in winter setting.