Featured Image: Courtesy of Travel Wisconsin

Earlier this month, the great state of Wisconsin officially announced the addition of the Office of Outdoor Recreation to its existing Department of Tourism. Along with funding set aside within the state budget, three new staff positions will be allocated for this new office–one of the first of its kind in the entire Midwest–which capitalizes on the state’s biggest driver of tourism: outdoor activities.

“We not only want Wisconsin to remain a top-notch four-season tourist destination, but we also want to create a climate that will spur business growth and attract new businesses to Wisconsin,” says tourism secretary-designee, Sara Meaney, in a recent press release. “Our goal is to leverage the Office of Outdoor Recreation into more travelers, greater economic impact for local communities and new career opportunities for Wisconsinites.”

According to the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), the Badger State’s outdoor industry generates nearly $18 billion in consumer spending annually and directly creates 168,000 jobs. While some may think of Wisconsin as a state to visit in the warmer months to reap the benefits of Midwest #LakeLife, it shouldn’t be discounted for its winter-time offerings.

What the state lacks in vertical feet–Granite Peak holds the most with 700 feet–it certainly makes up for in its quality and quantity of the precious white stuff. Thanks to its continental climate, Wisconsin produces longer-than-average winters compared to some if its neighboring states–with ski areas spinning their lifts from early November to mid-April–and snowstorms measured by the foot. And while none of the state’s 16-plus ski areas reach 2,000 feet above sea level, almost every one of them is open for night skiing–meaning you can still ski everyday even if you hold down a regular nine-to-five.

With over 1,900 skiable, lift-accessible acres across the state, there’s plenty of hills to slide on snow. And with the Department of Tourism and Department of Natural Resources joining forces for the greater outdoor good–think conservation, preservation and land licensing–there will be plenty of skiing to be had in America’s Dairyland for decades to come.