Fort McCoy’s Whitetail Ridge Ski Area had its best season for customers ever during the 2022-2023 winter season with 14,465 customers, officials with the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR) said.
“Fort McCoy's Whitetail Ridge Ski Area closed for the season March 5 after celebrating a record-breaking season,” said DFMWR Director Patric McGuane. “Also on Friday, March 3, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Mr. Joseph Lamb purchased the 13,883rd ticket of the 2022-2023 season at Whitetail Ridge, and he was given his Golden Ticket where he was the lucky winner of a 2023-2024 season pass. Whitetail Ridge went on to eclipse the 14,000 customers mark for the year … thank you to all the Ski Patrol volunteers, DFMWR employees and the Fort McCoy teams who made this season the most successful in Fort McCoy history.”
The previous best year was the 2020-2021 season where 13,882 people went to the ski area, and the third best now was the 2021-2022 season where the ski area had 12,889 customers, said DFMWR Business and Recreation Division Chief Karla M. Rynes.
“Our team did a great job to keep the hill going when Mother Nature did not play nice,” Rynes said. “But Alex (Karis) and the Outdoor Recreation team fought hard and kept it going. I am very proud of the whole team! It was a great season, and I can't wait to see what the camping season brings us.”
Karis, who serves as a DFMWR recreation specialist and facility manager in the Outdoor Recreation section, said he was glad to see the work everyone did at Whitetail Ridge help contribute to a highly successful season.
“With the hard work, dedication, and positive attitude of the entire Outdoor Recreation team, Whitetail Ridge Ski Area had a record-breaking year,” Karis said. “While Mother Nature threw some challenges in during December, the Outdoor Recreation maintenance crew worked around the clock, through freezing temperatures, rain, and even a blizzard to have the hill ready as soon as possible.
“And with recent dirt excavation projects that aided in the snowmaking operation, we were able to open the tubing area Dec. 27, and in the six days that week, Whitetail Ridge was able to accommodate over 2,700 tubers, which foreshadowed what the year was to bring,” Karis said. “While the weather did bring challenges throughout the season, we experienced a warmer winter compared to the past few and made for some busy weekends. Add that to local schools that have been able to reduce their restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to welcome back those schools for field trips during the week. Additionally, we were able to add to our ski school with the help of countless volunteers, add an adaptative ski program through a partnership with NASA (North American Squirrel Association), continued a partnership with the Fort McCoy Child and Youth Services SKIES program, and we had a revamped Grade A Snow Day program. Through all of that, we bypassed our previous record of 13,882 passes sold to end the year at 14,465.
“None of this could have been possible without volunteer support from our instructors as well as our volunteer National Ski Patrol Members, as well as the Fort McCoy Army Community Service Office to assist in the volunteer program,” Karis said. “Additional support was greatly received and appreciated from the Fort McCoy MWR Noon-Appropriated Funds Support Division, added support on staffing from Rumple Fitness Center and McCoy’s Community Center, and our Fort McCoy MWR leadership team at the director and chief level. Most importantly, I would like to thank the Outdoor Recreation staff. Without them none of this was possible. They were here through all kinds of weather, large volume business days, holidays, and weekends. Their positive attitude and hard work made for an enjoyable season, and I received nothing but compliments from customers on the staff’s attitude and work ethic, which was also a first.
“Lastly, I would like to thank the customers who came out to support the program,” Karis said. “Without their trust in us to make a family friendly, fun, safe environment, all of our employees’ dedication and hard work would be for naught, so thank you to all who came out and supported DFMWR on the record-breaking season at Whitetail Ridge Ski Area.”
Whitetail Ridge provides a family-friendly facility operated by Fort McCoy DFMWR. The ski area offers downhill skiing and snowboarding for both novice and experienced athletes. The ski hill features a 185-foot vertical drop and a self-loading T-bar. It also offers a terrain park for snowboarders.
For snowtubing, ride up to the top of the hill on the Magic Carpet, then slide down one of five 800-foot-long runs. The tubing hill was relandscaped during the previous summer and fall, adding more dirt and reshaping the hill. The improvements mean less snow is needed to create a smooth base for tubing, plus additional runs are now available.
Whitetail Ridge also offers cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails. The chalet and Ten Point Pub offer a warm break from outside activities. Learn more at https://mccoy.armymwr.com/programs/whitetail-ridge-ski-area.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.” Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.
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