Pine Mountain Jump

Last updated

Pine Mountain Jump
Pine Mountain Jump 2009.JPG
LocationPine Mountain
Iron Mountain, MI
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Opened1937
Renovated1977
Size
K–point K-120
Hill size HS133
Hill record Flag of Norway.svg Marius Lindvik
(144 m in 2018)

The Pine Mountain Ski Jump is a ski jump located in Iron Mountain, Michigan, Dickinson County. It is part of the Kiwanis Ski Club and hosts annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup competitions. [1] "Pine Mountain Slide is known throughout the world as one of the better jumping hills." Annually in February, it "hosts jumpers from around the world at the best tournament in the United States." Top-rated foreign jumpers compete. Currently (excluding ski flying hills) Pine Mountain holds the U.S. records for the longest jump in World Cup competition at 140m (459 feet), as well as the overall distance record at 144m (472.44feet). [2] The facility also includes two smaller ski jumping hills that are built into the hill northwest of the large hill. Attendance is about 20,000 ski jumping fans year around. [3]

Contents

Specifications

History

Construction of the jump began in 1937 and was completed in 1938. At the time it was 156 feet (48 m) high. It hosted its first competition in 1939. In 1948, the outrun was dug out, and in 1977 the inrun tower was made larger (to the current 176 feet (54 m)) after a fire. There have been numerous other renovations over the years. In 1996 and 2000 the hill hosted the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, bringing in 20,000 spectators. However, it has not hosted one since, and now hosts annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup competitions. [5]

Locally known as "Giant Pine Mountain," it is reputed worldwide to be one of the best ski jumping facilities. The ski jumping fans are said to be friendly. It is also considered by most jumpers as the most challenging jump on the Continental Cup circuit and in the world. This partly is due to the fact that the top of the jump is nearly 600 feet above all of the surrounding landscape giving the jumpers the same view that they would have if they were standing on top of a 60 story skyscraper. Also, because of the jump and hill's high rise above the surrounding landscape there is a significant wind factor for jumpers making it more challenging. [6]

Excluding ski flying hills, the Pine Mountain Ski Jump is the largest ski jump in the United States and it is between the 3rd and 8th tallest man-made ski jump in the world (depending on how height is measured). [7] There are two other ski jumps in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan: Copper Peak is the only Ski flying venue in the western hemisphere, located near Ironwood, Michigan (and has been called "Suicide hill"), [8] as well as the pre-existing Suicide Hill Ski Jump located at Ishpeming, Michigan, which is near the National Ski Hall of Fame. [8]

Jump records

Below is the list of past and current record holders:

YearDistance (m)Distance (ft)NameCountry
193978256Bob Rocker Flag of the United States.svg United States
194181.5267 Alf Engen Flag of Norway.svg NOR
194288289 Torger Tokle Flag of Norway.svg NOR
194989292Joe Perrault Flag of the United States.svg United States
194989.5294 Matti Pietikäinen Flag of Finland.svg FIN
194990.5297Joe Perrault Flag of the United States.svg USA
195591.5300Rudy Maki Flag of the United States.svg USA [9]
196196315Jim Brennan Flag of the United States.svg USA
196296.5317Pekka Tirkkinen Flag of Finland.svg FIN
196599325 John Balfanz Flag of the United States.svg United States
1968102335 Adrian Watt Flag of the United States.svg United States
1971105344 Jerry Martin Flag of the United States.svg United States
1978113371Gebhart Aberer Flag of Austria.svg AUT
1980121.5399 Armin Kogler Flag of Austria.svg AUT
1991122400Werner Schuster Flag of Austria.svg AUT
1996-02-18131.5431 Masahiko Harada Flag of Japan.svg JPN
2018-02-18138453 Jakub Wolny Flag of Poland.svg POL
2017-02-18140.5461 Klemens Muranka Flag of Poland.svg POL
2002-02-23142466 Kalle Keituri Flag of Finland.svg FIN
2004-02-21142466 Olav Magne Dønnem Flag of Norway.svg NOR
2006-02-18142.5468 Stefan Kaiser Flag of Austria.svg AUT [3]
2009-02-15142.5468 Lukas Müller Flag of Austria.svg AUT
2009-02-15143.5471 Stefan Thurnbichler Flag of Austria.svg AUT
2018-02-15144472 Marius Lindvik Flag of Norway.svg NOR [5] [10]

List of events held

The Pine Mountain ski jumping tournament has been part of the FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup every year since 2004 and with the exception of the occasional Winter Olympic Games or World Cup event, the tournament is annually the most prestigious and highest level ski jumping competition held in the Western Hemisphere. Below is an incomplete list of events held at the hill. [1] [2] [3] [11]

Getting there

From US Highway 2 in town (Iron Mountain), turn west onto Kent Street just south of the Chapin Pit, and follow the signs. In about 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km), look for Upper Pine Mountain Road which winds up to the hilltop. The view from the observation deck at the top of the jump is about 30 miles (48 km). [4] There is no charge to use the observation deck.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Kiwanis Ski Club". Iron Mountain, Pine Mountain, 120 metre ski jump. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Iron Mountain".
  3. 1 2 3 "Continental Cup Ski Jumping February 11, 12, & 13, 2011". Ski Jumping at the Pine Mountain Ski Jump, Iron Mountain, Michigan. Exploring the North. 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Iron Mountain, Pine Mountain Ski Jump". Hunt’s Guide to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Ironwood Copper Peak". Ski Jumping Hill Archive. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  6. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "Discovering - UP200, Pine Mountain Ski Jumps". YouTube .
  7. ↑ "World's largest ski jumps".
  8. 1 2 Baulch, Vivian M. (1 February 2002). "Michigan's long history of ski jumping". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  9. ↑ "Brooks Dodge".
  10. ↑ Deuter, Ron (16 February 2009). "Austrian teen wins at Pine Mountain". Iron Mountain: Daily Press. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  11. ↑ Dougoveto, John (2018) Pine Mountain ski jump: A History of Ski Jumping in the Iron Mountain Kingsford Area RRR Publishing OCLC 1080346979

45°50′07.34″N88°05′18.59″W / 45.8353722°N 88.0884972°W / 45.8353722; -88.0884972

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