Winter Activity Goals - Part I Downhill Skiing

Something new for me...I've never put together a winter activity goal list. But if I want to get serious about toning up and losing some weight I need to stay active and one of the best ways to stay active is to make goals and set a schedule.


Key areas of activities
• Downhill Skiing
• Snowshoeing
• Cross Country Skiing
• Ice skating
• Winter Hiking

Now, figure there are 3 key months for winter activies - Jan, Feb, and March. And this year we only have half of March because of a trip to Italy. Any winter actitivity in December is just a jump start or bonus. You can't always count on enough snow in Wisconsin in December; only about half of Christmases are white. Speaking of Christmas, the holiday season eats up so much time, its hard to get in some of the winter activites (especially the ones that tend to take up a full day).


Given our time limits (under 3 months) and cost (downhill skiing especially gets expensive) I'll be defining these goals by activities.  Starting with Downhill skiiing.

Downhill Skiing - one of my favorite activities in my 20s and early 30s.  Now its become a once a year activity.... but I'm changing that this year.  The goals is 5 days of skiing.  Normally that could get expensive but I have 2 free lift tickets (with some restrictions) from attending the Warren Miller movie, and I've found two small ski hills in the extended area that have $12 skiing on certain days.   Plus I've felt the need to try a (very) small ski area that is very close to my house.  Drum roll......here are the 5 downhill ski locations and planned dates:

• Chestnut Mountain, Galina, IL http://www.chestnutmtn.com/
• free ticket from Warren Miller, either before Dec 24 or after March 5
• target date: Sunday, Dec 20
• Granite Peak, Wausau, WI http://www.skigranitepeak.com/ 
• free ticket from Warren Miller, either before Dec 24 or a WEEKDAY between Jan 5 and Feb 5
• target date: Friday, Jan 8 (vacation day)
  
• Tyrol Basin, Mt Horeb, WI http://www.tyrolbasin.com/
• $12 every Tuesday, 10 am - 9pm or $12 Friday nights, 7:30 - 11pm
• target date : Friday, Jan 12
• Nordic Mountain, Mt Morris, WI http://www.nordicmountain.com/
• $11 Ladies day on Fridays
• target date: Friday, Feb 12 (vacation day -approx 3 hr drive)
• Highlands of Olympia Ski Hill, Oconomowoc, WI 
• very close to my home, less than 30 min drive
• they don't have a web page which is concerning to me 
• target date: Tuesday night in Jan (5,12,19.26) - pick actual date based on expected weather conditions