All aboard the train from Chicago to Cascade Mountain
When Randy Axelson lived in Duluth, Minn., he relished the annual winter ski trips he and his buddies took to Big Sky, Mont.
Axelson, now manager of Cascade Mountain resort near Portage, Wis., used to make those trips on Amtrak’s Empire Builder. They’d ride the train all night and arrive the next evening in Whitefish, Mont.
Axelson, now manager of Cascade Mountain resort near Portage, Wis., used to make those trips on Amtrak’s Empire Builder. They’d ride the train all night and arrive the next evening in Whitefish, Mont.
Chicagoans who’d like to experience some of that adventure — and avoid the hassle of winter driving — can take that same train from Chicago’s Union Station and arrive roughly three hours later in Portage. That’s about the same amount of time it would take to drive.
Chicagoans who’d like to experience some of that adventure — and avoid the hassle of winter driving — can take that same train from Chicago’s Union Station and arrive roughly three hours later in Portage. That’s about the same amount of time it would take to drive.
Once in Portage, the Snow Shuttle Express can whisk schussers to their hotel in no time. Slip into your ski togs and hop back on the shuttle to squeeze in a few hours of night riding at Cascade, which is six miles from the train depot in downtown Portage.
Adult round-trip tickets on Amtrak’s Empire Builder start at $58. The Snow Shuttle Express costs $2.
The Empire Builder departs daily at 2:15 p.m. from Union Station, arriving in Portage at 5:34 p.m. For the return trip, the train leaves Portage at 12:27 p.m. and gets back to Chicago at 3:55 p.m. For more information, go to amtrak.com or call (800) 872-7245.
— Brian E. Clark