Help Shape What’s Next on the World Stage, No Skis Required
Ski jumping starts at the top of the tower with unnerving speed. Skis slice through the snow-covered inrun. A bone-chilling wind presses hard. There’s no room for hesitation. Then the ramp edge disappears and for a few breath-stopping seconds, gravity loosens its grip. The skier flies.
In the Upper Peninsula, human flight has shaped the snowy, rugged landscape for more than 150 years. You don’t watch from a distance. It’s raw and close: sheer grit and athleticism in full view. You hear the wind as a jumper passes. You feel the impact on landing. And the thrill never loses its hold.
Today, a bold new chapter is within reach, bringing more people to these hills and closer to the awe of flight. Be part of what comes next.
Mining Cash from the Air
For decades, copper and iron mining and timber harvesting defined the U.P., its untamed wilderness, hard-forged people and fortunes. But the land could only give so much, and the boom years slipped away.
By the early 1900s, as ghost towns began to spread, a new lifeline emerged: tourism.
The U.P.’s popularity swells in the summer and during peak fall color. Winter, with an average 200 inches of annual snowfall, is different. It draws people who crave the vast, silent, snow-blanketed land and frozen waters. The more extreme the encounter, the more exhilarating, the closer they feel to nature.
Ski jumping in the U.P. was born from this unique combination of cold-loving and thrill-seeking. Today, three towns feature towering structures that fuel their economies. They do it by launching thrill seekers into flight, attracting throngs to watch them soar and welcoming others to stand at the top, taking in sweeping, gravity-defying views that create a rare sense of freedom.
U.P. Nordic Ski Complex/Suicide Bowl Ski Jump, Ishpeming/Negaunee
The longest operating ski jumping facility in the U.P., its winter tournament dates to 1888. Today, Suicide Bowl stands out with five jumps, ranging from 15 to 90 feet, making it the ideal place to learn the sport or sharpen your skills. The club has the equipment you need to take flight. Contact the Ishpeming Ski Club to schedule a time.
Pine Mountain Ski Jump, Iron Mountain
This jump is known throughout the world as one of the best hills. The Kiwanis Ski Club hosts the annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup each February, pulls in some of the toughest competitors and over 20,000 spectators to see them soar. In the summer and fall, they periodically open the tower to visitors to climb nearly 600 feet for spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. Additionally, visitors can drive year-round to the top of Pine Mountain to the Upper Peninsula Veterans Memorial and Park. There, 12 pillars and thousands of bricks pay tribute to members of the armed services and their memory.
Copper Peak, Ironwood
This is the site of the largest ski-jumping structure in the Western Hemisphere, rising 26 stories above the hilltop, higher than most ski jumps used in the Olympics. It has been closed to ski jumpers since 1994, but renovations are underway to restore the iconic, cantilevered engineering marvel to even greater world-stage glory in both the winter and summer. Until then, visitors can take the Copper Peak Adventure Ride to the top of the structure from Memorial Day Weekend to mid-October. On a clear day, you can see Lake Superior and parts of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The Next Chapter: Realizing Year-Round Dreams
With structures this tall, flight this remarkable and views this inspiring, the tourism and economic potential is only beginning to be realized. Pine Mountain Ski Jump and Copper Peak Ski Jump are looking ahead to an exciting, inclusive future on the world stage. Here’s what’s next for Pine Mountain — and how you can help make it happen.
Pine Mountain Elevator Campaign
The Kiwanis Ski Club, which operates Pine Mountain Ski Jump and hosts the FIS Continental Cup, is powered by volunteers. The support comes almost entirely from dedicated neighbors and businesses that benefit from the millions of dollars this annual event has brought to the community over the past 80 years.
To maintain its standing with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and position itself for World Cup competitions, the historic wooden structure had to be replaced. In its place: an FIS-approved steel tower, new slide and track, upgraded lighting, a warming hut and a judges tower.
“When we proposed our $3.5 million capital campaign, there were plenty of local unbelievers,” said Nick Blagec, club president. “But things started rolling and in 2022, with help from the Great Lakes Sports Commission and First National Bank & Trust of Iron Mountain, we secured a $3 million loan and completed the first phase in 2024.”
Now, the next step: raising an additional $1 million to install an elevator. The upgrade is essential to qualify for World Cup competitions and to open the tower to visitors for fee-generating, year-round viewing and onsite events. Blagec said the shaft is already in place, but it is critical to expand the base of support, as local donors are vital in sustaining the tournaments.
“We’re seeking a professional fundraiser to help drive this effort, along with donors from across the state, country and world to make this addition a reality,” Blagec said. “If you believe in ski jumping and supporting the U.P., you can help carry Pine Mountain into a more sustainable, growth-minded future, our best chapter yet.”
Those ready to support the next chapter are encouraged to contact Nick Blagec at nblagec@hotmail.com or Susie Fox at sfoxeastlake@gmail.com.