Marquette Mountain

Marquette Mountain is a winter sports area for skiing and snow boarding in the north central United States, located within city limits a few miles south of downtown Marquette, Michigan, the major city in the state's Upper Peninsula.

Marquette Mountain
View from Marquette Mountain
with Lake Superior in the distance
Marquette Mountain
Location within Michigan
Marquette Mountain
Marquette Mountain (the United States)
LocationMarquette, Michigan, U.S.
Nearest major cityMarquette: 3 miles (5 km) from downtown
Coordinates46.508°N 87.42°W / 46.508; -87.42
Vertical   457 ft (139 m)
Top elevation1,257 ft (383 m)
Base elevation   800 ft (244 m)
Skiable area169 acres (0.68 km2)
Runs25
- 15% easiest
- 50% more difficult
- 35% most difficult
Longest run1.25 miles (2.0 km)
Lift system3 chairlifts, 1 tow
Lift capacity5,200 / hr
Terrain parks0
Snowfall117 in (300 cm)
Snowmaking50%
Night skiing7 nights / wk [1]
WebsiteMarquette Mountain.com
Base of Marquette Mountain

In the summer, Marquette Mountain formerly offered activities such as mountain biking, and volleyball; however, as of summer 2018 new management has fenced the ski area off to non-employees during the off-season. The base area's parking lot is adjacent to highway M-553.

Popular from the start, the ski area opened in late 1957.[2][3][4] It was originally known as Cliffs Ridge, as it operated on land leased from the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company of Cleveland, Ohio.[5] The first chairlift, a Riblet double, was installed on the skier's right side of Rocket Run in the fall of 1972.[6][7] Previously, there were 2 T-bars (the original Constam[8] on the skier's left of Rocket and a newer Hall Ski-Lift on the skier's left of Snowfield) and several rope tows. The ski area was renamed "Marquette Mountain" in 1982.[9]

Marquette Mountain has hosted alpine race events for numerous clubs. Current general manager Frank Mallette has eliminated the ski area's former NASTAR race program, which will be handled by an independent LLC in the 2018 season.

Panoramic image inside the "Carp River Saloon"

The hill has a summit elevation of 1,257 ft (383 m) above sea level and a vertical drop of 457 ft (139 m). As of the 2018/2019 season, snowmaking has been limited to the west side of the ski area only. It has three chairlifts and a rope tow (however, normally only one or two of the three chairlifts is operational), night skiing, and receives an average of 120 in (300 cm) of snowfall annually, the recipient of lake effect snow from nearby Lake Superior, prominently visible to the north and northeast. The shore of the lake's Marquette Bay is just two miles (3 km) to the northeast. Ten miles (16 km) to the south is the extensive runway of the county's Sawyer International Airport; it opened in 1999 on the site of the former K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, which closed in 1995.

The National Ski Hall of Fame is in Ishpeming, about twelve miles (20 km) west of Marquette.

References
  1. Marquette Mountain.com Archived 2010-10-08 at the Wayback Machine - mountain information
  2. "Ready new ski center". Milwaukee Sentinel. September 23, 1957. p. 6-part 2.
  3. "Thar's gold in them hills". Milwaukee Sentinel. November 14, 1957. p. 1-part 4.
  4. "UP boasts last 'resort' for skiers". Milwaukee Sentinel. March 5, 1958. p. 7-part 2.
  5. Dooley, Don (February 5, 1967). "Hill With Great Lakes View". Milwaukee Journal. p. 3-part 4.
  6. "Cliffs Ridge Ski Area to be improved". Milwaukee Sentinel. May 2, 1972. p. 5-part 1.
  7. "Chairlift OK'd for ski area". Milwaukee Sentinel. May 10, 1972. p. 10-part 1.
  8. "Cliffs Ridge area plans new lift". Milwaukee Sentinel. November 27, 1969. p. 10-part 2.
  9. Terrell, Mike (November 23, 2009). "Marquette Mountain Is A Longtime Mainstay In Michigan's UP". On The Snow.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
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