Downhill Skiing
Our area is famous for the quantity and quality of the snowfall it receives each winter. We receive over 17 feet of pristine, natural snow thanks to Lake Effect snow blowing off of majestic Lake Superior. Big Snow Country is perfectly position to receive these Lake Effect snows as the cold air picks up moisture for Lake Superior and dumps it onto the high terrain of Big Snow Country.
Here’s our recipe for a great ski vacation:
Combine 17 feet of average natural snowfall with incredible views of Upper Peninsula forests. Add a dash of renowned grooming, family friendly specials, and a down-home staff who treats you like family. Throw in a charming Bavarian style village with a complimentary shuttle and you have the makings for an unforgettable winter getaway!
Bessemer, MI 49911
Skiing information: 906-932-4838
www.bigpowderhorn.net
Vertical 600 ft 33 Runs
Big Powderhorn offers 9 chairlifts, 24 trails, kinderschool, and a professional ski school. There is also an outdoor ice rink, 3 restaurants and a lounge, and trailside decks and wine huts.
**Now a part of Snowriver Mountain Resort**
Blackjack Road, Bessemer, MI 49911
Skiing information: 906-229-5115
https://www.snowriver.com/
Vertical 465 ft 22 Runs
Blackjack offers 20 trails, snowboarding park and Nastar racing. There are snowboard lessons and rental, a ski school, children’s programs and a nursery available. New to Blackjack is a “Just For Kids” beginner area. Family lift tickets are available and lift and lodging specials are offered.
**Now a part of Snowriver Mountain Resort**
500 Indianhead Road, Wakefield, MI 49968
800-346-3426
https://www.snowriver.com/
Vertical 638 ft 29 Runs
Indianhead is unique. The resort village is located at the top of the Mountain, with spectacular views of the Ottawa National Forest.
Nine lifts and tows service the trails where you can ski and enjoy the thrill of U.P. Skiing at it’s finest. Mother Nature’s natural snow is enhanced even further with the help of 52 snow guns at Indianhead Mountain! Indianhead offers the most skiable terrain in Big Snow Country, 180 acres with a 638-foot vertical drop! It’s even got a snowboard park and half pipe bump run as well as complete resort facilities. Indianhead boasts award-winning dining, lodging, live entertainment and full-service conference/banquet facilities.
Located at Gogebic Community College Jackson Road, Ironwood, MI 49938
906-932-3718
The oldest ski area in “Big Snow Country”. Mt. Zion is owned by Gogebic Community College and is operated by its Ski Area Management Program. Mt. Zion has a 300 vertical drop and has 9 slopes and trails. Downhill and snowboard rentals are available. Two kilometers of groomed and track cross-country ski trails are available. Mt. Zion offers reasonable skiing and rental rates.
The Midwest’s premier ski resort with the highest vertical (900 feet), largest backcountry glade and the only triple black runs in the Midwest. Mount Bohemia is one of the most challenging places to ski in the U.S. and is totally dependent upon Mother Nature as they do not make any snow. For the second straight year, Mount Bohemia has been recognized by USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards as one of the nation’s top downhill ski destinations. The program recognizes the top ten ski resorts as voted on by USA Today readers from an original list of 20 nominations selected by a panel of industry experts.
107 Runs – 630 Acres – 900’ Vertical – 2 Lifts – U.P.’s largest outdoor hot tub – Nordic Sauna.
6532 Gay Lac Belle Rd.
Mohawk, MI 49950
Fast becoming one of the premier ski hills in the Midwest, is also one of the oldest. Located just outside of Houghton, skiers have been enjoying the winter sport since the 1930’s. A 440-foot vertical drop and challenging terrain make Mont Ripley a fun place to be. Night skiing, chalet, rentals, lessons, races, special events and more!
22 Runs – 112 Acres – 440’ Vertical – 3 Lifts – 33 Terrain Park Features -Tubing
Hwy 107
Silver City, MI
906-885-5209
Nestled area along the shore of Lake Superior, the Porcupine Mountains offer 7 intermediate trails, 5 challenging expert trails and 3 novice trails at total of 15 trails. Panoramic views over Lake Superior and the park’s rugged back country offer skiers some of the most spectacular winter scenery in the Midwest.The “Porkies” has a triple chairlift and T-bar serve the Eastern Summit, a double chairlift serves the Western Summit and an easy to use handle tow serves the “Bunny” slope. An A – frame chalet located at the foot of the sprawling Hiawatha Run houses fireplaces, ski shop, food service, and National Ski Patrol first aid. Lessons are available. The area also offers a top-notch 42-km cross-country trail system.
Located just south of Copper Harbor and offers vertical drops of close to 700 feet and about 100 acres of terrain in just its first season, making it one of the biggest in the Midwest. It has a combination of open runs and some tree runs. This ski area is being developed by Mount Bohemia and is the first commercial cat ski operation east of the Rockies. Now offering over 200 acres of ski-able terrain, amazing views of Lake Superior and Brockway Mountain, Voodoo will have over 1800 acres of terrain once fully developed. Voodoo Mountain gets abundant snowfall (almost 300 inches) which is one of the key ingredients for great cat skiing and most of its runs face directly north which limits sun exposure allowing for a very late ski season.
14 Runs -1,800 aces (when built out) – 700’ Vertical – Snowcat access only
