La Crosse Snow Bowl

People in La Crosse were skiing the nearby bluffs by the late 1800s. By the late 1930s there was enough interest for a proper hill, and the Snow Bowl was laid out on a 350-acre tract on and around Charles Haas's farm, east of town along what is now Highway 33. The La Crosse Junior Chamber of Commerce paid the land rent and raised money for a warming shelter, built at the base in 1937–38. Haas, one of its members, kept the tow running and built fires for skiers, and the La Crosse Ski Club gave free lessons on weekends.^1,2,3

The hill drew notice beyond the city. In 1939 the weather bureau station in La Crosse began a snow report service, and in early 1940 the Snow Bowl was chosen to host the Central United States downhill and slalom championships. Trail maps of the area date from 1951. The Midwest Lost Ski Areas Project lists it twice, with 400 or 475 feet of vertical, and gives 1958 as its last year in both entries.^2,3,4,5,6

The land was left largely alone afterward. It now belongs to the Outdoor Recreation Alliance, which is building a trail network there, and the chimney of the old chalet still stands beside one trail.^1,2

TodayThe Outdoor Recreation Alliance owns the land and is building the ORA Community Trail Farm there, a 277-acre trail network for biking, walking, running and skiing. (2026)^1,2