The New Crystal Ridge
On August 14, 2024 we returned to Crystal Ridge. The original name of this ski hill, which was opened in 1987 by John Kaishian. Kaishian spent years prior adding loads of construction fill on the site to increase the hill's height. Kaishian wanted something for young kids to do in the winter that offered physical activity, and since he was an avid skier, he decided to build Crystal Ridge for the local area and hopefully introduce more youth to the sport.
In 2012, Mike Zimmerman and team (ROC Ventures) took over, renaming the ski area to The Rock Snowpark and developing the land around the property into a multi-use sports and entertainment complex (Rock Sports Complex, now Ballpark Commons). During this time, tremendous improvements were made to The Lodge and the hill to enhances the ski hills offerings. Five years later, the Snowpark side of the complex was purchased by Rick & Mike Schmitz of Little Switzerland and Nordic Mountain ski areas, setting up a long-term lease to operate the ski hill.
Fast-forward to today. We feel it’s the right time to return to the name that started it all - Crystal Ridge. Our new logo takes inspiration from the City of Milwaukee, winter time activities, and has some nods to the orignal Crystal Ridge logo. Ownership and management remain the same and will continue to invest into the hill and grounds. Crystal Ridge offers something for everyone:
- a great beginner hill with our self-guided learning areas
- a high-speed rope tow for endless park laps
- supports high school and club ski racing
- family-friendly snow tubing
- a venue for weddings and events
- A great location just 15 minutes from downtown Milwaukee
