Grouse

Grouse is a short, easy cross-country ski route in Rusk County Forest, Wisconsin, on county land. The out-and-back trip is about 0.7 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 71 feet, and it starts and ends at roughly 1,637 feet. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.18 miles in, and the high point reaches about 1,655 feet. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 23°F and lows near 5°F, while February is slightly milder at about 28°F. That station sits roughly 460 feet lower than the route, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. Several other ski routes lie close by. Shadyway is about 0.1 mile away, and Fox and Otter Slide are each about 0.2 mile off. For a change from the snow, The Penokean Wall climbing area is about 7.4 miles away.