Powder Ridge - Kimball, Minnesota - Ski Resort

Powder Ridge is a ski resort located at 93rd Avenue in Kimball, Minnesota and is approximately an hour and 45 minutes drive from Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport. The season runs from around Thanksgiving Day to the end of March with skiing and snowboarding hours 9am to 10pm Saturdays, 9am to 9pm Sundays, 10am to 9pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4pm to 9pm Tuesdays and 10am to 10pm on Fridays. Hours are subject to change on public holidays during the winter season.

The Powder Ridge resort has 15 trails of varying degrees of difficulty but providing skiing and snowboarding opportunities for people of all skill levels. The slopes are serviced by eight ski lifts including one quad, two doubles and five surface lifts. The longest run is approximately 2,400 feet with the toughest trail on offer here a run called Gun Powder.

A very popular part of many modern ski resorts now is snowtubing and here the season begins just before Christmas. Participants must be over the age of four and the hours are 5pm to 10pm Friday, 10am to 10pm Saturday and 12 noon to 8pm on Sundays. Tubes are supplied by the resort and visitors are taken up the hill by a conveyor system before letting go and sliding back down the hill in the tube.

Group ski and snowboard lessons are provided and last one hour with students split in to beginner and intermediate abilities. Lessons begin from 12 noon during weekdays with the last one at 6pm, while at weekends and holidays they start at 10am with the last lesson at 7pm. Reservations are not required for lessons but they are recommended and private classes are also provided on request.

All of the ski, snowboard and snowtubing runs at Powder Ridge are lighted for visitors to carry on enjoying the fun at night time. The views from the top of the hill on a clear night are fantastic as it is possible to see the lights from towns many miles away. While taking a break from the action on the slopes, guests can surf the net at Chester's Lounge, which offers free wireless internet access.

There are several places to get food and beverages at the resort including the main level cafeteria, which serves cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chili, soups, French fries, donuts milk, juices, energy drinks, coffee, hot cocoa and slushies.The North Chalet Food Service has pizzas, BBQs, sandwiches, wraps, soups, coffees and various other appetizers. Also in the North Chalet is Chester's Lounge, where guests can look out over the slopes or sit by the warm fireplace and enjoy a beer or a glass of wine.

The resort can accommodate various special events such as weddings with room to seat up to 340 guests. There are a number of hotels and inns within about a 15 to 30 minute drive of Powder Ridge including AmericInn Lodge & Suites in Annandale. St. Cloud offers various accommodation as well with Fairfield Inn, Holiday Inn, Days Inn and Country Inn & Suites to name but a few in this particular town.