Midwest Skiing Set to Begin in Wisconsin at Trollhaugen’s OpenHaugen in October

It’s almost that time, Midwest skiers.

Next month, Wisconsin’s famous Trollhaugen Ski Area is celebrating the beginning of the 2026-27 season with its 21st annual OpenHaugen event, signifying the looming start of the Midwestern ski season. Taking place on Oct. 3-4, skiers can enjoy rope tow sessions from 11 a.m-4 p.m, alongside food, lift rides, a ski sale, gear swap, and more.

This year’s OpenHaugen marks the resort’s 21st consecutive year holding the event. Over the years, the ski area has been perfecting its snowfarming technique, making it possible to ski in October — over a month before natural snow begins to fall. At the end of each winter season, the resort takes the remaining snow scattered throughout the hill and pushes it all onto one run. The resort then covers the snow in hay and lays a tarp over top, insulating the snow and keeping it fresh for OpenHaugen.

“Five months down … one to go,” the resort wrote in its Facebook post. “Our giant pile of saved snow is hanging tough for Openhaugen!”

Ski and ride sessions will take place on the farmed snow, and participants will use the resort’s rope tow to get in as many laps as possible. With park riding being Trollhaugen’s claim to fame, sessions will be rail-focused. The resort’s park crew will build a park with intermediate and advanced features, so park and tow rope experience are required to participate in snow sessions.

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The first ski session will go down on Oct. 3 from 11 a.m – 4 p.m. Skiers and snowboarders can choose one of three 90-minute sessions, and participants must be at least 8 years old. The Saturday session is the perfect opportunity to get park laps in ahead of the wintertime, as well as to reconnect with riding buddies and celebrate the beginning of the 2026-27 season.

As part of its tradition, OpenHaugen will also include an amateur and pro-level rail jam on Oct. 4. The amateur jam will feature park riders of varied skill levels, and participants must be between the ages of 8 and 17. The pro jam is catered towards high-level park riders who have been throwing down for years, and participants are recommended to be 18 and older. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top men’s and women’s skiers and snowboarders, as well as a prize for the top grom in the amateur jam. Each contest will be two hours long.

Between Saturday’s open session and Sunday’s contest session, participants are limited to one for the entirety of the weekend. Fans can sign up for spots starting on Thursday on the resort’s Website.

“Choose wisely, it will sell out,” Trollhaugen wrote.

• Related: The Best U.S. Park Resorts, Ranked by a Freestyle Skier Who’s Ridden Them

In addition to the rail jams, Trollhaugen is celebrating the oncoming winter with various other festivities at OpenHaugen. Guests can enjoy lift rides and hay rides, food from the bar and grill, and deals at the ski swap and shop sale.

The resort is also hosting a canned food and coat drive as it has in previous years. Guests who donate two canned or boxed food items, baby diapers/wipes, or a gently used coat will receive a Troll Lift Ticket Discount Coupon. Over the past 10 years, the resort has donated over 50,000 pounds of food thanks to its drive.

With OpenHaugen on the horizon, it can only mean one thing: the winter season is near in the Midwest. Resorts typically begin to open in mid-to-late November, with some experts predicting Trollhaugen will open for full-time winter operations on Nov. 13.

In the meantime, if you’re a park rider itching to get on the snow and can’t wait any longer, Openhaugen is the perfect chance to get some warm-up laps in.