Skyline Ski Area Hoodie

Skyline Ski Area in Friendship embodied the "family ski area" as well as any hill in Wisconsin during most of its run. Alex Ginter, a sawmill owner and Christmas tree farmer, bought land on the western side of Friendship Mound in the late 1950s and added a run that his family and friends would have to hike up to go down and carve a few turns. Then he added a single rope tow in the winter of 1960/1961 and he and his wife Evelyn opened the area to the general public. 

Ginter added a double chairlift in 1968 and began planning a new chalet. Lighting struck the newly constructed chalet in the spring of 1969, but Ginter had the building immediately rebuilt and ready to go for the next ski season. By 1972, Skyline had the first triple chairlift in the Midwest, to go along with the double chair and three rope tows.

Skyline survived the 1980s but the Ginters announced it would not open for the 1990-91 season. However, Wisconsin Dells businessmen Tom Lucke and Todd Nelson purchased the hill from the Ginters in 1990 and kept it alive. Skyline finally closed in 2003. The property has been for sale for a number of years.

Man, this was a different era of skiing. A pure, beautiful one.