Snowstar: A Great Quad Cities Winter Adventure
Snowstar Extreme Sports is located in Andalusia, IL, in Rock Island County. With over 28 acres of ridable terrain, there are lots of activities and adventures waiting for you. Under the new management of Jennifer and Doug Harper, you’ll find a local family dedicated to offering a thriving winter park right here in the Quad Cities.
Our family of six has loved skiing and tubing on the rolling hills this year! We also saw a lot of people snowboarding especially on the new progressive terrain park. The Terrain Park is a new professionally-designed freestyle area which seems to mostly have snowboarders but also is available for skiers. I’m sure once my boys get better on the slopes they will want to try tricks in the new freestyle area.
Tubing
WOW! This is fun for the whole family!! Check out the seven lane tubing hill with (thank goodness!) a conveyor belt to take you back to the top. Each person gets their own tube. They have small and big, so the little ones fit just right. You can go down by yourself or with a group all linked together.
Tubing is fantastic for families and groups of all sizes. There’s no experience necessary and it’s loads of fun for all ages. It’s also really safe and not scary for little ones.
Skiing
Our family went skiing for the first time this year at Snowstar and it was fantastic!! What a wonderful way to enjoy a taste of downhill skiing at a well-run facility. With over a dozen slopes of varying challenge, there were quite a few options for testing our new skills.
The slopes were well maintained with clearly marked signs. The ones we tried ended right near lifts so it was easy to get in line in order to go again. There were friendly lift operators and ski patrol officials readily available in case of any tumbles.
I especially liked that it was a wonderful place to ski for all levels. Obviously the hills aren’t the Rocky Mountains, however, there were enough variations for experienced skiers to have fun. My boys (11, 9, and 6), who were skiing for the first time felt safe taking their time and then getting braver and racing down. People were respectful of each others’ skills and limitations. Our little guy (4) had fun on the training hills though we saw plenty of little people on the bigger slopes.
Lessons
The lessons were great! It’s been 20 years since I skied my last black diamond and the beginner lesson brought it all back. For the newbies in our family, it was the perfect way to introduce the basics. They were able to learn enough to feel confident on the slopes. The teachers were patient and informative. They made sure we left the lesson comfortable enough to enjoy our time at Snowstar.
We did both a private lesson (required for the little guys) and a group lesson (for the rest of us). They started with how to put on skis, taught us to move, stop, and turn. They also gave guidance on how to fall safely and get back up. I highly recommend taking a lesson to get started or as a refresher. They offer beginner, second step and advanced. If you’re headed to the mountains to ski, this is also a great option to learn to ski at a much cheaper price than you’ll find at your mountain destination.
Equipment
You can rent all the equipment you’ll need for your winter adventure. The tubes come with the price of the tubing hill ticket. For skiing or snowboarding you can rent boots, boards and skis (+ poles), and helmets. They truly come in all sizes. The staff were really helpful adjusting the sizes and selecting the correct items for us. Returning them at the end of the day was even easier.
Groups/Parties
There are quite a few options for groups or parties. Definitely check the Snowstar website and call ahead to find out what deals are available. For both the slopes and the tubing hill, they will work with you to have everything ready. You’ll be able to pre-fill waivers, get a packet of tickets, and there will be limited standing in line. For the slopes, they can even pre-organize your rentals so boots and skis/boards will be prepared before you even arrive!
Events
They have some really fun things planned every month. Again, be sure to check the website and follow the Snowstar Facebook page. You're invited to participate and spectate in everything from advanced competitions with seriously amazing prizes to a cardboard boat regatta where you get to ride your vessel down the tubing hill.
Customer Service
The special touches offered at Snowstar are what make visits this season stand out for our family. Friendly staff, helpful people answering phones, well organized parties, conveniently located fire pits and more made this a place we want to return to!
“We want to make sure we respond to people, so we decided to answer the phones rather than having an answering machine,” explains the delightful assistant manager, Valerie. It’s definitely not easy serving so many as they often receive over 500 calls in the first few hours they are open on the weekends. In fact, they hired two people dedicated to answering phones. She says, “If you’re calling we hope you know we care about answering your questions and will get to you as soon as we can.”
Snowstar invites you to choose to be outside. They set up spaces, as Valerie put it, “for people to feel they want to be outside rather than that they are stuck outside.” You’ll see new benches and seating areas around fire pits. You’ll also find fun snack options like s’more kits. And, of course, that’s all in addition to the fun they provide on the slopes, tubing hill and throughout the park.
Pricing
In order to stay current, please see the website. Make sure to check for special pricing dates and reduced pricing during off peak times. Also, check for coupons and discounts. For example, IHMVCU members received buy one/get one pricing on the tube hill.
More!
Snowstar also offers the Sky Flyer zip line - it’s open year round and is a 4 zip tour. We are looking forward to trying this as a family this summer. I’m terrified of heights though so we’ll see if I make it!
They make their own snow! Even if it seems some days would be a little light on snow, you’ll be okay. Their “state-of-the-art” snowmaking system covers the hills so conditions are fun and safe.
Snowstar Village includes an indoor lodge with various snacks, a patio and a place to rest between runs.
Grab your gear and head to Snowstar. It's a destination whether you're coming far or it's located right in your own backyard.
Written by Meghan Cooley
Meghan Cooley moved to the Quad Cities from St. Charles, IL, as an Augustana College student over 20 years ago. She left briefly after graduation and then returned to work in admissions and then marketing at Augustana College for 18 years. She now works as a consultant for admissions marketing and social media. She also does copy editing and writes for the Quad City Moms Blog. Now a true Quad Cities transplant, Meghan lives in Rock Island with her husband, Luke (R.O.W.V.A. and Augustana grad and Modern Woodmen employee) and four boys. She loves living in the Quad Cities and finds it the perfect place to raise a family, plan a date night, and go on adventures.