Downhill Skiing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
A Guide to Downhill Skiing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Ironwood is a winter playground, surrounded by the best downhill skiing in the Midwest. Here is a guide to help you learn about some of the best downhill skiing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. There are six ski hills in and around Ironwood, Michigan, each offering a different downhill experience—and all the hills are just minutes apart. Unsure where to start? Here’s a guide to downhill skiing in the U.P., including directions to the ski resorts, opening dates and lift ticket information.
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Best Skiing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula:
Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort
Located east of Ironwood and north of Bessemer, the 253-acre Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort offers a complete downhill ski experience near Ironwood. The resort features a charming Bavarian-style village and some outstanding skiing. You’ll find 45 trails, 9 double chairlifts, 622 feet of vertical and three unique terrain parks. Big Powderhorn is open for alpine skiing and snowboarding and there are runs for easy, intermediate, and difficult trail ratings. The park’s summit is an impressive 1,622 feet and is part of the Gogebic Range. The resort also connects to the Wolverine Nordic Trail, a cross-country ski trail.
How to get to Big Powderhorn: Take U.S. Highway 2 east from Ironwood to Powderhorn Road. Follow Powderhorn Road north to the resort. The address: 11375 Powderhorn Rd, Bessemer, MI 49911.
Key links:
- Big Powderhorn lift tickets
- Big Powderhorn webcam
- Big Powderhorn snow conditions
- Big Powderhorn trail map
Mt. Zion Recreational Complex
Find fantastic downhill skiing in the heart of Ironwood! Mt. Zion is part of Gogebic Community College but it’s open to the public for skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing and free cross-country skiing. The hill has a 300-foot vertical drop and beautiful panoramic views of Ironwood and the surrounding countryside. Mt. Zion Recreational Complex is very well-managed—it’s a laboratory for the college’s nationally recognized Ski Area Management Program. The hill also offers various ski/snowboard programs and rental gear is available. Senior citizens (62+) ski or snowboard for free!
How to get to Mt. Zion: The hill is located in the heart of Ironwood. Here is the address: E4946 Jackson Rd, Ironwood, MI 49938.
Key links:
Whitecap Mountains Ski Resort
Take a short drive southwest of Ironwood to experience this expansive winter sports destination. Whitecap Mountains Ski Resort is a 400-acre ski area, tucked between the ancient Penokee Range and Weber Lake. The hill includes five chair lifts, 43 ski and snowboard runs and a variety of scenic snowshoe and cross-country skiing trails. The complex is also connected to the area’s snowmobile trail network and there’s access to ice fishing and skating on Weber Lake.
How to get to Whitecap Mountain: The resort is about 12 miles southwest of Ironwood. Take Wisconsin Highway 77 southwest to County Highway E in Iron Belt. Follow the signs for the resort. The address of Whitecap Mountains is 9106 W Co. Rd E, Upson, WI 54565.
Key links:
- Whitecap Mountains trail map
- Whitecap Mountains snow report
- Whitecap Mountains lift tickets
- Whitecap Mountains ski and snowboard rental information
Snowriver Mountain Resort
You can have twice the fun at Snowriver Mountain Resort! Find Big Snow a short drive east of Ironwood—it’s actually two ski hills that operate together as Snowriver Mountain Resort. Jackson Creek Summit and Black River Basin both offer a premier downhill skiing experience, and your Snowriver lift ticket works on both hills. Jackson Creek Summit stands at 1,770 feet of elevation and boasts 520 feet of vertical—the longest run is 1 mile. Skiers at Jackson Creek Summit are served by five chair lifts. Black River Basin offers skiers 490 feet of vertical, 22 runs and four double chair lifts. Three terrain parks challenge experienced skiers.
Exciting Changes!
Big Snow Resort was recently acquired by Midwest Family Ski Resorts in 2022. The new name for Big Snow Resort is – “Snowriver Mountain Resort”. Indianhead has been renamed to: “Jackson Creek Summit” and Blackjack has been renamed to: “Black River Basin”.
Key links:
How to get to Snowriver Mountain Resort: The two resorts are just four miles apart and a shuttle runs between the two hills. Jackson Creek Summit is located at 500 Indianhead Road, Wakefield, MI 49968. Black River Basin is located at N11251 Blackjack Road, Bessemer, MI 49911. To get to the hills from Ironwood, take U.S. Highway 2 east from town. Turn north (left) onto Baker Blackjack Road to get to the Black River Basin. To get to Jackson Creek Summit, continue a bit further on Highway 2 and turn north (left) onto Indianhead Road.
Porcupine Mountains Ski Area
The Porcupine Mountains Ski Area draw people throughout the year to visit the U.P. and experience a real wilderness and stunning outdoor beauty. There’s perhaps no better way to experience this special place than on skis. The hill is located within the Porcupine Mountains State Park, an expansive park that holds a large tract of old growth forest. Snowboarders, alpine and telemark skiers are treated to sweeping views of Lake Superior, 670 feet of vertical and 250 skiable acres. The longest run is a mile long. There’s also a natural terrain park and some of the area’s best backcountry skiing.
Key links:
- Porcupine Mountains Ski Area maps
- Porcupine Mountains Ski Area opening dates and hours
- Porcupine Mountains snow report
How to get to the Porcupine Mountains Ski Area: The hill is located at Michigan Highway 107, Ontonagon, MI 49953. It’s about a 50-minute drive from Ironwood; take U.S. Highway 2 east to M-64. Take a left and head to 107th Engineers Memorial Highway. Take a left and head to the ski area.