Buck Hill
| Buck Hill | |
|---|---|
View from east in July 2014 | |
Location in the United States Location in Minnesota | |
| Location | Burnsville, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Nearest major city | Minneapolis |
| Coordinates | 44°43′26″N 93°16′59″W / 44.724°N 93.283°W |
| Vertical | 262 ft (80 m) |
| Top elevation | 1,211 ft (369 m) |
| Base elevation | 949 ft (289 m) |
| Trails | 16 total - 6 easiest - 6 more difficult - 4 most difficult |
| Lift system | 2 quad chairlifts 1 triple chairlift 3 rope tows 2 magic carpets 1 snowtubing tow |
| Snowfall | 60 inches (150 cm) |
| Snowmaking | yes |
| Night skiing | every night |
| Website | buckhill.com |
Buck Hill is a ski hill in the north central United States, located in Burnsville, Minnesota, a suburb south of Minneapolis. It is one of three alpine ski areas in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, along with Afton Alps and Hyland. Buck Hill opened 71 years ago in 1954 and offers ski, snowboard, and tubing trails. Artificial snow is often used to maintain the slopes, because while Minnesota's winters are cold, the average annual snowfall is low for a ski area: less than sixty inches (5.0 ft; 150 cm).
Buck Hill faces east and overlooks adjacent Interstate 35, approximately fifteen miles (24 km) south of downtown Minneapolis. Owned by David and Corrine "Chip" Solner, the ski area is lighted for night skiing and operates three chairlifts (2 quads, 1 triple) and multiple surface tows (trail map). The base area consists of a parking lot and a short strip of lodges. The ski runs use the east face of the hill, with the other sides occupied by residential housing; a municipal water tower shares the summit, and the vertical drop is 310 feet (94 m).