Club History

Mission

We started as a ski jumping club, but our early founders’ vision helped us expand our mission to teach young people life-long outdoor sports that now include alpine skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding, cross country skiing, biathlon, Nordic combined, and mountain biking.  

Our youth alpine lessons started with just 25 kids, and now we teach close to 1,000 kids in year-round programs from outdoor recreation and compatitive teams. We have produced Junior National champions, sent kids to the Junior Worlds, and produced four Olympic Ski Jumpers. 

Our club has much to be proud of, and we hope that if you share our pride and our vision, you’ll consider making a donation to Blackhawk Ski Club to help us continue to improve our facilities and grow our youth programs. Thank you for your support. 

Founded By Ski Jumpers 

Our club was founded in 1947 when a group of ski jumpers purchased thirty acres of land west of Madison to build a large ski jump. They had been using Muir Knoll on the University of Wisconsin campus to ski jump, but the campus location was getting crowded as more people were returning from World War II and wanting to jump. Soon after the initial purchase, these jumpers purchased an additional thirty acres.

Land, Facilities, Equipment

 On our 60 acres of land we have downhill and cross country ski trails, ski jumps, a biathlon facility that includes an 8-point range an five miles of mountain bike & hiking trails. We have an active Ski Patrol that is affiliated with the National Ski Patrol System to promote safe skiing. Over the years, we have built facilities and acquired maintenance equipment, including four heated chalets, snowmaking equipment, and machines to keep the slopes well groomed.