RIB Mountain – Gov. Tony Evers and other state leaders will informally launch ski season Oct. 31 at Granite Peak Ski Area in Rib Mountain.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers

Evers, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services Secretary-Designee Dawn Crim and Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary-Designee Sara Meaney will be on hand from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to promote safe and fun recreational opportunities in Wisconsin all year.

Outdoor recreation is a vital component of the state tourism industry, which last year generated $21.6 billion in total business sales, supported 199,000 full- and part-time jobs, and added $1.6 billion to state and local tax coffers, according to a Granite Peak news release. Every dollar spent on promoting the Wisconsin tourism industry results in $7 of tax revenue and $89 of visitor spending. Granite Peak Ski Area has been a benefactor of those components.