Hyland Hills Ski Area is a
ski area in
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is a suburban city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, on the north bank of the Minnesota River, above its confluence with the Mississippi River, south of downtown Minneapolis. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 89,987, ma ...
, United States, just south of
Minneapolis. It is owned and operated by
Three Rivers Park District. As a popular destination located near the Mall of America, Hyland receives 160,000 visitors per year. While Minnesota's winters are cold, the average
snowfall
Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
is low for a ski area (less than 60 in.), due to this, there is often use of
Artificial snow to help maintain the viability of the slopes.
In 2016 the
chalet underwent a $13.3 million renovation that more than doubled the size of the previous. The new
chalet is 36,000 square feet, and includes a gear shop, rentals, and a restaurant. The
chalet is also open to hosting private events. Their rope tow is considered by many to be world-class.
History
In the 1950s, the Hyland Hills Ski Area was known as Mt. Normandale, with an annual attendance of around 48,000 skiers. After a snow drought of 6 years, the number of skiers dropped significantly. This caused Normandale to purchase a
snowmaker and a sitzlift in an attempt to bring more skiers into the area. The owners, Gordy Bowen, and Oscar Strand found that this did little to help their business as the man-made snow settled into a hard mass and they did not have the grooming tools necessary to maintain the
artificial snow.
Soon after Bowen and Strand's efforts, the
Hennepin County Park Reserve District bought the area and renamed it to Hyland Hills Ski Area. With the addition of sophisticated grooming equipment, a new set of buildings, and proper
chairlifts, the Hyland Hills Ski Area regained its former popularity.
Ski Clubs
Hyland is home to many different ski and snowboard clubs for a variety of ages and skill levels. Among these is Three Rivers Racing, an Alpine Skiing club for youth aged 6–21 that provides premier coaching for aspiring skiers and has trained racers who end up competing in national, World Cup, and Olympic level races. Hyland also hosts both USSA freestyle skiing and racing teams and the G Team, one of the leading snowboard clubs in the midwest. The Minneapolis Ski Club also offers Nordic Ski Jumping training at the ski jump at Hyland.
Winter activities
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Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...
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Night skiing
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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 Paralympi ...
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Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing encompasses the various types of skiing in which the toe of the ski boot is fixed to the Ski binding, binding in a manner that allows the heel to rise off the ski, unlike alpine skiing, where the boot is attached to the ski from toe ...
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Snowshoeing
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Ski jumping
Summer activities
The park is open in the
off-season for a variety of activities that include,
*
Auto Show
An auto show, also known as a motor show or car show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is attended by automotive industry representatives, dealers, auto journalists a ...
s
*
Outdoor cinema
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Live music
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety an ...
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Chairlift rides
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Hiking
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Happy hour{{colend
References
External links
Hyland Hills Ski Area Homepage
Buildings and structures in Bloomington, Minnesota
Ski areas and resorts in Minnesota
Tourist attractions in Hennepin County, Minnesota