Early snowfall in Wisconsin lends ‘jump start’ to season after recent mild winters

Doug Horstmeyer has been riding snowmobiles since he was 12.

For the past few days, the Cambridge resident has been busy getting around 27 miles of snowmobile trails ready for the riding season — maintained by the Utica-Nora Area Trailblazers snowmobile club. Recent snow storms dropped several inches of snow in the area, meaning he and other snowmobilers are looking forward to hitting the trails.

“It’s very exciting,” Horstmeyer said. “It’s been many years since we’ve been able to ride in December, so it’s pretty awesome.”

Recent Wisconsin winters have seen lower snowfall totals, and the state saw its warmest winter on record in 2024. But recent snow storms around the Thanksgiving holiday have led to an early start to the winter season.

Like other ski hills throughout the state, Mt. La Crosse Ski and Snowboard has a snow maker. Even so, Darcie Breidel, the general manager of the ski hill, said she believes the early snowfall will lead to more people coming out to the hill on opening day this Friday.

“It (snow) just gets the community excited,” Breidel said. “It’s really tough to talk people into coming out when there’s no snow on the ground.”

Breidel said there was no snow in the La Crosse area on opening day last year.

“So this snowfall has just been awesome,” Breidel said. “It just makes it feel like winter. I think everyone’s just super excited to get out and enjoy some skiing.”

Gus Kaiser, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Green Bay office, said Wisconsin temperatures are expected to remain below freezing for the next week. He said some parts of the state could also get more snow in the coming days.

Those cold temperatures mean the snow will have staying power — a big change from recent warm winters.

Eric Peterson, forest administrator for Iron County, said the 305 miles of snowmobile trails in his county were only open for 10 days during the 2023-24 winter season. This year, they’re open ahead of schedule.

“That’s super encouraging for our local businesses, who rely so heavily on that winter snowmobile business,” Peterson said.

Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers said the recent snowfall has provided a “jump start” to the winter tourism season.

“We’re extremely hopeful that this winter will continue to be snowy and that’ll mean really good news for Wisconsin communities,” Sayers said.

Cody Kees, sales manager at Ken’s Sports in Kaukauna, said business has been booming the past few days as families have been stocking up on cold-weather gear and clothing.

“Snowmobile customers are finally getting excited for early snow, which, rarely do we see this snow this early in the year, especially the last few years,” Kees said.

Kees said more people have been buying snow plows for their ATVs.

“If the snow starts early, we stay busy throughout the winter,” Kees said.

Wisconsin is home to North America’s largest cross-country ski race, the American Birkebeiner Ski Race. Chris Morley, the vice president of the Birkie and a Hayward resident, said he’s been cross-country skiing ever since last week’s storm.

“It’s not only the cross-country skiing, but … you just see people out in the woods now, and they’re on snow shoes, and they’ve got their dogs hooked up to ski harnesses,” Morley said.

“There’s just so much enthusiasm to be outside in the in the snow and in the woods here right now. It’s amazing,” he added.