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For Midwestern skiers that like to get in a lot of slope time around the country outside the Heartland, a few new options are available for this season.

It’s been a great winter across the Heartland. Lots of snow still on the slopes, longer days to enjoy them, and many areas celebrate the season with spring carnivals. SnoCountry takes a look.

Michigan snowboarder David Zemens and friend Sabato Caputo have set a new North American record for snowboarding the most ski areas in a 24-hour period. They were able to hit 16 ski areas starting Friday evening, Jan. 11 in the northern half of the Lower Peninsula and ending Saturday evening on Jan. 12 near Detroit.

The 2018-19 winter is off to a great start all across the Midwest. Most ski areas across the upper tier of the Heartland and around the Great Lakes opened in November, and the rest across the Lower Midwest, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, opened this past weekend or scheduled to open next weekend.

The Michigan Snowsports Industries Association (MSIA) is offering a White Gold Card that allows you to ski or snowboard a full day at 33 Michigan ski areas, and Skiing Wisconsin offers a coupon book allowing you a day at 17 participating Badger State ski areas. It keeps your lift ticket cost for the day to around $8.

Winter has arrived across the upper Midwest. Many ski areas and resorts are opening this weekend, and Thanksgiving Weekend also looks good if you want to get away for that first ski trip of the new season.

Heartland big-city skiers and riders sometimes have to drive a little further to find a ski hill worthy for playing midweek hooky. But, hooky-worthy ski areas are around, and arriving mid-week you avoid the large weekend crowds.

Wilmot Mountain in the early days. (Wilmot/Facebook) 

Three of the Heartland’s oldest ski areas, Granite Peak and Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin, and Caberfae Peaks in Michigan, turned 80 this winter, and all are thriving well. 

Boyne Highlands freshly groomed. (Boyne)

Winter has arrived across the upper Midwest and is even allowing some ski areas in the lower Heartland to fire up and test the snowguns. It’s some of the earliest openings in 20 years.

Crystal Mountain Inn at the Mountain expansion taking place. (Crystal Mountain)

Despite the warm winter across the Midwest last season that negatively impacted the ski season a half-dozen ski resorts are completing major projects for the 2016/17 winter season. Four are located in Michigan and one each in Ohio and Wisconsin.

Three ski resorts in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula—Shanty Creek, Treetops and Caberfae Peaks— have been busy making improvements for the coming winter season. Look for more snowmaking capability, lodge renovations, upgraded rental equipment and cross country improvements.

With all the early snowfall and great snowmaking weather that invaded northern Michigan in November the slopes are in great shape. Several resorts are offering some nice early season lift and lodging specials. Take advantage.

It’s the winter that just keeps on giving. Don’t put those skis or boards away just yet. Check out these events and lift and lodging packages taking place this weekend and into mid-April across the Heartland.

The winter of 2013/14 may have brought the most snow in decades — breaking 100 year old records across the Heartland — but it also had a downside: record-breaking cold.

The Michigan Ski Industries Association (MSIA) is offering all state fourth graders the chance to ski and snowboard for free this winter, and White Gold Card holders can ski or ride 32 different areas across the Wolverine State for around $6.20 per lift ticket.

After a good 2012/13 season, one of the longest in recent memory, destination resorts across northern Lower Michigan have made some major improvements over the summer getting ready for the upcoming winter. Let it snow.

It’s been one of the best finishes to the ski season in decades across the Heartland, and it’s not done yet.  A number of ski resorts across the upper Great Lakes remain plan to be open into mid-April.

How would you like to get a free lift ticket to your favorite ski resort every time you fill your gas tank? Well, you can. Here's how:

A couple of old Midwest standbys, Wilmot Mountain in southern Wisconsin, and Caberfae Peaks in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, celebrate turning 75 this winter.