Middleton tourism commission hears CXC report on winter operations, snow‑storage experiment and building progress

Yuri Guseff of CXC told the Middleton Tourism Commission on March 18 that the 2024–25 cross‑country ski operation began later than planned after a down‑well motor failed before Thanksgiving, but reopened Nov. 30 once repairs were completed. "We were able to start on November 30," Guseff said, and he showed gate and vehicle‑counter data that he said measured nearly 6,000 vehicles at one entrance and about 10,000 gate counts overall.

Guseff said average weekday visits were about 81 and weekend visits about 247, and that total attendance this season was roughly 1.8 times higher than the prior winter, a gain he attributed primarily to reliable man‑made snow. He reviewed pass sales, including combined "all access" passes that cover snowmaking and the golf course, and said out‑of‑state interest — particularly from Illinois and Iowa — appears to be…