During the winter months, Wild Mountain delivers 26 runs and 4 terrain parks across 100 acres of terrain. The ski area has 4 chairlifts, 4 rope tows and one conveyor. Wild Mountain enjoys a vintage base lodge which was originally constructed in 1960 and has had numerous additions.[1] The base lodge was upgraded between 2021 and 2023 including a new bar, new flooring, updated bathrooms, new deck and an updated entrance.
Wild Mountain also has a snow tubing park that has a conveyor lift and a 100 vertical foot decent. The tubing park has a sound system thumping music during all sessions. Then, at dusk the tubing park hosts Starlight Tubing which features a laser and colorful lights spread across the park.
Wild Mountain is owned by Sara Larsen (President). The general manager is Nathan Hakseth.
Geography
Wild Mountain is located one hour northeast of the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. It is located 7 miles north of Taylors Falls. From North Branch you can take interstate 35. The resort lies on the western bank of the scenic St. Croix River[2] and has many tall bluffs and hills next to its shores, some being 300–400 feet tall. [3]
Environmental Excellence
In 2023, Wild Mountain was honored by the National Ski Areas Association with the Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence. This award is given annually to a ski industry leader in sustainability with broad programming and a holistic approach leading to overall environmental achievement across their operations.[4]
Additionally, Wild Mountain has achieved carbon neutrality since 2020, an environmental milestone, through reducing energy use, diverting waste and offsetting carbon. Wild Mountain was the first ski area in North America to achieve this recognition.
Environmental stewardship is a key pillar to Wild Mountain’s operations, and we achieved the CarbonNeutral® Certificatio (R) from Climate Impact Partners, the leading experts on carbon neutrality, which works with organizations around the world to deliver solutions that ensure immediate, positive impacts on the world’s natural capital.
To achieve carbon neutrality,[5] Climate Impact Partners worked with us to calculate and offset the property’s unavoidable emissions by supporting a project to reduce the equivalent emissions. Natural Capital Partners identified the Seneca Meadows Landfill Gas project in New York and reforestation projects in the Amazon as offset projects that could not exist without funding from organizations like ours.
Historical Opening Dates
Wild Mountain is known nationally for its early opening dates for skiing and snowboarding. Below is a historical list of its opening dates.
Earliest opening since opening of ski area in 1960.
1983 & 1984
no records
no records
1985
October 31
1986
no records
no records
1987
November 9
$8 ticket
1988
October 26
$7 ticket
1989
November 4
$14 ticket, closed April 9
1990
October 19
1991
October 18
1st ski area in the U.S to open.
1993
October 31
1994
November 15
1995
November 3
1996
no records
no records
1997
October 27
1998
November 4
1999
November 3
$20 ticket. November 20–26, Daisy trail only for $6
2000
November 15
2001
November 20
$20 ticket, Open November 24–27, November 30-5, then December 7 and beyond
2002
October 23
$10 ticket
2003
November 6
$12 ticket for Expressway, Daisy and Sunshine
2004
November 11
Snow on the ground by November 8, $6 Daisy ticket
2005
November 17
$15 ticket for Daisy and Sunshine
2006
November 1
$15 ticket for Expressway and Daisy. 100% open on January 3
2007
November 7
$16 ticket for Expressway
2008
October 28
$16 ticket for Expressway
2009
November 15
$16 ticket for Expressway
2010
October 29
$15 ticket for Expressway and Daisy through October 31. Reopened November 5–8, then November 14 and beyond. 100% open on November 27. First area in northern hemisphere to have 100% coverage.[7]
2011
October 29
$10 ticket for Front Stage, Expressway added on November 18. Rained on Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend
