One of the most popular places to ski in northern Minnesota is Spirit Mountain (located at 9500 Spirit Mountain Place, Duluth). Although it isn't a very big skiing area, its 700-foot vertical drop is steep for the region, and it boasts the largest terrain park in the Midwest.
Trail Variety and Difficulty
Most of the ski and snowboard areas in Minnesota are dominated by beginner trails, however, Spirit Mountain has a surprisingly high amount of difficult runs. Of their 22 trails, only six of them are for beginners, and another six are rated "black diamond". In addition, the Four Pipe run is a lengthy 5,400 feet.
But what really impresses me about Spirit Mountain is its areas dedicated to trick skiing. Their terrain park is a full half mile, and there are all sorts of jibs and jumps along the way. Furthermore, there is a Super Pipe for those with more advanced skills.
Pricing and Hours
Lift tickets are similar or slightly more expensive than other Minnesota ski resorts. An adult ticket for eight hours of skiing is $42, and for children 7 to 12 years old and seniors, it's $32. If you want to save some money, there are weekend, four-hour, and night pass discounts.
Spirit Mountain is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, they stay open an extra hour. On March 19, they shift to late-season hours, which means 5 p.m. becomes the new closing time. The resort sets a tentative closing date for April 1, but depending on the weather, this can change.
Lessons
There are several different lesson plans to choose from, ranging from instruction for young children to three-hour private lessons for adults. However, their most popular package is the First Tracks program for beginners. This is a group lesson that is ideal for first-time skiers, and the price is $60 for three hours.
Other Activities
Spirit Mountain has recently opened a snow tubing and an alpine coaster area. I would recommend these areas for kids, since they are inexpensive and exciting for youngsters.
As far as concessions go, there aren't that many options at the resort, but that's not a big loss because there are a lot of restaurants in the area.
Floyd Saunders, a native of snowy Minnesota, has been a downhill and cross-country skier since childhood.
