Economic Impact Report highlights value of outdoor recreation The Wisconsin office of Outdoor Recreation recently released an Economic Data and Impact Report which conveniently summarizes the very latest on Wisconsin’s outdoor recreation industry (spoiler alert: It contributed a record-setting $8.7 billion to the state’s gross domestic product and grew 3 times faster than the state […]
Read More >
Park improvements include the addition of 128-acres of expanded area for downhill skiing, a comprehensive network of mountain biking, multi-use and hiking trails, and climbing areas A comprehensive update of the Master Plan for the Rib Mountain State Park was approved at the meeting of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board in Madison on Wednesday, December […]
Read More >
From winding rivers and scenic trails to concerts in parks, the Wausau area offers good, wholesome fun for travelers and city dwellers seeking to make memories. Bill Bertram grew up in Illinois and spent summers camping in Wisconsin. Like many Midwest families, he was captivated by the abundant natural resources. It’s one of the reasons […]
Read More >
Granite Peak, Red Granite Grinder and Other Rock-Solid Reasons to Love Living in Central Wisconsin. What do you love about the Wausau area? Some say skiing at Granite Peak and mountain biking at Nine Mile. Others like the friendly folks and craft beer. Still others are here for career opportunities and that small-town feel with big-city […]
Read More >
Jake Prunuske brought along his mountain bike when he interviewed for a job in 2016. If he was leaving Duluth and relocating his family to Wausau, the trails had to meet his expectations. Nine Mile County Forest did not disappoint. “I went for a ride after my interview, and that was the clincher,” he said. […]
Read More >
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that people value outdoor recreation. Bike sales are booming — up as much as 55% last year — and along with that is a broader focus on trails, especially “singletrack.” A singletrack trail — usually just called singletrack — is a narrow, often one-direction mountain bike trail […]
Read More >
We know that Rib Mountain State Park is a popular downhill skiing destination. What if it also offered great mountain biking trails that could be used all year? Oh, yes! That’s what biking enthusiasts are hoping will happen. Mountain biking is seeing an eruption of interest in just about all age groups and all seasons. […]
Read More >
When one considers the impact of an enterprise on a region, context matters greatly. Take Granite Peak Ski Area, part of Rib Mountain State Park. Next year, it will celebrate its 85th Anniversary. From humble beginnings in the Great Depression, Granite Peak has grown into the largest ski area in Wisconsin and one of the […]
Read More >
For a guy that skied more than 100 days last season, you’d think Brian Grefe could fairly be called a ski bum. Fanatic, yes. Enthusiast, yes. Bum, not so much. In fact, when he’s not skiing or helping his wife raise their two children — all of whom also ski — Grefe is the Airport […]
Read More >
What do local shredders, tourist families with kids and WW II veterans of the 10th Mountain Alpine Division have in common? Love for 700 vertical feet of 1.7-billion-year-old metamorphic rock all covered in snow. Granite Peak ski area at Rib Mountain State Park is one of the oldest, highest and largest ski hills in the […]
Read More >
