Ski Season To Unofficially Start In Wisconsin In Early-October, Here's How

Do you know the Troll? Trollhaugen Ski Area in Dresser, Wisconsin, that is.

Trollhaugen is a small but beloved ski area just over the border from Minnesota. It has influenced terrain park skiing and snowboarding over the decades, thanks to a passionate community of riders, and is frequented by thousands of skiers every year.

Trollhaugen has also become known for an early-season tradition that is adored by park rats and regular skiers alike—Open Haugen. Utilizing a massive pile of snow that’s preserved from the previous season using a giant tarp, Trollhaugen spreads the pile out in early October and welcomes skiers and snowboarders for their first turns of the season.

Trollhaugen recently shared that this season’s Open Haugen will take place on October 3-4, 2026, and provided a few photos of the massive pile of snow that’s lain dormant for the past six months. See below.

Trollhaugen’s Marketing Director, Marsha Hovey, told POWDER’s Ian Greenwood back in 2024 that Open Haugen is more than just the first day of skiing and riding for the season. “[Open Haugen] is a reunion of our favorite humans,” she said.

Trollhaugen used to ship in ice chips from nearby hockey and skating rinks before pivoting to modern snow farming techniques. They drew inspiration from ski resorts in Sweden, Finland, and Italy that were already using the technology to get a jump start on the next season.

This season’s pile looks bigger than previous years, a testament to the relatively cold and snowy winter the Midwest experienced last year.

Here’s a quick breakdown of times, events, and more for Open Haugen 2026:

• When: October 3-4, 2026, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
• What:
  • Skiing & Riding…both days!
  • Food & Coat Drive…both days!
  • Lift Rides…both days!
  • Ski Swap…both days!
  • Hay Rides…both days!
  • Ski Shop Sale…both days (plus Friday hours!)
  • Bar & Grill…both days!
  • Ticket Office…both days!
  • Vendor Village…both days!
• Admission Cost: FREE
• More Info on OpenHaugen 2026: HERE

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