The archive look-back today had a number of the more unique winter happenings here in the Upper Peninsula. We head to Lake Linden with our first photo, snapped in 2007. The Michigan Tech Winter Baja, where teams from all over the U.S. come to compete with their Mini Baja vehicles took place at the Lake Linden Park grounds that year.

Over in Marquette, the UP200 Dog Sled race was just finishing up in 2014 and Aladino Mandoli was on hand to capture one of the mushers and sled team came into Marquette heading for the finish line.

Not exactly a big event, but still an event for many...going to watch the deer being fed at the Eagle River Park. Back in 2016, Deb and Ron Simons were in the Copper Country for a visit with her Mom and were lucky enough to have a whole herd of deer there feeding.

A week ago this past Saturday, the Ishpeming Ski Club hosted a Ski Jumping event for teams from Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Aladino Mandoli was on hand to snap photos of the jumping and said that the majority of the participants were ages 8 to 12 and over half were girls! He also mentioned that most of the jumping was on Ishpeming’s 40 meter hill, as there were only three boys who were qualified for the 90 meter hill. Dino said it was quite an exhilarating day!

To go along with the ski jump photo, we have a video from 2017 about the Ishpeming Ski Club, that was founded in 1887 and holds the longest-running ski competition in the country, according to Gary Rasmussen, the club’s head ski jumping coach. Kids as young as two ski with the club, often starting on smaller jumps when they’re three. Teens can work their way up to jumping the notorious “Suicide Hill”, a 90-meter ski jump located in Negaunee. The club hosts youth ski jumping sessions for children ages five and up, lending gear such as boots, skis and helmets so kids can try it without parents needing to cover the start-up costs. Rasmussen visits local schools in the region to recruit young people to check it out, knowing they have many extracurricular activities to choose from. (Info and video courtesy of “A Healthier Michigan”).

Nice variety of winter activities today. I am highly partial to the ski jumping. I enjoyed watching the Olympic ski jumping as well.

Nice review and video, I too like seeing the deer. Where have Deb & Ron been, haven't seen them on Pasty for a bit?

I didn't know the Ski jump in Ishpeming was still active, Alex, Capt., I think the jump is calling both your names, don't worry.... I'll get it on video for you! :=))

Wouldn't that 2018 pic be called "Ski Flying"? Just wondering. I don't have the guts for that stuff 'cause my gut is too big! :o)

They need to bring that ski jumping thing up to date:
Suicide Hill , skis, poles, now add a wing suit!

Jump from Suicide hill, coast to a landing at the Negaunee Rod & Gun Club, ≈4 miles north, or maybe to Big Bay ≈27 miles NNW-ish?!!
Yeehaw!

Been there, done that.......NOT!

...and did I hear someone mention Saginaw Bay?
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2018/01/pair_rescued_by_coast_guard_af.html

I learned to jump there. What great memories.

Ski jumping and ski flying are two different worlds. Jumping is done
at Ishpeming and several other sites around the UP on 90-meter hills
such as Suicide. Ski Flying is done at Copper Peak on their 120-
meter hill. It is one of the very few places in the world that has ski
flying. I've heard it said it is like jumping off a 500 story building and
landing on your feet 2 blocks away 6 seconds later.

Wow! I loved seeing the sport from the perspective provided by the
video. My dad and uncle both jumped at Suicide Hill over 70 years
ago.

Richard J. (Dick_fl):
"… Ski Flying is done at Copper Peak on their 120-meter hill. It is one of the very few places in the world that has ski flying. …"

I knew of Copper Peak, but didn't realize it's higher than Suicide Hill! I guess I just haven't been paying attention.

Not for me though, with my legs I couldn't make the walk to the top! And I'm not terribly fond of heights … or more precisely, precipitous edges, on (seemingly) rickety structures in particular.

(Odd thing for a pilot to say, eh? Funny thing, it never bothered me in an aircraft, not even aerobatics.)

Richard J. (Dick_fl):
"… I've heard it said it is like jumping off a 500 story building and landing on your feet 2 blocks away 6 seconds later.

Something like this, perhaps?
(click →) Wingsuit base jump, from Burj Kalifa Dubai …
(YouTube video, 1 min. + 42 sec.)

Or strap on a set of wings with jet engines and go play with the Thunderbirds, Blue Angels, or Emirates A380 passenger jets?
(click →) Emirates: #HelloJetman …
(YouTube video, 1 min. + 39 sec.)

Strangely the latter appeals to me more than the wingsuit, but not enough to try it, even if I were 50 years younger!

FRNash/PHX, AX (Frnash).

Copper Peak is the highest and only Sky Flying hill in the Western
Hemisphere. But my post was wrong. That's what I get for not
proofreading it. It should have read 50 story building and not 500.
My eyes are getting too bad to see what I typed I think. I jumped
Suicide when I was young. I wouldn't do it anymore. And I don't
much care for heights either. A plane is no problem but even a small
step ladder is a big problem now. Maybe I've fallen off things too
much and landed on my head. :-).