We'll be featuring each region of Michigan this week with our Michigan Ski Tour. The first is the first place the snow falls and the lifts open: Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Read on for ski area and ski resort information & links! As always, if you have something to add: a story to tell, a helpful note or link, add a comment!
Big Powderhorn – Bessemer, MI
Ranked one of the Top 5 Midwest Resorts, Big Powderhorn Ski Area is located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula . 
A full service ski area with 622 feet vertical drop, thirty-three trails, ten lifts, two Terrain Parks and seven km of groomed cross-country trails for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. Ski school. Nearby ice skating, horse-drawn sleigh rides and a wide variety of lodging. Newly renovated Caribou Lodge will open this season featuring dining, swimming, saunas, daycare and nightly entertainment on weekends.
Blackjack – Bessemer, MI
With over 200 inches of annual snowfall, a friendly atmosphere and special attention to all the things that you look for in a perfect day on the slopes. Whether you are a skier or boarder, you will find that Blackjack hosts the finest mix of terrain for all abilities and truly breath-taking views of the Ottawa National Forest. The terrain park features new rails and boxes creating fun for all abilities, and it's the only park in Big Snow Country with its own surface lift.
Indianhead Mountain Resort - Wakefield, MI
Indianhead Mountain Resort is a four-season resort offering 29 downhill skiing slopes, snowboarding and an average of 17 feet of snow per year. The village and resort facilities are located on top of the mountain overlooking the Ottawa National Forest. Indianhead boasts award-winning dining, lodging, live entertainment and full-service conference/banquet facilities.
Marquette Mountain – Marquette, MI
Three new super quarter pipes, more rails, Terrain Park. 3000' Alpine park, 22 runs, 638' vertical drop, night skiing available. Salomon ski rentals. Most varied terrain found anywhere. One of the Midwest's largest ski areas located right in the city limits. If you are a Free-style enthusiasts MM's 3 Terrain Parks will give you Nationally ranked hits, rails and trails for all levels.
Mont Ripley Ski Hill – Houghton, MI
A 440 feet vertical drop ski area on 173 acres with 92 skiable acres. 24 runs for all abilities but our claim to fame is our open bowl trails that act like a snow vacuum. Because of our location on the Keweenaw Peninsula, sticking out into the largest lake in the world, we average 250 inches of dry lake effect snow each year. An exciting terrain park with tabletop jumps, gaps, spines, quarters, hips and grind rail parks. Night skiing 7 nights a week. Chalet with a cafeteria & lockers as well as ski shop and ski school. Open in early December.
Mount Bohemia – Keweenaw, MI
Mount Bohemia is unlike any other ski area in the Midwest. Chutes, cliff drops and a half-mile wide forest will challenge even experienced skiers and riders. Editor's note: it's confirmed that this is EXTREME skiing. With the longest runs, highest vertical and deepest powder in the Midwest, Mt. Bohemia is a true treasure for backcountry skiers and riders. Bohemia is all-natural, but with an average snowfall of 273", there's no problem! Going to Extremes on Midwestern Slopes in the New York Times has a sweet photo from Mt. Bohmeia.
Mt. Zion Recreational Complex - Ironwood, MI
Located on the campus of Gogebic Community College, Mt. Zion is the oldest winter recreation complex in "Big Snow Country". This complex also serves as a laboratory for the college's nationally recognized Ski Area Management Program and is well known for very reasonable rates, numerous "Learn to Ski and Snowboard Programs" for children, and a snowtubing park.
Norway Mountain - Norway, MI
Norway Mountain is located 10 miles east of Iron Mountain and provides a great mix of runs for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. They also have a terrain parks and cross-country and snowshoeing trail.
Pine Mountain Resort – Iron Mountain, MI
Pine Mountain is a quick, family-friendly getaway that's close to home and doesn't involve breaking into the family piggy bank. Kids 12 and under always ski free at Pine Mountain when accompanied by a paying adult. From bunny hill to black diamond, Pine Mountain has terrain that will suit all abilities.
Porcupine Mountains – Ontonagon, MI
Features the second highest vertical drop in Michigan or Wisconsin and you'll see spectacular, panoramic views of Lake Superior. The Porkies are home to one of the first alpine ski areas in the Midwest as well as some of the most scenic Nordic ski trails in the entire Great Lakes region.
Ski Brule – Iron River, MI
The first to open and the last to close, Ski Brule provides the best possible conditions at all times with an average season of almost six months! Ski Brule takes pride in their knowledgeable and proficient slope maintenance staff to provide the best corduroy cruisers, terrain trails, 1â„2 pipe and parks.
Photo credits: Big Air - photo courtesy Indianhead Mountain & Fun in the Bumps - photo courtesy Ski Brule. Thanks also to the Michigan Snowsports Industry Association.
One Comment
This was the fifth - and last - new years I've been at Indianhead. The skiing was fantastic, great base, no bare spots. But the lift operators were asleep – I saw them knock a little girl down on the lift – she got stuck – they kept it going until she was suspended 15 feet in the air, her friends desperately hanging on to her until the lift finally stopped. A passerby helped catch her as she was dropped.
The desk personnel were OK, but the heavyset guy needs an attitude adjustment. We arrived early but were not allowed to check in until an hour after check-in time because of a “housekeeping problem.†No apology, no free drink – just “try again later…â€
The bartenders were fantastic! Great new-years customer care! The ski school desk? Friendly, but airheads. It often took 15 minutes just to get noticed. We tried signing up for the race clinic. Arrived 20 minutes early. The clinic started at Noon. 12:05 someone finally deigned to pay attention to us. Maybe the constant “excuse me†“hello†“can you…†finally penetrated their skulls. “Sorry – it’s already started – it’s past noon!†Well friggin duh!
One of the biggest let downs? The quality of the buffet. The 06/07 new years eve buffet was fantastic. Huge selection, fresh, hot, tasty. This years? Dog food. Everything was cold. The roast beef was bloody, cold, stringy and tasted awful. The ham was undercooked. The salad was limp. Mashed potatoes cold and lumpy. Two “mystery foods†that had a vaguely fishy taste. Cold, greasy chicken legs. All for only $25.
The buffet the day before was not much better.
Skiing – great. Bar – great. Restaurant buffet – had better at an all night truck stop at 4am. Staff – overall, inefficient, next to useless, often rude.
Will I be back? No. My friends have been going for almost 18 years – they are done as well. It seems that each time the place changes owners, they cut corners more and more.
If you’re going for the skiing, it’s still a fun time. Planning on staying there? Go elsewhere.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Post a Comment