North Dakota Ski Challenge

In an epic display of adventure and state pride, a group of local friends accomplished something truly remarkable: skiing all four of North Dakota's ski areas in a single operating day. That’s 520 miles, one run at each location, all in ten short hours! Their goal and purpose is to increase awareness of North Dakota’s ski areas.

 “We love our state,” Brent Huso, a member of the ski group says, “The hope is that this encourages people to go out and explore other parts of the state. Each ski area is dramatically different, and we were surprised to hear so many people didn’t even know we had four ski areas. We want to create a better atmosphere for the ski and snowboard industry in North Dakota.”

The group even made custom sweatshirts to showcase their challenge while they were on the slopes. They called themselves the “Motely 701 Ski-A-Palooza” and had each ski area check marked on the back. Their whirlwind tour of the slopes wasn’t just a personal accomplishment—it was a call to action. By completing this challenge, the group hopes to inspire more people to experience the slopes and appreciate what North Dakota has to offer.

North Dakota’s four ski areas each offer unique terrain and charm. Their trip took them from Bottineau Winter Park in the hills of northern North Dakota, to the forested north eastern part of the state where Frost Fire Winter Park calls home. From there they traveled to the newest snow area of Thrill Hills in Fort Ransom and then finally to Bismarck/Mandan’s snowy hot spot of Huff Hills.

“It was exhilarating,” the group said when explaining how it felt to go on their last run down Huff, “Relationships and experiences are what life is all about and needs to be prioritized more. To anyone reading this, get out and support your local winter sports and don’t be afraid to travel a bit to partake.”

The group’s successful challenge shows best memories are made when you embrace the spirit of exploration. So, do you think you could visit all four ski areas in 24 hours? 

Get started by learning more about our four ski areas here