Soaring through the air...Westby Ski Jump Tournament

On the evening of February 3, 2012 International ski jumpers will take the sky under the lights at the annual Snowflake Ski Club’s 118K ski jump tournament in Westby, Wisconsin.  The tournament concludes on Saturday with International and US jumpers competing on the large hill, often traveling down the jump with speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour. Here are the details:  Friday, February 3rd, Opening Ceremonies: 7 pm, followed by jumps.  Fireworks and Live Music: 9p.m. – 12a.m.  Saturday, February 4th, Opening Ceremonies: 12:00 p.m. followed by jumps. Live Music: 3-7 p.m.

Westby House Inn’s location is just 5 miles from the jump and well worth the stay to take in the Friday and Saturday events. Wake up to a hearty breakfast to get you warmed up and ready to enjoy this wonderful winter event. Perhaps a Jacuzzi Suite is the perfect way to top off a well deserved winter weekend getaway.

Jumping Scaffold at Westby Ski Complex

The volunteer based Club members donate many hours preparing and grooming the hills. The snowmaking and grooming equipment keep the hills in good condition regardless of natural snowfall.  The show does go on with real fluffy stuff or not! Plan now to attend!

Discover the easiest, most-convenient way to handle the stress of shopping for the special family and friends on your list by giving a Westby House Inn Gift Certificate.

The Westby House Inn’s No Fees, No Hassle, Online Purchasing lets you get your shopping done in just a few minutes right at your own computer. You can instantly print the certificate or we will be happy to drop it in the mail. You decide!

Visit our secure, online Gift Certificate Store and you will be well on your way of checking off that Christmas List -

If you have stayed at the  Inn yourself, then why not share the same wonderful bed and breakfast experience that you had!

We are happy to answer any questions you may have about our Gift Certificate program. Transactions can also by taken care over the telephone, just give us a call.

Wishing you a wonderful  holiday with family and friends.

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Traveling to the Westby/Viroqua area this 2011/2012 winter season? Be sure to choose a better way to stay at the Westby House Inn.

Top Ten Reasons Why:

Enjoy morning coffee in a Westby House Mug

1)Fresh brewed wake-up coffee enjoyed in ‘real’ pottery-turned coffee mugs.

2) Free hot breakfast, complete with main entree.

Ham and Swiss Rolled Omelet

3) Winter Rates starting at $79.00

4) In-room Free Wireless Internet.

5) Quiet, private accommodations and baths.

6) No long hallways to walk to your room and no curfew.

7) Clean, spacious rooms.

Your Unique, Stay Unique!

9) Guest Lounge/Parlor.

10) Best combination of History, Comfort, Hospitality in one place.

Be sure to check out our Room Comparison Chart to see which of our 7 rooms

Garden Room

will fit your needs.  The chart is divided between the Main Historic Home and Guest House bulidings on the property and will show bed type, square footage, TV, fireplace, bath style, location of room, and special features of each suite/room. Photos of the rooms can be viewed on each individual page of the accommodations.

Whether it is to visit family, friends, explore the Driftless Area of Southwest Wisconsin or just getaway, you have the choice of where to stay and we hope that the Westby House Inn serves you best.

Westby House Inn

Cat allergy’s got you staying at home?  Your hypersensitivity to cats or dogs won’t allow you take that much needed getaway to a bed and breakfast?   The Westby House Inn, and it’s innkeepers, are 100% pet-free.  So, you ask what is 100% pet-free?  Our pet-free policy means there are no pets allowed in or around guest rooms,  nor do the innkeepers have a family pet in their living space.   These interesting cat allergy facts are on Wikipedia. Cat allergy in humans is an allergic reaction to one or more of the five known allergens produced by cats. An allergic reaction is a histamine reaction that is usually characterized by coughing, wheezing, itching, watering eyes, and sneezing.

The Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association web site (www.wisconsinbandb.com) allows you to search for pet-free establishments.  You still may want to call and ask the innkeeper if they are 100% pet-free.   You don’t have to stay at home any more!

Makes 6 servings

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup pancake mix

1/3 cup sugar, divided

2 large tart cooking apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450 depgrees.  Spray a 9 -inch glass pie pan with nonstick cooling spray; set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, pancake mix and 1 teaspoon of the sugar; mix well with a wire whisk.  Set aside.

Place apple slices in pie pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap or microwave lid. Microwave on high at 2 minute intervals until apples are tender.  Sprinkle over apples the  pecans  and 3 Tablespoons sugar; pour reserved batter over top.  Combine remaining sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over batter.

Cover and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until pancake is set. ( Use an inverted pie pan or tented foil to cover) Serve hot, cut in wedges and invert wedge with apples on top.  Serve with maple syrup or apple-cinnamon syrup.

To add a ‘old-fashioned’ taste, reduce pancake mix to 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup buckwheat pancake mix.

Ham and Swiss Rolled Omelet

Basil, Ham and Swiss Rolled Omelet

Makes 8 servings

1 cup Flour

2 cups Milk

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

8 Eggs

1 cup Chopped Cooked Ham

1 1/2 cups Shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup Chopped Basil, or 2 Tablespoons dried

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with foil.  Spray foil generously wit nonstick cooking spray.

Beat flour, milk, margarine, salt, pepper, and eggs until well blended; pour into prepared pan.

Bake until eggs are set, 15 to 18 minutes.  Immediately sprinkle with ham, cheese, and basil. Lifting foil, roll omelet, begininning at narrow end.  Leave omelet roll covered in foil a few minutes for cheese to melt.  Just before serving, trim edges and slice roll into 8 slices.  Garnish plate with fresh tomatoes or side of your favorite salsa.

Be versatile if you like: add tomato and onions, or substitute bacon and cheddar cheese.  Be creative, you wil lnot go wrong.

Okay, summer has slipped by and you have not taken that much desired getaway.  Here is a guarantee to enjoy fall color in the ‘Driftless Wisconsin‘ region in Southwest Wisconsin.  A user friendly tool on the State Department of Tourism web site will give you up-to-date reports on when peak leaf color will hit our area.  Several leaf reporters will make entries as the days and weeks get closer to the spectacular colors glistening through the bluffs and hills on and around La Crosse, Westby, Cashton, Coon Valley,  and all the quaint towns up and down the Mississippi River along Highway 35.  The   Westby House Innis often chosen for overnight accommodations as

Many Vistas like this at Wildcat

it is in the heartbeat of  all these breathtaking vistas.  Worth a trip to the area  is a walk through the Kickapoo Valley Reserve prairie restoration sites. In full bloom are big bluestems, cream gentian, asters and coneflowers, and maybe a few oranges, reds and yellows in the tree tops.  Wildcat Mountain State Park at the Northern gateway to the Reserve offers views of the Kickapoo River and valleys from it’s mountainsides. Hiking trails in the State Park loop through its old landscapes where wildlife, plant and animal make it their refuge.  Fall in Southwest Wisconsin is not only beautiful but filled with fun.  Many events and festivals take place in September and October.  Check out the fun in our past blogs under Area Recreation, Events, and The Area categories.   Plan a getaway now to what so many call “God’s Country” and see for your yourself!

Many of the Westby House Inn guests plan a hike, or two, in  Wildcat Mountain State Park  located just outside of Ontario, Wisconsin.  The 23-minute drive in itself from the inn  is worth the trac.  Four trails are marked throughout the park which consists of high ridges and deep valleys with vistas of the Kickapoo River, prairies, and eroded sandstone formations. The Old Settlers’ Trail is a 2.5-mile long trail once used by early settlers of the area. Along its course, the trail crosses a footbridge, passes through three separate pine plantations and wild creatures that call this 3,500-acre park their home.  Wildflowers are abundant in the rich humus of the wooded slopes on the bluffs of the Hemlock Nature Trail. This 1.3-mile trail  begins beside the Kickapoo River with markers to call attention to the special life forms of this ancient valley.

Many Vistas like this at Wildcat

For a short, level hike at a leisurely pace be sure to take in the Prairie Trail and observe seasonal changes in the prairie.   Big bluestem grass and wildflowers surround you while standing in the prairie with breathtaking vistas of the Kickapoo Valley . The woodchip path from the prairie through the woods is a more adventurous hike to the Observation Point. Just off County Road F, south of Highway 33,is the Ice Cave Picnic Area.  This small, quiet picnic area includes a short hiking trail leading to a rock formation. The eroded sandstone formation appears to be a cave with approaching. But upon closer inspection you will find a shallow depression with a spring running over the upper edge.  In the winter, the spring freezes into a giant icicle.  Lush green vegetation and colorful wildflowers are a delight along the trail.  For a enjoyable hike, bring along a camera, binoculars and a field guidebook if you can.  Dress appropriately in sturdy, comfortable clothing and footwear.

Afternoon of Canoeing the Kickapoo

The Kickapoo River name is Algonquin for “one who goes here, then there” and accurately describes the river, which flows in all directions of the compass for portions of its length. This is a great river to canoe in the Driftless area of Southwest Wisconsin.   Plan a Canoe Trip around your stay at the Westby House Inn.  Titanic Canoe Rental in Ontario Wisconsin offers various hours for you to journey down the river.

Titanic Canoe Rental features all Old Town Discovery Canoes. Top quality canoes and equipment and everything you need is included in canoe rental price.

• No hidden costs!!
• Our canoes have molded seats for greater comfort.
• Our canoes are much quieter than aluminum canoes.
• Our canoes do not get hot in the sun like aluminum canoes.

• Shuttle Service
  Shuttle service with Titanic canoe rentals is included. However, if you have your own canoe and need a shuttle, Titanic can arrange that for you.

Be the envy on the river with a Picnic Cooler purchased at Ole & Lena Kaffe Hus!  They will prepare Deli-style sandwiches, chips, sodas, and a bag of Jelly Belly candy in a non-returnable cooler.  Picnic Cooler will be waiting for you at the  inn.

The Kickapoo River’s erosion has created beautiful vertical or nearly vertical sandstone cliffs along the river.
Some cliffs are large enough to create an isolated humid environment capable of supporting rare plants. You’ll see something new and interesting with each turn of this crooked river–sandstone cliffs covered with mosses, ferns, and wildflowers and shaded hemlocks.  You may see muskrats, green herons, great blue herons, and belted kingfishers.

The Kickapoo River is Wisconsin’s longest tributary as it meanders 130 miles from Wilton to Wauzeka where it dumps into the Wisconsin River.  If time allows, a trip to the Wildcat Mountain State Park  just outside of Ontario offers great overlook vistas of the winding river below.

Become Huck Finn and jump onboard the new Missisippi Explorer riverboat and explore scenic backwater wetland areas away from the busy main-channel of the river.  Unreachable by all other passenger vessels, venture into seldom seen side-channels. Stop at beaver lodges, lotus fields ande even active bald eagles nests.  Friday and Saturday evening cruises offer great sunsets too!

Carry-on’s of food and drinks are allowed and welcomed during the cruises. Reasonably-sized Coolers are also permitted.

Boarding is located on at the south end of Riverside (across from the Radisson Hotel) and there is ample free parking throughout the area. Times are 10:30 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday. and 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Phone number: 877-647-7397 ext. 2,  www.mississippiexplorer.com/ports/port-la-crosse.php

Here is feedback from one of the Inn’s guest; “The Mississippi Explorer 1 1/2 hour Eco-tour was wonderful! We saw two eagles, a large nest and a turkey vulture. They had a naturalist on board and the captain of the boat were very knowledgeable too.  Well worth the $14.99 per person plus tax!”