Fun on the Mountain

Marquette Mountain offers fun-filled things to do in the U.P. all year round!

Marquette, MI – When imagining four seasons of fun, Marquette Mountain may seem like the last place that you would look, but they deliver in every sense of the word. Not only a ski hill there are activities taking place at the ‘mountain’ all year round.

For anyone new to the sport of all things snow, Marquette Mountain offers Ski School, with ranges in levels of experience. Of course, many different options are offered for freestylers, skiers, and snowboarders and they typically feature night skiing throughout the season.

Intermediate and beginner ski runs on the Marquette Mountain ski hill.

The “Mountain” also employs approximately 137 employees, mostly seasonal, that helps to boost our city’s economy. Ranging in age from 16 on up, they are all uniquely trained in their position there, and will welcome everyone from the timid first time skier, up to the expertly trained. Marquette Mountain also has the additional feature of having both an onsite daycare and a Ski School.

Prop for doing freestyle tricks on skiis or snowboards.

Likened to a Mount Bohemia style facility, Marquette Mountain has been compared by some to being similar to Knub’s Knob. There are an average of 120-130 days of skiing available during the season. They usually open the Friday after Thanksgiving, and will stay open until the Spring season officially starts, whenever that may be in the forecast for our ever changing climate here Up North.

But that’s enough about what happens during the winter; Marquette Mountain often entertains quite a bit, surprisingly, in the summer season as well.

Summer Co-Ed Beach Volleyball has been a staple of the Marquette Mountain hillside for 32 years now, with over 450 people participating. There are five different leagues, ranging from recreation to tournament grade, and Tuesday and Wednesday nights are when they are held. Visiting their website, you will find registration forms; it is on a first come, first serve basis and they always sell out. Whether you have little to no experience, or are an elite player, your volleyball experience at Marquette Mountain can be what you make of it.

For the volleyball season, the nets are set up at the base of the mountain, the sand is hauled in and the entire area is fenced in. There is live entertainment available most Tuesday evenings (as well as some Wednesdays), and local entertainers can be heard for miles around.

Another summer feature of Marquette Mountain is that they have the capacity for holding events like weddings, anniversary parties and class reunions. Not only can you have plated meals in the bar, there is also a cafeteria located upstairs. Their experienced wait staff and chefs will prepare meals to order, in a prompt, professional manner. Like most other wedding venues in the area, they have room for DJ’s or bands to set up and provide a beautiful backdrop for wedding photography.

Participants in the Marquette Mountain Mud Run crawl on their bellies through a mud pit as they near the finish line. (photo by Ron Caspi)

There are many other special events that Marquette Mountain offers for both residents and visitors alike. There is a Bike Festival, a Mud Run (which is their biggest single day event all year), and various other fundraising events. The best way to monitor all of the hill’s activities is to contact them by phone or by visiting their website at www.marquettemountain.com.
Please support this and other local businesses, it is what helps to keep our wonderful community alive.

by Maggie J Shepeard

Maggie J. Shepeard lives, works and plays in Marquette, Michigan with her husband and four amazing children, ages 10-18. She’s been an avid writer since the moment she first picked up a writing utensil. Non-fiction novels are her specialty, but she can see a storyline in everything and everywhere that she looks. Often working under the pen name, “Kathryn Lee,” she’s had one book published and is under contract to complete two more before year’s end. She’s a full- time student at Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, with a Major in Multimedia Journalism and a Minor in Writing. She’s taken every English and Writing class that she can, but still learns something new with every new subject. Maggie enjoys traveling and camping with her family and looks at everything is life as an adventure. She’s a die-hard Green Bay Packer fan, and she can be found every Sunday (during the season) rooting for her team. Maggie is a “Yooper” all the way, and is originally from Powers, Michigan, although she’s also lived in both Cadillac and Escanaba, Michigan before finding her permanent home on the pristine shores of Lake Superior, right here in Marquette. To see more of Maggie’s work, or to reach her via email, please click the link below.

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