Villa Olivia Ski Area

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Just west of O'Hare Airport, this is some of the closest downhill skiing to the Chicago area.. The Scene
Villa Olivia Ski Area earns points for proximity. About a half-hour west of O'Hare Airport, it's one of only two downhill areas that realistically allow Chicagoans to work all day, ski or snowboard at night and still sleep in their own beds. (Four Lakes Ski Area in Lisle is the other.) But let's face it--if you've ever been a half-hour from O'Hare in any direction, you know there isn't much in the way of elevation. Undaunted, the clever marketing department proclaims that Villa Olivia operates on "Chicagoland's highest mountain."

The Slopes
Villa Olivia operates a quad chair (the only such device in the Chicago metro area), which transports skiers to the "summit" of the 180-foot knob. There are also several rope tows. Snowmaking machines usually cover the bare patches, but call ahead for conditions.

Vital Stats
Vertical Drop: 180 feet
Lifts: 6 (1 chair, 5 surface)
Skiable Acres: 40
Beginner Terrain: 40 percent
Intermediate Terrain: 30 percent
Advanced Terrain: 30 percent
Snowboarding: Full facilities

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helenberg

Joined 11 years ago

A Learning & Challenging Environment. Living in Chicago, I thought the only place to learn how to Snow Board would be in Colorado. To my surprise I found VILLA OLIVIA only 40 minutes away! I went out there and signed up for a quick lesson (actually signed up for 5!) and got started within 30 minutes! Everyone was very helpful and friendly, I found my "Mountain" away from the Rockies and its in my backyard...

I rate this a 9 for a midwestern ski resort with Delicious Food! Lets face it, either drive 4 hours for something that is less than decent or drive 40 minutes to a great resort in the middle of everything. (Elgin riverboat is 10 minutes away)

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JakeM

Joined 11 years ago

Perfect place for refreshing skills. Villa Olivia was an excellent experience for my wife and children and their friends. We practiced our skills on the smaller runs and then my wife and I worked our way up to the chairlift runs while my boys were in their classes. (by the way the ski school programs are great, very friendly people).. I highly recommend this place if you are an entry level skiier or in need of refreshing your skills..

- J Cohen