Mont Ripley

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Mont Ripley Ski Area
Ripley bluebird.jpg
View looking east towards Michigan Tech and Portage Lake on a clear day
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Mont Ripley Ski Area
Location in Michigan
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Mont Ripley Ski Area
Location in the United States
Location Franklin Township, Michigan, United States
Coordinates 47°08′N88°34′W / 47.13°N 88.56°W / 47.13; -88.56
StatusOperating
Owner Michigan Technological University
Vertical440 ft (134 m)
Top elevation1,140 ft (350 m) AMSL
Base elevation700 ft (210 m) AMSL
Skiable area112 acres (0.2 sq mi; 0.5 km2)
Trails 24
Ski trail rating symbol-green circle.svg 21% easiest
Ski trail rating symbol-blue square.svg 29% more difficult
Ski trail rating symbol-black diamond.svg 50% most difficult
Longest run0.8 mi (1.3 km)
Lift system 2 chairlifts, 1 tow [1]
Terrain parks 1
Snowfall 275 inches (22.9 ft; 7.0 m)
Snowmaking Yes
Night skiing Yes
Website www.mtu.edu/mont-ripley

Mont Ripley Ski Area (Often shortened to Mont Ripley, or simply Ripley) is a ski hill located in Franklin Township, Houghton County, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The site is just outside the cities of Hancock and Houghton. It is owned by Michigan Technological University. It was founded in the early 1900s by Fred Pabst Jr. (and managed by Fred Lonsdorf [2] ). With the addition of snow making in 2000, the season has been extended from late November to late March or early April.

Contents

Mont Ripley is known for its challenging terrain and views of Houghton, Portage Lake and the Huron Mountains. It is also commonly used by racers.[ citation needed ]

History

Whole of Mont Ripley in January 2012, with the Quincy Smelter in the foreground Mont Ripley in Winter.jpg
Whole of Mont Ripley in January 2012, with the Quincy Smelter in the foreground

Mont Ripley opened in 1934. In 1944 it was taken over by Michigan Technological University. [3]

In 2006, a new building was built to ease congestion in the main chalet. The new chalet has a gas fireplace and added seating, as well as more lockers. It is mainly used for special events such as races and parties. Mont Ripley also purchased eight more snow making guns to add to their capability to get all the runs open earlier in the season.[ citation needed ]

Also in 2006, a second chair lift, dubbed the "Copper Hoist", was purchased and was built on the east side of the hill in 2007, making it easier for skiers and snowboarders to use those runs, raising the lift count to three (2 chair lifts and one t-bar)

A flood on June 17, 2018 significantly damaged the two easternmost ski runs on the hill (Powderstash and Deer Track Trail). [4] Both runs were repaired during the summer of 2022 [5] and reopened the following winter.

Hill modifications through the years

Mont Ripley has been a part of Michigan Tech since the early 1940s giving it the distinction as the oldest ski area in Michigan and becoming an important recreational feature of the Houghton-Hancock area.[ citation needed ] The hill has experienced a series of evolutionary modifications since its creation, and continues to operate as a modern ski facility.

Western portion of Mont Ripley Ski Area in autumn Mont Ripley.jpg
Western portion of Mont Ripley Ski Area in autumn
View of the Portage Canal from Mont Ripley during Autumn View of the Portage River from Mont Ripley.png
View of the Portage Canal from Mont Ripley during Autumn

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References

  1. "Mont Ripley, MI". May 18, 2021.
  2. Bishop, Bob and Whitlock, Flint (1993). Soldiers on Skis: A Pictorial History of the 10th Mountain Division. Paladin Press. p. 191. ISBN   0-87364-676-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Mont Ripley, Michigan". Ski: 59. November 1974.
  4. Katerberg, Kali (July 31, 2018). "Eastern runs out at Ripley". The Daily Mining Gazette. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  5. "Mont Ripley". m.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  6. Call, s. Michael. "SKI AREA SAFETY BOARD BOARD MEETING MINUTES" (PDF). STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & ECONOMIC GROWTH BUREAU OF COMMERCIAL SERVICES – LICENSING DIVISION. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  7. Nordberg, Erik (1999). Mont Ripley Ski Hill Chronology.