hahahah "The Matterhorn of the Midwest" hahahaha. they did a good job of describing the feel to the place, but the pictures made it look way nicer than it really is. the pizza barn is good, and there are always townies in the bar though.
as for the lift to run ratio, they seldom have all the lifts running, usually about every other lift if it is busy. there are constant rumors of bankruptcy and foreclosure, and every year the quality of the mountain suffers because of the amount of money they are able to sink into it.
it just isnt the travel destination it used to be for weekend trips for illinois skiers, for the most part, and as much as the locals bitch about the fibs, they are what keeps the mtn in business. not the 300 kids with passes from wilmot high school.