I know no one wants to think about the Wisconsin winter right now, but here's something to look forward to this snowy season: Crystal Ridge is back, as Rock Snowpark in Franklin has officially rebranded to the ski hill's original iconic name.

The ski and sledding area – found at 7011 S. Ballpark Dr. in Franklin – was first named Crystal Ridge when its founder John Kaishian opened the winter hotspot in 1987. When the owners of The Rock Sports Complex took over in 2012, the name shifted from its original moniker to Rock Snowpark and stayed that way after Rick and Mike Schmitz (owners of fellow ski spots Little Switzerland and Nordic Mountain) took over operations of the ski hill in 2017.

But as of today, the ski hill has returned to its roots – complete with a new website, logo, branding, signs and merchandise to lead into its 2024-25 winter season.

“We are thrilled to bring back the Crystal Ridge name," said general manager Riley May, in a release. "I think what Kaishian built here in Franklin and Milwaukee County is something this community should be proud of. We want to honor that name as well as give it some new life. Crystal Ridge captures that ‘ski-hill-feel’ better than the previous name. It also allows us to haveone cohesive name and branding for both winter and summer business.”

For more information on the rest of the newly renamed Crystal Ridge's winter plans, check out the snow hill's new website. And for more winter fun (though hopefully still several months from now), stay tuned to OnMilwaukee.