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Ski Missouri

Hidden Valley Ski Area proves that skiing
and unpredictable St. Louis winters can coexist

by Barbara Gibbs Ostmann

Remember that "Ski Missouri" poster with the skier standing in the middle of a cornfield? Well, one visit to Hidden Valley Ski Area, just outside of Eureka, Mo., will wipe that vision out of your mind and replace it with a snow-filled winterama.

With its state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment, the resort can give Mother Nature a hand when it comes to unpredictable St. Louis area winter weather. "If it's 20 degrees or colder, we can make enough snow in 36 to 48 hours to cover the ski area," says Kent Graham, president of Hidden Valley. "Our snowmaking equipment provides 100 percent coverage."

The resort, about 30 miles west of St. Louis, features two triple chairlifts, nine ski runs, a snowboard snow park and a lodge with restaurant and patio. The natural hill has a 282-foot vertical drop. The ski terrain is 35 percent beginner, 55 percent intermediate, 5 percent advanced and 5 percent expert.

This season's target opening date is Dec. 16. The ski area is usually open from mid December through early March, depending on the weather. If you're still searching for holiday gifts, a season pass or gift certificate might be just the ticket.

The resort has changed a lot since it opened in 1982 with one chairlift and 500 sets of used rental equipment. These days, the emphasis is on continual improvements to rental equipment, snowmaking equipment and the facilities themselves.

During the past summer, "rental equipment was purchased, the snowmaking system improved and future plans for expansion were laid," says Graham.

"We increased our snowboard inventory by 30 percent with the purchase of Rossignol Roc T and Roc D snowboards in various sizes and more Vans snowboard boots," he says. They also added 200 pairs of Salomon ski boots ranging in size from 5 to 13.

Another major upgrade was the installation of a new water pump with greater snowmaking capacity. "This is a significant improvement since the amount of water pumped directly impacts the amount of snow made. In snowmaking, more is definitely better," says Graham. This year's new pump combined with the last year's installation of a 14-inch water main will greatly enhance snowmaking capability.

Last season's addition of 1,000 sets of parabolic, or shaped, skis proved quite popular. One of the hottest trends in the ski business, these short skis with the hourglass shape are great for all-terrain skiing and moguls. The rounded ends and shorter length provide greater maneuverability, enabling experienced skiers to perform better and novice skiers to learn more quickly and easily.

Hidden Valley operates a ski school, offering group and private lessons for skiing or snowboarding for all ability levels. The ski area also provides the largest winter school field trip program in the area. More than 5,000 students in grades 5 through 8 from more than 100 schools in Missouri and Illinois participated in last season's field trip program.

If you're thinking of skiing but not sure of snow conditions, just give the snowline, 636-938-6999, a call or check out the website, http://www.hiddenvalleyski.com.

When it's not covered by snow and skiers, Hidden Valley is an 18-hole private golf course. Future expansion plans call for additional ski runs as well as increased uphill capacity. Graham said plans include a separate rental building to house a larger inventory of skis, boards and boots, and a redesign of the existing lodge building to improve the ticket and restaurant facilities. "We hope to begin these expansion plans next spring," he says.

Hidden Valley is part of Peak Resorts, Inc. Its sister resorts are Snow Creek Ski Area in Weston, north of Kansas City, and Ski Paoli Peaks, a southern Indiana ski area serving the Louisville, Ky., area.

So grab your cap, gloves and goggles and head to Hidden Valley. Granted, the foothills of the Ozarks aren't the Rockies, but there's no long drive, no huge expense and no altitude adjustment. As the Hidden Valley staff like to say, you have to ski it to believe it.

Getting there: From St. Louis, go west on I-44 to the Eureka exit. Go north on Highway 109 for 3 1/2 miles. Turn left on Alt Road; go one mile. Turn right on Hidden Valley Drive; follow the road to the parking lot.

Rates: They vary according to age, day of week and time of day. An adult weekday pass is $20, with ski rental $41, with snowboard rental $48. An adult weekend pass is $30, with ski rental $51, with snowboard rental $58. For kids age 7 to 12 any day, a pass is $15, with ski rental $30, with snowboard rental $43. Kids age 6 and under are free any day with a paying adult; equipment rental is $15 for skis and $28 for snowboards. Special weekend, holiday and group rates are available.

Hours: Regular hours are 1 to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and holidays; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. Sunday night specials and Friday and Saturday midnight sessions also available.

For more information: Call 636-938-5373 or visit www.hiddenvalleyski.com or http://www.skipeaks.com.

Text copyright 2000 Barbara Gibbs Ostmann

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