MICHIGAN

151
lost
areas


MWLSAP Homepage

Any information or assistance on the lost ski areas of Michigan would be greatly appreciated: mark@mwlsap.org

For more information and pictures on most of these lost ski areas go to the Michigan Lost Ski Areas Project. or Michigan's Forgotten Ski Areas

 LOST AREAS

Adventure Mountain+ - REOPENED 1/22/2021

Al and Stevie's Ski Village* (see Ski Village)

Al Quaal

Allegan Winter Sports Area

Alpena Ski Slope* (see Manning Hill)

Apple Mountain (also called Bintz Apple Mountain)

AuSable Ski Ranch* - See Michaywe Slopes

Avalanche Peak - also called Barn Mountain

Bahle Park Ski Hill

Bald Eagle Ski Hill (may also have been called Harringbone Ridge)

Bald Mountain State Recreation Area

Barn Mountain* - See Avalanche Peak

Barton Hills Country Club

Bear Hills

Bear Mountain+ (formerly Grayling Winter Sports Park, still open as Hanson Hills)

Big-M Ski Area* (see Manistee Ski Area)

Binder Park

Bintz Apple Mountain* (see Apple Mountain)

Birch Hills Ski Area

Birchwood Farm Lodge

Black Forest

Black Mountain Ski Area

Brady's Hills (later called Winterskoll)

Braman Hill Recreation Area

Bremer's Hill

Briar Hill Ski Area

Briar Mountain* - (See Norway Mountain , also called Vulcan USA)

Brice's Hill* (see Bryce's Hill)

Brock Park

Brule Mountain+ (currently open as Ski Brule)

Bryce's Hill (Brice's Hill)

Buck Hills+ - still open as Crystal Mountain

Calvin College

Canadian Lakes Club

Carousel Mountain

Caspian Ski Hill * - see Spring Valley

Chainsaw Mountain

Chelsea Ski Hollow

Chipmunk Bluff

Chimney Corners Resort

Ci-Bo Ski Hill

Circle TNT Ski Area and Campground (previously called Jack Pine Valley)

Cliff's Ridge+ - currently operating as Marquette Mountain

Cole Creek* - see Fonro Ski Resort

Danforth Ski Area (Escanaba Winter Sports Park)

  • Escanaba, MI - upper peninsula - 3 mi W on Danforth Rd.; 2 1/2 mi from state fairgrounds; where Soo Line (Schlesinger) RR crosses Danforth Rd.
  • o: 1959 - lodge at top
  • hills face south and east ???
  • In 1978 (Skalka): 1 rope tow
  • Google Maps / Google Earth ???
    45.78377175069546, -87.12511554357995
    Please email - mark@mwlsap.org - if you know a more precise location.
    • This location is uncertain, but it does appear to meet the bowl-like descriptions and the distances from town and State Fair Park
  • Michigan's Forgotten Ski Areas Facebook Page 1 2
  • Ski Tow In Operation At Danforth Ski Hill Area - Escanaba Daily Press, Jan. 22, 1959
  • Mayor Receives Deed To Ski Area - Escanaba Daily Press, March 17, 1939
  • Skiing On Hills In Danforth District - Escanaba Daily Press, Feb. 17, 1939
  • Officers Will Discuss Site - Escanaba Daily Press, Jan. 17, 1939
  • Terry Ahola - wikipedia - first ski area of Terry Ahola, former member of the US Ski Team

Diggins Hill Park

Dryden Ski Area

Duke's Ski Slope / Duke's Lake

East Bay+ (probably Mt. Holiday - still open

Echo Valley

Elberta Mountan Winter Sports Park

Escanaba Winter Sports Park* (see Danforth Ski Area)

Eskar Hills (Esker?) - may also be Middleville Ski Resort

Flint Parks and Recreation ????

Fonro Ski Resort - later called Cole Creek

Ford Mountain^

Forest Hill Ski Resort ^- looks like ski jump only

Franklin Hill

Fry's Winter Sports Park

Fulton Lake Snow Bowl* Probably Snow Bowl

Fun Valley

Galaxy Hills

Gay-El-Rancho

Glacier Hills

Goshorn Hills

Grand Haven Ski Bowl+ - currently operating as Mulligan's Hollow

Grand Rapids Ski Club (2)

Grand River Park Ski Area

Grand Valley State College Ski Hill

Grandview Orchards

Grayling Winter Sports Park+ - (see Bear Mountain, still open as Hanson Hills)

Greenbush Inn

  • Greenbush, MI - north east Michigan - Inn located at 2411 S. State Street - skiing and tobogganing hills were approximately 2 miles N – on the W side of US 23. beyond the Greenbush Golf Course - Everett Road
  • Google Maps / Google Earth ???
    44.6117782627895, -83.32454621482518
    Please email - mark@mwlsap.org - if you know a more precise location.
  • Michigan Lost Ski Areas Project

Griswold Mountain Ski Area

Harbor Highlands Ski Resort+ - (Boyne Highlands) currently open as The Highlands

Harbor Springs Kiwanis Park

Harringbone Ridge* - see Bald Eagle Ski Hill

Hidden Valley* - see Ostego Ski Club - Still open

Highland Recreation Area

Hilton Shanty Creek* - see Shanty Creek - Still open

Holiday Hills+ - currently open as Mt. Holiday

Holiday Mountain^ - NEVER OPENED (also called White Pine Ridge)

Houghton Lake* (see Snow Bowl)

Hu-Lu Heights (Hulu Heights Winter Sports Area)
May have been togaggon only

Indian Hills Ski Park

Indian Hills

Irish Hills Sports Park - renamed Shamrock Valley in 1979

Iroquois Mountain Lodge (originally called Mission Hill Ski Resort)

Jack Pine Valley* - see Circle TNT

Jordan Valley Lodge^

Kalamazoo Country Club

Kalamazoo Ski Club

  • Plainwell, MI - southwest Michigan - AB Avenue between Douglas and 12th Street; slopes may have faced east and been accessed by a driveway running west from Douglas
  • Google Maps / Google Earth
    42.4093960485167, -85.6233635457187
    location very uncertain
  • Michigan Lost Ski Areas Project

Kandahar (formerly Summit Ski Club / Summit Ski Area)

Kenyon's Resort

Kirlin Hill* - see Mt Mesnard

Lakeshore Ski Club

Lake Valley Resort (Lake Valley Ski Area)

Lansing Ski Club / Lansing Ski Area

Lee Tow Winter Sports Park

Leelanau Schools Ski Hill *

Les Cheneaux

Little Switzerland Ski Area+ - currently operating as Swiss Valley

Lions Club Ski Hill

  • Wadhams / Port Huron, MI - east central Michigan - 5 miles NW of Wadhams 1/4 off Lapeer Rd. (M21) on Abbottsford Rd. along the Black River; 3248 Abbottsford Rd, North Street, MI
  • Port Huron Lions Club
  • Google Maps / Google Earth
    43.0016236113479, -82.56072832022454
  • Michigan's Forgotten Ski Areas - Facebook

Lookout Hills Ski Park / Lookout Inn

Lost Lake Woods Club

Lost Pines Lodge

Lovells Winter Playground

Ludington Ski Area (earlier called Riverton Ski Area)

Ludington State Park - tow?

Mackinac College Ski Slope (also called: Rex Humbard College Ski Slope, Stonecliffe, Mt Humbard)

Madcap Winter Sports Park

Major Mountain

Manistee Ski Area (also called Big-M Ski Area and Udell Hills)

Manning Ski Hill / Alpena Ski Slope

Maple Mountain

Maplehurst

McGuires Ski Resort

Michaywe Slopes (formerly called AuSable Ski Ranch)

Middleville Ski Resort (may also be Eskar Hills)

Miles Kimmerly Recreation Area

Minneapolis Woods Ski Area

Mio Mountain

Missaukee Mountain

Mission Hill Ski Resort *- see Iroquois Mountain Lodge

Mont Brier * - see Norway Mountain

Moon Ridge

  • Lakeville, MI - southwest Michigan - on the east side of a small ridge north of Lakeview on 95th Avenue,
    3 (2) mi N of Lakeview on Lincoln Road in Montcalm County, about 1/2 mi S of the north county line about a quarter mi S of 1 Mile Rd
  • c: 1968
  • Google Maps / Google Earth ???
    43.47338027942229, -85.27508889799282
    Please email - mark@mwlsap.org - if you know a more precise location.
  • Michigan Lost Ski Areas Project
  • Skiers Expect A Banner Year - Detroit Free Press, Oct. 27, 1968

Mott Mountain (later called Silver Ridge, maybe Black Mountain, maybe also called Jasper Ski Resort)

Mt. Christie

Mt. Frederick

Mt.Gabriel

Mt. Grampian

Mt. Humbard *- See Mackinac College Ski Slope

Mt. Joy

Mt. Judah

Mt. Kimberly

Mt. Mancelona

Mt. Maria Ski Lodge

Mt. Mesnard - formerly Kirlin Hill

Mt. Onaway Ski Run

MTU-Soo Ski Area (MTU Sault Branch Hill)

Muskegon State Park / Muskegon Winter Sports Complex

Mussatti Ski Hill

  • Bessemer, MI - upper peninsula - south side of Blackjack right along US2, E of Bessemer and N of road that leads to Anvil Location (mine?)
  • built and operated by the 4-H on the George Mussatti farm
  • Google Maps / Google Earth ???
    46.48591044013235, -90.02085500589538
    Please email - mark@mwlsap.org - if you know a more precise location.
  • Michigan's Forgotten Ski Areas Facebook Page
  • 4-H Sports Day - The Bessemer Herald , Feb 17, 1966

Newaygo County Sports Park

Norway Mountain - formerly Briar Mountain , Mont Brier, and Vulcan USA

Oakland University Ski Tow

Ogemaw Hills

Ortonville State Recreation Area

Oxbow Club and Ski Area

Pando Ski Center (also called Pando Park)

Paradise Valley

Peek-A-Boo Hill

Pere Marquette Ski Club

Pickney State Recreation Area

Pinnacles (The)* - later called Tyrolean

Pleasant Valley Ski Area

Pioneer Hills Winter Sports Park

Prospect Hill - also called Valley Farm

Rex Humbard College Ski Slope* - See Mackinac College Ski Slope

Riverbank Golf Club

Riverton Ski Area * - see Ludington Ski Area

Riverview Highlands

Roundtops

Royal Valley* (later called Ski World)

Russell's Ridge

Schussaway

Shamrock Valley * (Shamrock Valley Sports Park) - see Irish Hills Sports Park

Sheridan Valley

Silver Beach Ski Resort

Silver Mountain

Silver Ridge Resort* (See Mott Mountain)

Silver Valley

Silverbell Village Ski Area (Silver Bell Village)

Ski-A-Way + - see Petoskey Winter Sports Park - still open

Ski Homestead+ - now part of Ski Brule (still open)

Ski Village (also called Waters Ski Club, Waters Ski Village; Al and Stevie's Ski Village)

Ski World (formerly called Royal Valley)

Skyline Ski Area (also Sky Line)

Snow Bowl (Houghton Lake Snow Bowl)

Snow Valley

Spring Valley - also called Caspian Ski Hill

Stonecliffe* - See Mackinac College Ski Slope

Sugar Loaf

Summit Ski Area / Summit Ski Club * - See Kandahar

Superior Hills

Sylvan Resort / Sylvan Knob) + - still operating as Treetops

Teeple Hill

Thunder Bowl

Thunder Mountain

Timberlee Hills

Timberline

Timberline

Tyrolean (Tyrolean Hills; previously called Pinnacles Ski Resort)

Udell Hills* - see Manistee Ski Area

Valley Farm* - probably the same as Prospect Hills

Vanderbilt Ski Club

Vernier Hill

Village Inn

Vulcan U.S.A.* - became Briar Mt and later Norway Mountain

Walloon Hills Ski Area +- currently home to Challenge Mountain

Ward Hill(s) Ski Area

Waters Ski Club / Waters Ski Village* see Ski Village

Western Michigan University

Whiskey Creek (Whiskey Creek Recreations Inc.)

Winterskoll* (see Brady's Hills)

Woodbridge Ski Area

MWLSAP Homepage

 

PLANNED, BUT NEVER DEVELOPED

Copper Harbor- NEVER OPENED

Deertrack Village Resort - NO TOW INSTALLED

  • Michigan's Lost Ski Areas Facebook Page (also: Marquette Has New Ski Area - The Escanaba Daily Press (Escanaba, Michigan) · 13 Dec 1949)
  • From Marquette Regional History Center:

    Mark,

    We don't have any record of skiing or a rope tow at Deertrack Village, although we have records of it operating as a summer resort. If you would like to continue looking, we have the original local newspapers, the Mining Journal, available for research.

    Please let me know if you have any other questions.

    Beth Gruber, Research Librarian
    John M. Longyear Research Library
    Marquette Regional History Center
    145 W. Spring St.
    Marquette, MI 49855
    906-226-3571

Holiday Mountain^ - NEVER OPENED (also called White Pine Ridge and Tower Hill))

Michigan State University Ski Hill - NEVER OPENED

Rapid River Ski Park - NEVER OPENED

Rouge Park - NEVER OPENED

St. Ignace - NEVER OPENED

WORKING ON:

George N. Brady Scout Reservation

  • Waterford MI / Green Lake MI, 6970 Andersonville Road
  • Michigan's Forgotten Ski Areas Facebook Page (picture of skiing, but no tow)
  • Boy Scouts
  • Operated from 1921 to 1946. Sold in 1946, the site is now occupied by Bay Court Park in Independence Charter Township.

Snowshoe Mountain - this is Snow

Rockland Winter Sports Club

 

Village Inn Walloon Lake ??

Kensington Park (Kensington Metropolitan Park)

Pontiac Lake Recreation Area - probably Kandahar

Hollow Springs

Bloomfield Hills Country Club

Whiteface

Whiteface / could be Vanderbilt Ski Club

STILL OPEN (MI)

https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/comprehensive-guide-ski-resorts-michigan

Adventure Mountain - REOPENED 1/22/2021

Alpine Valley Ski Area

Big Powderhorn

Big Valley Ski and Tube

Bittersweet

Black River Basin - Snowriver Mountain Resort (formerly Blackjack - Big Snow Resort

Boyne Highlands (see The Highlands)

Boyne Mountain

Caberfae Peaks Ski Resort

Cannonsburg Ski Area

Challenge Mountain - formerly Walloon Hills

Chatham Ski Hill (also called Hiawatha Slopes)

Covington Ski Hill

Crystal Mountain

Crystella Ski Hill

Gladstone Sports Park (John and Melissa Besse Sports Park)

Hanson Hills

Hickory Hills

The Highlands (The Highlands at Harbor Springs) -formerly Boyne Highlands, Harbor Highlands)

The Homestead

Jackson Creek Summit - Snowriver Mountain Resort (formerly Indianhead Mountain - Big Snow Resort

John and Melissa Besse Sports Park (see Gladstone Sports Park)

Marquette Mountain (formerly Cliff's Ridge)

Mont Ripley

Mt. Bohemia

Mt Brighton

Mt Holiday Ski Area - formerly Holiday Hills

Mt Holly

Mt. McSauba (0 maps)

Mt. Zion

Mulligan's Hollow Ski Bowl - formerly Grand Haven Ski Bowl

Nub's Knob

Ostego Ski Club (formerly Hidden Valley)

Petoskey Winter Sports Park - still open

Pine Knob

Pine Mountain

Porcupine Mountain (Porkies)

Sault Seal

Schuss Mountain

Shanty Creek

Ski Brule - combined with Ski Homestead

Snow Snake Mountain

Swiss Valley Ski Lodge - formerly Little Switzerland Ski area

Timber Ridge Ski Area

Tower Mountain

Treetops (Sylvan) Resort

 

MWSAP Homepage

 MAPS


1953

Detroit Free Press, Feb. 6, 1953

 

1956

Lost Wisconsin Ski Areas Facebook Page - omissions noted


1957

Detroit Free Press, December 27, 1957

 


1958 - Upper Peninsula

Detroit Free Press, Fri, Dec 26, 1958


1961

Detroit Free Press, Fri. Jan. 6, 1961

PDF (Full Newspaper Page with additional articles):
http://www.mwlsap.org/michigan/map1961plusDetroit_Free_Press_Fri__Jan_6__1961_.pdf


1961

From Michigan's Forgotten Ski Areas


1962

Detroit Free Press, Dec. 9, 1962 (from Michigan's Forgotten Ski Areas Facebook Page)


1963

Detroit Free Press, Dec. 8, 1963 (from Michigan's Forgotten Ski Areas Facebook Page)


1966

Traverse City Record Eagle, Sat. Dec. 24, 1966


1967

Chicago Tribune - Dec. 3, 1967

 


1969

The Ludington Daily News, Jan 14, 1969

 
1970

Traverse City Record Eagle,Jan. 22 ,1970

 
 1972

Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) · Sat, Jan 8, 1972 (jpg)

 


 1974

Lansing State Journal, Nov 21, 1974

2007

Detroit Free Press, Sun. Nov. 2, 2008

Ski Magazine Spring 1974, The VEEP SKEES

Sault Sainte Marie - Winter 1966

The Big Six - Lansing_State_Journal_Sun__Nov_28__1965_bigsix

https://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/threads/lost-michigan-ski-areas.6978/

* renamed; closed
+ renamed; open
^ never opened


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