Afton Alps is a
ski area
A ski area is the terrain and supporting infrastructure where skiing and other snow sports take place. Such sports include alpine and cross-country skiing, snow boarding, tubing, sledding, etc. Ski areas may stand alone or be part of a ski resort. ...
, which hosts a collection of
ski
Skis are runners, attached to the user's feet, designed to glide over snow. Typically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partially secured heel. For climbing slopes, ski skins c ...
and
snowboard
Snowboards are boards where the user places both feet, usually secured, to the same board. The board itself is wider than most skis, with the ability to glide on snow."snowboarding." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 17 Mar ...
trails, located along the
St. Croix River in the northeast corner of
Denmark Township, Washington County, south of
Afton, Minnesota
Afton ( ) is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,886 at the 2010 United States census. It lies on a small bay where Valley Creek empties into the St. Croix River, several miles north of its confluenc ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. There are nearly skiable at Afton Alps. The ski hill has of vertical drop. The Alps utilizes an extensive
snowmaking system for maintaining the slopes during the winter months. There are a total of 36 trails with 15
chairlifts
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel wire rope loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers. They are the primary on-hill tr ...
, three conveyor lifts (including one tubing lift), and a double-sided rope tow in the Landing Zone Terrain Park. There are five
chalet
A chalet (pronounced in British English; in American English usually ), also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, typical of the Alpine region in Europe. It is made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof and wide, well-su ...
s, including the Meadows Chalet, the Highlands Chalet, the Alpine Chalet, Landing Zone (also has a Yurt) and the Alps Chalet (Main Chalet). Afton Alps' winter season runs mid-November through mid-March.
On December 6, 2012 it was announced that Afton Alps has been sold to
Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc. is an American mountain resort company headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. The company is divided among divisions that own and operate 42 mountain resorts in four countries, along with hotels, lodging, condominiums, and gol ...
of Colorado.
Activities
The following are activities included at Afton Alps:
*
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel Ski binding, bindings, unlike other types of skiing (Cross-country skiing, cross-country, Telemark skiing, Telemark, or ski jumping) ...
*
Night skiing
Night skiing is the sport of skiing or snowboarding after sundown, offered at many ski areas. There are floodlights – with metal halide, LED or magnetic induction lamps – along the piste which allow for better visibility. The night ski ...
*
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralym ...
* Tubing
External links
Afton Alps Homepage
References
The City of AftonAfton AlpsOn The SnowAfton Alps statsHudson WI Patch article St. Croix Valley ski history
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Ski areas and resorts in Minnesota
Buildings and structures in Washington County, Minnesota
Tourist attractions in Washington County, Minnesota
Vail Resorts