Groundbreaking for $2.5 million Lapham Lodge at Lapham Peak to take place this month

DELAFIELD - Amid the tree-lined trails that branch out of Lapham Peak, where cross-country skiers, hikers and bikers have long gathered, a new lodge will take its first steps toward becoming a warm (or cool) gathering place.

Positioned near the current Evergreen Picnic Shelter and Lodge, off Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive (Highway C) in the town of Delafield, Lapham Lodge will formally break ground March 19. When finished, it will consist of 5,000 square feet of space, containing such amenities as a fireplace in its large gathering area, a multipurpose room and a covered patio overlooking the trailhead.

It has been a long trail from concept to construction. Here's what you might like to know.

Plans for a new Lapham Peak lodge date back to 2021

While Lapham Peak has had a small warming shelter for more than 30 years, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources officials and a 400-member local volunteer group, the Friends of Lapham Peak, envisioned something more fitting for the hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

So in 2021, the group began working with the DNR for a larger lodge near W329 N846 County Highway C. Since then, the group has helped raise and secure funding. With most of the $2.5 million funding in place, the Friends group announced in mid-February on its Facebook page that groundbreaking would begin this spring.

Charlie Ritter, one of the volunteers and a spokesperson for the group, subsequently announced that the groundbreaking was now scheduled to start March 19.

Lapham Lodge will include practical amenities, and more

The lodge, to be built along the east end of the Evergreen parking lot, obviously is intended for trail users of various kinds — people who slide over skis in winter, pedal through the park in summer or hike regardless of the season. But it will have more uses that could attract those looking for a rental spot for events.

A gas fireplace will provide the warmth. Restrooms and changing rooms will provide practical purposes. Beyond that, a multipurpose room with a kitchenette, plus a covered patio with benches overlooking the trailhead, could also serve celebratory family functions, with volunteers foreseeing interest for weddings, baby showers and other events ideal for a picturesque setting.

Construction is expected to take 11 months

Construction, led by Altius Building Company, is expected to begin April 1, less than two weeks following the ceremonial groundbreaking. The process is expected to take about 11 months. Does that mean it will be complete before the end of 2024-25 skiing season?

"There's a chance," Ritter said. "It depends on the weather."

Lapham Peak is hot spot for winter activities

Evergreen trailhead, which provides access to trails including a 1.5-mile loop with man-made snow in the winter, isn't exactly a secret to enthusiasts. According to DNR and volunteers sources, the 1,100-acre Lapham Peak Unit of the state park annually draws roughly 674,000 skiers, hikers and other park visitors.

The promise of groomed snow adds to its winter attractiveness unsurprisingly. For instance, in January 2021, people emerged from the pandemic year in a record-setting total for that month: 84,000.

Friends of Lapham Peak have funded park's improvements

The group, incorporated in 1989, isn't solely focused on the new lodge, though the $2.5 million project is a major highlight of their efforts.

In the past 18 years, in excess of $1.2 million has been raised by the volunteers for the snowmaking and other improvements at the Lapham Peak Unit. That includes funds for a snow groomer and a storage building, plus annual operations costs including electrical utility bills.

But the lodge is a major effort, involving federal and state grant funding. "It's a big deal. This is a $2.5 million project, and we are still looking for money (for furnishings)," Ritter said.

Donations can be made through the organization's website.

Contact reporter Jim Riccioli atjames.riccioli@jrn.com.