MWLSAP

mark@mwlsap.org

Midwest Lost Ski Areas Project

---

The Snowbowl By - Larry Campbell This is the story of Menominee’s one and only-ever “ski resort” the Snowbowl.  I lived about 10 blocks from it and skied there as much as possible when it existed and was open.  This is told by a 76-year-old through the eyes and memory of a then 9 to11-year-old.  Over the years I have heard stories about the hill, but there are probably not a lot of us left that actually skied there. The hill was located at the corner of 13th street and 48th avenue at the northern edge of the city limits of Menominee.  It is currently the site of a grocery distribution warehouse.  The hill itself advertised a vertical of around 100 feet, which seemed big when you were 9-years-old, but in reality, it was probably a stretch. I believe the hill was the work of Dr. Robert Luke, John Jenkins, and maybe, then Menominee Mayer John Rendil.  I am sure Dr. Luke was the driving force behind the project as he was an enthusiastic skier and was very interested in promoting the sport.  As I recall the area was actually somewhat of a bowl with the main slope facing north and the old rope tow running north to south up the hill.  The area was entered off an extension of 13th street (I don’t think it was paved) on the west side of the bowl.  There were some random parking and a pathway that led to a small warming hut.  I remember they had a few snacks for sale in the hut that was warmed by an old pot belly wood stove. With only one rope tow and 100 vertical feet, there weren’t many options for runs.  However, with a little imagination, you could ski 3 different runs.  When getting to the top of the hill, if you turned right and went immediately down, you skied “the headwall” where the majority of us spent most of the day.  If you turned right and continued west, you would come to a gentle beginner’s slope.  This is where Dr. Luke would give lessons and where he taught my mother the basics of skiing.  If at the top you turned left you had the “expert/ tree run” it was a bit steeper and had a few trees, that created a fun run for a bunch of kits with no fear. The Snowbowl was open from around noon to 4:00 Saturdays and Sundays.  I think they had some plans to try to ski Wednesday nights, but I don’t ever remember that actually happening.  Living only 10 blocks from the hill, I would often walk there carrying my skis, wearing my square toed Sears ski boots.   For $.50 (adults $1.00) I could ride the rope tow all day or until my hands could not longer grip the rope, or as sometimes happened, the motor powering the rope tow quit.  For a group of us kids that were used to having to walk up the hills we skied, having a rope tow was heaven- could it ever get better??? 😊