10 Most Frequently Asked Questions

1. When do you normally open for skiing in the fall/winter?

We usually are open by mid November,  some years we have opened in October for a weekend.  We are good at being ready with the groomers prepped and trails ready. We will groom in some cases if it looks like we will just get a weekend out of a snow storm and have it melt away the next week.

2. What do you do in the summer?

We work on maintaining and improving the trails and buildings. We make about 100-150 cords of firewood. We maintain all of the groomers and other equipment. We also hire out with our equipment on building trails for others. After that is done we do get out on the horses to enjoy the trails, walk on the trails, bird hunt on the trails and then it is winter again!

3. What time do the trails close?

The trails close at dark (around 4-4:30 CST) early season until we have perfect ski conditions.  In December and January, we close the trails around 5-5:30 PM. In February, we close about 6 PM and in March. we close  at 6 PM. Season pass holders can typically ski a bit later. We close the ski shop at 4 PM or a bit earlier if it is quiet and we keep the back room open until the skiers have cleared out.

4. What is the earliest we can ski in the morning?

9:00 AM CST, no exceptions. We often groom in the morning starting very early. We allow set up time for the trails to harden. This is the equivalent of paint drying; let the paint dry, skiing starts at 9 AM.

5. Can we hike or bike here in the summer?

No, the trails are closed in the summer. There are many nice places to hike and bike in the area. The trails may be opened to the public when the Anderson Bluff and River Trail Foundation takes over in April 2025

6.  What wildlife will we see on the trails?

It depends on the time of the year.  Whitetail deer, grouse, Baird Owls, red squirrels, fischer, porcupines, otter on the river,  coyote,

7. What is your favorite part of running the business?

We real enjoy making a nice place for people to enjoy with such a healthy activity. Seeing the customers happy and having fun is very rewarding.

8. Can we fat bike  (snow bike) on the trails?

No, sorry.

9. When will you groom next?

When we need to.  We like to groom early in the morning so that if it snows overnight (and it does often) we can groom the new snow and have it “set” for 9 AM. Sometime we groom a portion of the trails after closing in the evening and on occasion in a snow storm we may groom during the day throughout the snowstorm if it is safe to the skiers. We do have a redundant set of groomer machines, both Pisten Bullies and snowmobiles, We also have groomer operators on stand by. It has never happened in the last 20 years, where equipment breakdowns or lack of skilled operators has caused a lack of quality grooming.

10. Can I bring a bus and where do I park?

Thank you for asking.  Don’t trust your Tom tom, Google or GPS — listen to us, please.  There are three roads that intersect at our driveway/ entrance. Although we use all three in the summer months with our equipment and dump trucks and semi tractor trailers, only two of the roads work for urban coach busses and drivers in the winter.

A.  You can enter off of South Range road, just pull in straight and park along the wood pile.  This works well for busses from the east or west coming from US2, exiting at the Holiday gas station in Ironwood. When you leave back out with a spotter and go around the block to the downhill (east).

B. Coming from the south and the shortcut on County C you can enter from the east on West Pioneer Road.  The best way to enter is to turn north on South Range and back up into our bus parking lot with a spotter.

C. Do not use Riverside Road to West Pioneer Road to  enter ABR, please, unless you are very skilled and the roads and tires have a good friction factor. A bus stuck, blocking the driveway is not good for business and is very expensive. Gregs Towing is 3 miles away but not always available.