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Upper Peninsula Ski Resorts

Norway Mountain, Norway

Norway Mountain has given a nod to beginners this year, adding a novice run, a novice training area and progressive terrain park with small to medium features and two new easy-to-maneuver lifts. For those that want more challenge on the slopes, the speedy Frigga race run and rigorous Odin Terrain Park await.

Signature Event

Yooper Days! During the second week in February, hightail it to the U.P. to participate in events like the chainsaw throwing contest, the pasty eating contest, or—a new twist on an old favorite—the frozen T-shirt contest.

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Ski Brule, Iron River

New this winter, visitors can play co-pilot to Ski Brule’s professional grooming staff on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday evenings. Grab a seat up front for the 15-minute ride that guarantees a new view of the mountain. Brule claims it’s first to open and last to close—the mountain averages 164 skiable days each winter—and, thanks to ever-increasing snowmaking capacity, is always a sure bet for sweet powder. So what are you waiting for? Nab a made-to-order breakfast at the Brule Café and hit the slopes. Just don’t forget to sign on for a groomer-drawn sleigh ride to the Homestead Barbeque—a perfect end to a perfect day.

Signature Events

Village hayride and marshmallow roast every Tuesday. Reservations required. March means the Brule Bash, a wild celebration of the white stuff that features snow volleyball, snow bowling, dogsled rides and mattress races.

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Pine Mountain Resort, Iron Mountain

Make your ski trip a multi-day adventure without ever leaving the groomed trails, mountainside eateries and cozy ski-in, ski-out condos. Knowledgeable instructors are on hand to cater to skiers of every skill level, whether you just need to brush up or start from the beginning. Six new runs premiered last season, upping the ante on Pine Mountain’s advanced runs. Saturday nights, pile your crew into Farmer’s restaurant for good eats and live music. Follow it up with a steam in the sauna, or splash around the indoor pool to loosen up those muscles.

Signature Events

Pop in for the ’70s party Feb. 9&10: swish down the hills in retro attire and get a lift ticket at the ’70s price.

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Marquette Mountain, Marquette

Known for its wide-ranging trail diversity, Marquette Mountain claims the title of an “everything for everyone” resort and boasts a variety of long easy runs, steep cruisers and gladed tree runs. A full-day lift ticket here really means all day—Marquette stays open for 12 hours straight on Saturdays with no downtime between day and night skiing. No need for new tickets when dusk rolls in either. No snow? No problem. This season, infrastructure improvements raise the bar on overall performance and amp up snowmaking capabilities.

Signature Events

The Brodown Sho Down and Super Park events, both centered on freestyle snowboarding and skiing, are proven crowd-pleasers in March.

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Mont Ripley, Hancock

Join snow-savvy Michigan Tech students on the slopes for everything from beginner-friendly green slopes to double black diamonds. Test out the Copper Chute Glade, a new tree-lined run connecting the Plunge and Bonzai. Also new this season is the Copper Hoist double chairlift and doubled snowmaking capacity. Mont Ripley, outfitted for skiers and snowboarders of every stripe, is home to one of the best downhill racing courses in the Midwest. Bonus: World-class cross-country trails await nearby on Michigan Tech’s campus.

Signature Events

Michigan Tech’s Winter Carnival, one of the largest in the Midwest, draws visitors February 6-10 for ski races, family activities and towering snow sculptures.

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Mount Bohemia, Lac La Belle

This no-beginners-allowed mountain is like no other Michigan ski locale. The runs are never groomed. There’s zero artificial snowmaking (with the mounds of lake-effect snow dumped on the Keweenaw, there’s no need). The place is full of sharp cliffs, rock outcroppings and steep, plummeting trails. Except for two intermediate runs on the mountain’s face, it’s black diamonds up and down at Bohemia, and the thrill-seekers come in droves. After a full day of high-octane runs, hibernate in one of four new mountainside yurts. Each sleeps 10 in cabin-style bunks.

Signature Event

Give a nod to Mardi Gras on the slopes March 1st. Collect the longest string of beads to win $1,000.

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Blackjack, Bessemer

Blackjack jumped on the snowboard trend early and in a big way, constructing what is regarded by many as the best terrain park in the Midwest, and this year it’s even better. Get ready to take on a new rainbow rail and an up-down-up box locals call the Red Dragon. One thing that never changes here is the unbelievable views: down the Black River valley and across the forest canopy to the massive ski jump at Copper Peak 20 miles away.

Signature Event

See blackjack.com.

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Porcupine Mountain, Ontonagon

Drink in gorgeous scenery and cruise past untouched swaths of natural beauty overlooking Lake Superior. The big news in the Porcupine Mountains, the gorgeous state park land affectionately known as the Porkies, is still last season’s major expansion that added 100 acres of wild and woodsy inbound Sno-Cat skiing with an almost 800-foot vertical drop and 17 new runs. Tackle virgin backcountry snow on wide tree-lined paths, then clamber back into the toasty Sno-Cat and thaw out while cruising back to the trailhead.

Signature Event

Telemark skiing steals the spotlight at Telefest, Feb 2-30.

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Big Powderhorn Mountain, Bessemer

The mountain’s snow belt locale in the U.P. guarantees heaps of powder. A spruced-up terrain park, four new intermediate and advanced trails, and great entertainment are center stage this season. Kids 8 to 12 who are comfortable on blue runs can jump into a Caribou Cruisers session for a half-day of instructor-guided runs, games and skill brush-ups. At day’s end, families can glide around the lit outdoor ice rink, take a horse-drawn sleigh ride or soak up live tunes at the Snowflake Lounge.

Signature Events

New Year’s Eve means fireworks over the mountain and a torchlight parade. Saddle up for western-style fun on February 2 at the Country Kicker, featuring barrel racing on skis, a bandana toss and an obstacle course with country music, dance and food.

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Indianhead Mountain Resort, Wakefield

After a run down the new black diamond, sit on top of the world—or at least the top of a mountain—to pack away a rib-sticking dinner and kick back for live music at the new Sky Bar and Grille. Indianhead’s lodge and accommodations are also at the summit, so no chairlift is required for the first run of the day, but you’ll want to get up there again and again to enjoy the view—a 35-mile panorama of the Ottawa National Forest, blanketed in some of the 17 feet of snow that falls here annually.

Signature Events

March 15 means bikini races, which are judged on course time and crowd appeal.

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