The "Same Old. Brand New." Story
We want Wild Mountain to be successful today, and successful in 100 years from today. That means we need to make investments for the good of our campus and the climate.
Improvements are being made from laptop to mountaintop to improve the guest experience. Plus, we are making decisions that address carbon emissions, waste diversion and support renewable energy.
Our investments in the physical property and the environment are just getting started. We still have a long road ahead of us, but we hope you’ll notice our efforts on this journey.
All of these investments have a common thread – we intend to Keep It Wild. What’s that mean? It’s simple - Wild Mountain is a special place and 100% Minnesota. We intend to retain the vibe that been humming here for the last 61 years.
New Action Pool For 2024
Our waterpark is getting a big addition! This summer we will break ground on a new action pool complete with basketball hoops, a lilypad crossing and spraying jets. This new amenity will also come with a new dining area, bathrooms and a tiki bar!
Construction will begin in June of 2023 and the new pool will open in the summer of 2024.
Exterior and Arrival Updates Coming Summer 2023
Wild Mountain is updating the arrival experience in a big way beginning this spring. We'll be modifying our entrance into the base lodge with larger doors, windows and a modern exterior. The entire base lodge will be painted, plus we'll be adding some landscaping to soften the hardscape.
Then, remove the old schoolhouse building and create a new guest drop-off zone and roundabout. All together the arrival experiece will change from "eww" to "wow."
New Chairlift For Winter 23/24
Wild Mountain is getting a new chairlift, baybeeeeeeee!
Yup, you heard that right, we will be installing a brand-spanking-new Skytrac 4-person chairlift. The new chairlift will run parallel to Chair 2, and act as a replacement for the current Chair 3 which was the first chairlift built at Wild Mountain in 1972.
The new chairlift will become the primary chairlift used for access from the base lodge, but Chair 2 will remain in use for summer operations and high visitation days during the winter.
We’ve begun clearing the trees between Ego Alley and the Wild trails to make room for the chair. We’ll complete the tree clearing in the coming weeks. Then, we’ll do our site survey in August which will allow manufacturing oif our chairlift components to take place this winter. Finally, the new chairlift will be erected during the summer of 2023 and ready for use during the 23/24 ski season.
Once this new chairlift is installed, we will remove Chair 3 which will make the South Wild trail free of lift tower obstructions. Vintage chairs from the disassembled chairlift will be available for purchase next summer (details TBD).
This investment marks the first new chairlift installed at Wild Mountain since Chair 1 was installed in 1983 – 39 years ago.
Other Capital Improvements
New bathrooms were installed on the lower level for use in both summer and winter. The Eagles Nest Restaurant has been updated with a new menu, updated kitchen, new flooring, new paint and modern furniture. We are adding a new bar and lounge adjacent to the Eagle’s Nest! The new bar will have a long row of seats along the counter, plus it will have a sitting area with great views of the slopes. It will open for the winter of 2021/22. We will be constructing a 2,000 square foot deck on the west side of our building. The new deck will be a gathering place for afternoon sun in both summer and winter. This amenity will be open for the winter of 2021/22. We are updating our chairlifts to make them more beautiful and extend their life. The carriers on Chairlifts 1 and 2 have been repainted and new oak slats have been added to give them gorgeous vintage look. Plus, we’ve repainted many of the lift buildings and added barn quilt signage as a nod to the regions Swedish heritage. We’ll make these same improvements to Chairs 3 and 4 in future seasons. We’ve reimagined our retail area to add space and create a more enjoyable shopping experience. Plus, we've increased our inventory to add more logo gear, glassware and essentials. The beginner experience is critically important to growing participation in winter sports. And, learning on modern gear makes the first day on snow even better. So, we have begun the multi-year process of updating our rental equipment fleet. Our online shopping experience has been enhanced with a new ecommerce site. Now guests can purchase all of our service online with a single shopping cart.
LOWER LEVEL BATHROOMS
UPDATED EAGLES NEST
BAR & LOUNGE
SUN DECK
CHAIRLIFT REFURBISHMENT
RETAIL EXPERIENCE
RENTAL EQUIPMENT
ECOMMERCE
