Preseason Turns at Trollhaugen
A Guide to Pre Season Skiing in the Midwest
Winter athletes wait all summer for that first official day back on snow, the sound of your boots clipping in, and your skis hitting snow, the season finally feels real again.
A Midwest Staple
Trollhaugen Outdoor Recreation Area in Dresser, Wisconsin is a Midwest staple for skiers and snowboarders. While the race to open early is usually dominated by resorts out West with their massive natural snowfall, the Midwest plays by different rules, and Trollhaugen plays them better than anyone.
Instead of relying on fresh snow, Trollhaugen hosts its first rail jam as early as October, using snow they save from the previous season. Yes, actual snow, preserved through the summer. That alone makes them the best place to get early season turns.
And yes, that means I moved 400 miles away from the cities… only to drive back south for preseason turns.
$20 Late Nights
Typically, I head to Trollhaugen for their legendary $20 Friday Night Late Night Skiing. They fire the lifts back up at 9 p.m., light every run they can reopen, and spin chairs until 1 a.m.
These nights bring out the real hooligan in everyone. The park is always packed, nothing new for Troll, and the après scene is about as close to Europe as you’ll find at this elevation in the Midwest.
Snow Farming
Another reason Trollhaugen shines? Their preseason commitment.
At the end of each season, the snow staff pushes all remaining snow into one massive pile, then covers it with straw and tarps to insulate it from the Midwest summer sun. This snow farming effort makes Trollhaugen one of, if not the, first Midwest resorts to open almost every year.
While the terrain might be limited, it absolutely scratches the itch that every avid skier feels this time of year. This season was no different, maybe even earlier than usual. Chairs were spinning, and the season was officially underway.
My Earliest Opening Day Yet
I made the drive from the Upper Peninsula down to Dresser to lap their single open run top-to-bottom until my legs said no more. With northern resorts still weeks away from opening, this was the fix I needed.
My first day on snow this season was November 15th, the earliest yet. I managed about 10 runs, totaling roughly 3,400 vertical feet. Not a massive day, but more than enough to wake the legs back up.
3 Things to Expect Skiing Preseason at Trollhaugen
1. A Lot of People
Preseason hype is real, and everyone shows up hungry.
2. One “Run”
Like most Midwest resorts, Trollhaugen typically opens with one solid strip of snow just to get things going. What makes Troll special is how early they open their park, sometimes as early as October, thanks to their snow-farming efforts and nationally recognized park scene.
They have their reasons. Most riders don’t care. Everyone’s just happy to get turns in.
3. A Packed Park
If you’re visiting Trollhaugen in the early preseason (October through November), expect one packed run and a park that looks like a hooligan daycare center, in the best way possible.
Park rats of all ages and abilities pack the rope tow edge-to-edge, all hoping to hit a rail without getting cut off.
Not exactly my scene but hey, maybe one day.
Day One of the 25-26 Season
Overall, it was a great afternoon. I redeemed my first Indy Pass of the season and got in some solid turns to wake my muscles back up. There were definitely a few runs where my legs felt like a baby deer on an icy pond, but by the end of the day, my body felt strong. Like maybe everything I did in the offseason actually mattered. Only time will tell.
