Michigan Ski Resorts Show Passion for Snow
Most skiers would be surprised to learn that there are more ski resorts in Michigan than in Colorado or Utah. However, with all of the resorts under 1,000 vertical feet and most under 500 feet, Michigan ski resorts can not match the vertical of the Rockies.
Nonetheless, a passion for the sport burns in the Midwest. The U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Ishpeming, Mich., a city that claims to be the birthplace of organized skiing the United States.
Ski Resorts in Northern Lower Michigan
- Boyne Mountain
- Boyne Highlands
- Nub’s Nob
Boyne Mountain Resort in the northern part of Lower Michigan is the home of Boyne Resorts, the owner of destination resorts such as Big Sky, Mont., and Sunday River, Maine.
As a result, Boyne Mountain is probably the best known ski resort in Michigan among out-of-state visitors. Founded and still owned by the Kircher family, Boyne Resorts also owns Boyne Highlands, located about 25 miles north of Boyne Mountain.
Considering that Lower Michigan generally receives less than 150 inches of annual natural snowfall, Boyne and SMI SnowMakers of Midland, Mich., have responded with several pioneering advancements in snowmaking through the years.
The snowmaking technology developed for Michigan ski resorts has been exported as far away as China.
Visible from Boyne Highlands, Nub’s Nob Ski Area has 248 acres of skiable terrain with a vertical drop of 427 feet. Despite its relatively small size, Nub’s Nob has been recognized for its terrain park and grooming in the annual national SKI magazine reader survey.
Upper Michigan Ski Resorts
- Indianhead Mountain Resort
- Porcupine Mountain
- Marquette Mountain
- Mount Bohemia
In general, the ski resorts in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are blessed with slightly greater vertical and much more snow than Lower Michigan.
Some of the best ski resorts in Michigan are found in this area. Indianhead Mountain Resort, Porcupine Mountain and Marquette Mountain all have vertical drops of 600 feet or more.
Opened in December 2000, Mount Bohemia Ski Resort brought an unusual concept to the Upper Peninsula. The ski area caters solely to advanced and expert skiers. The state-best, 900-foot vertical drop combines with an average annual snowfall of 273 inches. For comparison, Keystone Resort in Colorado averages 230 inches.
Mount Bohemia is the most remote of all Michigan ski resorts (it’s located on Lake Superior’s edge). The drive from Minneapolis takes almost 8 hours and the trip from Chicago requires 9 hours by car.
Ski Resorts in Southern Michigan
- Alpine Valley
- Bittersweet Ski Area
- Swiss Valley Ski and Snowboard Area
Much closer to metropolitan areas such as Detroit and Chicago, resorts such as Alpine Valley, Bittersweet Ski Area and Swiss Valley dot the southern part of Michigan.
Not to be confused with the Wisconsin ski area of the same name, Alpine Valley has a vertical drop of 300 feet. Not surprisingly, snowmaking covers 100 percent of the terrain at the area 12 miles west of Pontiac, Mich.
Bittersweet Ski Area in Otsego, Mich., is about 2 hours and 40 minutes by car away from Chicago. The area has a vertical drop of 350 feet.
Swiss Valley Ski and Snowboard Area started in 1960 as Little Switzerland. Giving geography a slight boost, earthmovers in 1978-79 moved 1.5 million cubic yards of dirt to build the area to its current 225 vertical feet.
Of all Michigan ski resorts, only Swiss Valley can claim that NFL Hall-of-Famer Joe Montana learned to ski here during his college days at nearby Notre Dame.
Return from Michigan ski resorts to North American Ski Resorts
Return home from ski resorts in Michigan to the Skiing Experts
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