Hairpin
- 0.2 mi
- round trip
- 241 ft
- climb
- 1,606 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Hairpin is a short, steep cross-country ski route in Rusk County Forest in northern Wisconsin, on land managed by the county. It's a half-mile out and back that gains about 240 feet of elevation, so it works as a quick addition to a longer day on the ski trails around here. The climb is hard, with the steepest section at about 0.08 miles in, where the grade reaches 13%. The route starts at roughly 1,478 feet and peaks at about 1,606 feet before returning to the low point. Winter is the natural season for this. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 23°F with lows near 5°F. February is similar, with highs around 28°F, and the station sits a few hundred feet lower than the route's high point, so expect temperatures up high to run a bit cooler. Several other ski routes lie within a short distance. Rabbit and The Ridgeline are each about 0.1 mile away, and Fox and Roundabout are both about 0.2 mile away.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Hairpin
Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
23° / 5°
8 wet
Feb
28° / 8°
6 wet
Mar
41° / 20°
7 wet
Apr
56° / 32°
10 wet
May
68° / 44°
11 wet
Jun
76° / 53°
11 wet
Jul
81° / 58°
11 wet
Aug
78° / 56°
9 wet
Sep
71° / 48°
10 wet
Oct
57° / 36°
9 wet
Nov
40° / 24°
7 wet
Dec
27° / 12°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Weyerhaeuser 1n, WI, 7 mi away at 1,195 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SEE
Christie Mountain Ski Area
~4 min drive
Christie Mountain Ski Area in Wisconsin has 5 lifts and 23 runs.
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Rabbit
Next door
Rabbit is a 0.30-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 111 feet of elevation gain.
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The Ridgeline
Next door
0.63-mile out-and-back route on Wisconsin's Ridgeline with 93 ft of elevation gain.
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Roundabout
Next door
0.11-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 20 ft of elevation gain.
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Ski Trail
~40 min drive
0.2 mi
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Roundabout
Next door
0.41-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 8 ft of elevation gain.
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Fox
Next door
0.22-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 10 ft of elevation gain.
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Elevator
Next door
0.38-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 227 ft of elevation gain.
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Ski Trail
~40 min drive
2.09-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 389 ft of elevation gain.
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Washout
Next door
0.34-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 29 feet of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
