Chestnut Mountain provides a great alternative to Midwesterners looking for good skiing without having to travel all the way to the Rockies. Set right on the Mississippi River and surrounded by beautiful rolling hills and wooded bluffs, Chestnut is a popular four-season resort that attracts people from all over the Midwest, especially Chicago and the Quad Cities.

Winter Activities

Chestnut Mountain offers the biggest vertical in the lower midwest at 475 feet, and boasts 139 acres of skiable terrain. Its seventeen trails provide for skiers of all abilities, and one of two trails currently under construction will boast a 55 percent gradient and 2,500 feet of expert terrain. Skiers can use two quad chairs, one triple chair, four ropes, and one handle tow that's easy on the gloves.

Summer Activities

Located between two state parks, Mississippi Palisades and Apple Canyon, Chestnut Mountain offers the summer visitor plenty to do. Hiking, biking, miniature golf, swimming, and tennis are popular activities in the warmer months, and the resort itself has an alpine slide accessed by a chairlift. Nearby Galena, the one-time home of President Grant, has a touristy historical theme.

Apr�s-ski

Many skiers hang out at the resort and enjoy the outdoor barbecue after skiing . The lodge has 120 rooms, a pool, Jacuzzi, full-service dining, and two bars. There also are plenty of good restaurants in nearby Galena.

Transportation

Chestnut is in the northwestern corner of the state, close to the Mississippi River, just eight miles from the town of Galena, and thirty minutes away from Dubuque, Iowa. From Chicago, take U.S. 20 west across the top of Illinois.

There is an airport ten minutes out of Rockford served by Midway, Northwest, and Midwest airlines. There is no shuttle bus system, but it should be easy to get rides from locals heading to or from nearby Galena or Hanover.

Housing

A large number of the resort's employees are locals. Out-of-towners can find housing in Galena or Hanover.

Chestnut Ski Area Employment

Ski lovers from Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin come to work at this resort. Both year-round and seasonal jobs are available at the resort; job-seekers should contact the company's personnel department in early fall to find out about job fair dates and hiring requirements. Other sources of jobs include the many restaurants in Galena and Hanover.

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