First Timers Guide
The Great American Road Trip
The car is packed with all your favorite snacks and toys for an epic adventure. Anticipation is high. While the journey is part of the adventure with places to stop and landmarks along the way, you can't wait to arrive at your destination. For most visitors, Lutsen is the perfect balance of proximity; close enough to feel the anticipation of arrival, yet far enough to take you a world away.
Know Before You Go
Where to go when you arrive
As you arrive in Lutsen, you will turn onto Ski Hill Road coming to the top of the road to arrive at the Lutsen Mountains base area. Our ticket office and rental shop are located to the left of our mountain base area, our Summit Express gondola load station, Scandinavian Chalet, and Snowsports Center will be located to the right of our mountain base area.
Our ticketing office should be your first stop to redeem all online lift ticket and rental orders, have your itinerary number available for our agents and ensure that all members of your party have completed the Release of Liability form.
when to visit
Holidays and weekends are our most popular days throughout the season. The best deals can often be found mid-week, during non-holiday periods. Before you visit be sure to check our Hours of Operation page to assist with your planning.
what will the weather be
The weather changes frequently in the mountains and affects road conditions. Check our weather + conditions page to help your plan, and the MN Department of Transport page for road conditions. Give yourself plenty of time to travel!
What to Pack
Staying warm and dry will help keep you comfortable, safe, and having fun! Dress in layers so you can add or remove as needed and ensure your jacket, pants, and gloves are waterproof. Helmets and goggles are not required but are strongly encouraged.
Make sure you have lift tickets
Lutsen Mountains will continue to implement a daily capacity limit on skier visits during the 2023 – 2024 season to improve the guest experience, this will create a number of sold-out days. Online reservations are strongly recommended and will be necessary for ensuring your space on the mountain for select dates. Buy Now
where to start
Ski areas are broken up into trails, categorized by difficulty. Read our trail map guide below to understand how to interpret maps and review our mountain safety information to understand your safety obligations as a skier or snowboarder.
skiing with kids
Skiing and snowboarding with kids can be intimidating, but we are here to help! The best way for kids to learn is with a lesson. Want to learn together? Consider a semi-private lesson for the family. Read our family guide for our top tips for skiing with kids.
Variety of Terrain
Annual Snowfall: 120 inches (10 feet!)
Snowmaking: 231 acres excluding side-country runs
Lift Facilities: 7 total
- 1 Gondola | Summit Express
- 2 Six Passenger High Speed | Caribou Express, Raptor Express
- 3 Double-Chair | Ullr, Mystery, and Timberwolf
- 1 Magic Carpet / Snow Sports Center
Best Known For: Wide-open, groomed cruisers, and family-friendly activities. Lutsen offers a diverse variety of terrain spread over 4 mountains and boasts 1,000 acres, 95 runs, and 825' of vertical.
Best-Kept Secret: Lutsen offers 60 acres of tree skiing runs
Mountain Information
CONDITIONS + TRAIL MAP
Check out the latest conditions to know what kind of snow you'll be carving for the day. Take the time to scope out your trail map and which lifts you'll be taking to get where you want to go.
CHALETS
Lutsen Mountains offers guests two chalet spaces for use. The Scandinavian Chalet includes restroom facilities, lockers for guest use, The Mountain Shop, and dining options with Rosie's Cafe. The Summit Chalet is located at the summit of Moose Mountain and offers warming spaces and lunch options at the Summit Chalet Cafe.
Trail Map Guide
Our trail map and conditions report will feature icons that will help you navigate our resort safely. These symbols are used across the ski resort industry and help you identify trail conditions, ability levels, and more.
GREEN CIRCLE |
Trails identified with a Green Circle are the easiest trails on the mountain. These trails generally have a slight pitch and a gradient that is best for those just learning or going at a slower pace. |
BLUE SQUARE |
Blue Square trails are designated as intermediate and do require that those taking to these trails have mastered the basics of skiing and riding (such as linking turns) to navigate them safely. |
BLACK DIAMMOND |
Trails with Black Diamonds should only be attempted by an expert or very accomplished skiers and snowboarders. These runs are steep, and narrow and could contain ungroomed surfaces such as moguls or other obstacles. |
DOUBLE BLACK |
The most challenging trails in our area are designated with Double Black Diamonds. Very steep, these trails will require even the best skiers and snowboarders to navigate their descent with precision. |
TERRAIN PARK |
Terrain Parks are trails designed for skiers and riders looking to perform freestyle tricks. On these trails, you’ll find features such as rails, boxes, and jumps that are man-made. Terrain parks can only be entered through the gated and signed areas. |
TREE TERRAIN |
A tree icon on our map or conditions report indicates glades or tree terrain areas. These are wooded terrain that have been cleared of low-lying brush, but still have many obstacles and should only be and can be accessed by guests. |
MOGULS |
Moguls are small piles of snow created by loose snow and skier turns. Skiers & snowboarders looking to descend trails with moguls should be advanced. |
SNOWMAKING |
A snowflake indicates an area that may have snowmaking operations on this trail. Trails with snowmaking operations may be open, and guests should expect to ski underneath heavy snowfall. Goggles are a must and all should stay away from snowmaking and refrain from skiing/riding a run marked as closed. |
WE ARE NOW CASHLESS
Beginning summer 2023, Midwest Family Ski Resorts Properties will no longer accept cash as a form of payment. Cash may still be used as a form of gratuity, and non-MFSR-owned vendors may still accept cash.
For guests who do not have non-cash forms of payment when they arrive at Lutsen Mountains, reverse ATMs that dispense Mastercard gift cards are available in our Scandinavian Chalet and Summit Chalet.
Our Location
467 Ski Hill Road, Lutsen, MN 55612
Need Assistance?
For questions about the resort or assistance booking your visit to Lutsen, please contact guest services by calling 218-406-1320 or by emailing ski@lutsen.com.
17 area resorts offering family-friendly, romantic getaways, or large cabins and vacation homes for gathering with friends.
Bundle your lift + lodging for substantial savings on your Lutsen Mountains vacation experience. Packages offer a variety of unit options with over 17 property locations to choose from.
