Four Lakes

It's not often that one can find a place to ski or snowboard in a metropolitan area, so that makes the Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports facility worth a glance on its own. Many residents of Chicago and neighboring suburbs learned to ride one or two planks at this winter venue, and its gentle and friendly beginner terrain is an ideal place for newbies to start.

Located within Illinois Technology and Research Corridor's village of Lisle, it is reached by traveling just outside of downtown Chicago by I-55 or I-88. Transfering to Illinois State Highway 53 gets motorists to the venue. O'Hare International Airport is the busiest hub that people fly into around here.

Beginners are Welcome

The Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports venue is just that; a place for downhill fun. Visitors come here to learn or brush up on skiing and snowboarding. It is a small venue that does not offer other winter activities like Cross-country, snowshoeing, winter biking, snowmobiling, or snow tubing.

The winter venue does stay busy for its size and what it provides, however. As part of the Chicago metropolitan area, the ski area does not offer overnight accommodations. Fine dining, lodging, retail shopping, and entertainment are provided in abundance by the surrounding area. There is a cafeteria as well as a restaurant and bar on-site, though.

The main building at the Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports complex holds everything except the emergency & first aid station, which are in a separate building on the other side of the parking lot. Guest services include an ATM, lost and found, information desk, ticket office, and restrooms. The meet-up area for lessons is right outside of the rental shop, which is convenient for newbies. A beginner-friendly layout puts the learning terrain next to the main building, with runs getting longer the farther they are from the Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports "lodge."

Building a Proper Alpine Foundation

The Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports venue teaches skiers and riders what to do, with a secondary mission of providing beginners of all ages access to runs close to their homes. Lisle, Illinois, receives a little over 28 inches of annual snowfall. That requires the facilities to maintain snowmaking equipment to cover the park's terrain. The Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports facility is also equipped with lighting so that guests can enjoy a bit of snow after a long workday.

It would be misleading to refer to the terrain here as a mountain; it is more a hillside. The verticle drop at the Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports winter venue is only 100 feet. That is still more than enough to provide challenges and fun to the crowd that comes here. Everything is wide open and straight, making it easier for newbies to gain confidence.

Seven surface lifts shuffle guests around the Four Lakes Alpine Snowsports area, taking away the intimidation of chair lifts. Four runs offer green ratings to learn on. The venue does break them down into two "beginner," one "intermediate," and one "advanced." A terrain park (The Alley) creates a chance to learn the basics of ripping and shredding terrain features.