Trailblaze Detroit: Exploring the Past, Present, and Future of Detroit's Ski Hills
- Dan Cooke
- 4 hours ago
- 9 min read
Planning a trip to Detroit? Don't forget to pack your skis! Join us on an adventure across the storied past, energetic present, and exhilarating future of Detroit's ski hills in this second installment of Trailblaze Detroit - a new adventure series from Visit Detroit and Expedition Detroit!
Monday morning. 7:40 A.M. The frozen air of an early February polar vortex still grips the base of Mt. Holly Ski Resort, nestled in the northeast corner of Oakland County. The 6 inches of overnight snowfall will surely beckon "powder hounds" and thrill-seeking retirees alike to the resort by its first chair at 10 A.M.
But for now, in these early morning hours, the slopes are shared by 3 lone individuals.
Two are operating the behemoth groomers, methodically placing their zen-like corduroy lines across Mt. Holly's 100 skiable acres.
The third - yours truly - is on foot. Well, on snowshoes - trekking up the "Canyon" slope with downhill skis and boots in tow.
It's cold. Even the exertion of snowshoeing directly up 350 feet of a black diamond-graded slope can't seem to warm up the extremities. The calves start to burn from the incline. Mt. Holly's peak, toping out at 1,115 feet, inches slowly into view.
Then, in a moment of unrivaled beauty, I reach the top of "Canyon" and find myself set ablaze by the golden rays of sunrise. For the first time since setting off on this expedition, I pause. Breathe in deeply. And smile, with a side of laughter, jubilation, and a statement of relief.
"This...this is what it's all about. How amazing. How beautiful."
A few minutes later I reached the summit, swapped the snowshoes for skis, and prepared to ski back down "Canyon" to close out the opening act of Trailblaze Detroit, Episode 2. In retrospect, as the dawn's dazzling sunrise was quickly overtaken by the snowfall that would define the rest of the day, its fleeting beauty perfectly encapsulated the ethos of this next installment of this adventure-travel collaboration with Visit Detroit.
Sunrise. At the summit of the Detroit region's first ski resort. After trekking its highest vertical.
All that was left for me to do was start this adventure, skiing through the past, present, and future of the heritage that defines the Detroit region's ski hills.
Making First Tracks: Brisk History of the Detroit's Ski Hills and Heritage
The skiing heritage surrounding Detroit's ski hills dates back to, well, as old as the Detroit region itself. Yes, the region's first commercial ski resort, Mt. Holly Ski Resort, first opened in 1955. Michigan's nordic heritage even brought forth the "birthplace of organized skiing in America" up in Marquette County back in 1887.
Going back even further - 15,000 to 20,000 years further - the receding glaciers of the last ice age carved the northwestern rim of the Detroit region into the rugged terrain that we enjoy today. That's right, Oakland County's ski resorts did not result from former landfills, as the common misconception foretells. Each of Mt. Holly, Alpine Valley Ski Resort, and Pine Knob Ski and Snowboard Resort were formed naturally by the seismic power of glacial activity within this notably hilly region technically named the "Jackson Interlobate Region."
Blessed by accessible hills, ample snowfall, and a growing population due to robust industrial development, it was only a matter of time before residents of the City of Detroit and its greater metropolitan area flocked to the sport throughout the 20th century. As recreational pastimes flourished at the turn of the century, makeshift ski hills and venues flourished throughout the region. For example, in 1923, the Detroit-Northville Ski Club built an Olympic-grade jump near the corner of Hines Drive and Seven Mile Road that world champion ski jumper Henry Hall regularly showcased his skills on.
The main resort skiing boom in the Detroit region occurred in stride with America's post-WWII obsession with outdoor recreation. Spurred on by Mt. Holly's success, 6 additional ski resorts throughout Metro Detroit opened by 1957. That number further ballooned to 11 by 1961, with each of Alpine Valley, Pine Knob, and Livingston County's Mt. Brighton opening in the early 1960s resort-building craze.
In stride with more accessible destinations, new skiing demographics were also being introduced to Detroit's local hills during this era. No article on Detroit's skiing history would be complete without mentioning the Jim Dandy Ski Club - the first black ski club in the United States - which was founded in Detroit in 1958 and has over 200 members still making turns on Detroit's ski hills today.
By 1975, however, only 8 Detroit region ski resorts still remained in operation. Teeple Hill at Highland State Recreation Area closed around 1981, while Mount Grampian in Oxford, Michigan closed in the late 1980s. Their closures left the remaining Detroit region ski resorts - the "Big Four" of Alpine Valley, Mt. Brighton, Mt. Holly, and Pine Knob - as the sole flagship resorts of Detroit's grand skiing heritage.
On an Olympic Scale: The Present State of Skiing and Snowboarding across Metro Detroit
If you're curious about the current state of Detroit's ski hills - especially in light of its remaining four resorts - all you need to do is turn on your television. Just this morning, I watched U.S. snowboard cross athlete Jake Vedder, a native to the Detroit region, compete on the world's stage at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
Where did Vedder learn to snowboard at such a world-class caliber?
You already know the answer, but here's a hint: the same destinations that generations of Metro Detroiters and tourists alike have learned and honed their skills: Metro Detroit's ski hills.
So - what exactly does a trip to Detroit's ski hills entail in 2026 (and beyond)? In short, you should expect an all-encompassing adventure, entertainment, and culinary experience. Better yet, each resort has its own flair of amenities for every level of skier and snowboarder, as well as the après-ski flair for every genre of winter sports enthusiast, both on and off the hill.
Here's a short breakdown of what each resort offers:
Detroit Ski Resort | Skiable Terrain Information | Featured Food & Dining | Other Amenities |
Total Runs: 19 Vertical Drop: 300 feet Elevation: 1,210 feet Chairlifts: 8 Night Skiing: Yes Hours: 10 A.M. - 10 P.M. (weekdays), 9 A.M. - 10 P.M./9 P.M. (Sat./Sun.) | Spacious lodge with fireplace and cafeteria-style dining amenities on-site. | Most equal distribution of beginner, intermediate, and expert slopes among Detroit's ski hills. | |
Total Runs: 20 Vertical Drop: 350 feet Elevation: 1,115 feet Chairlifts: 8 Night Skiing: Yes Hours: 10 A.M. - 10 P.M. (weekdays), 9 A.M. - 10 P.M./9 P.M. (Sat./Sun.) | Bavarian-style lodge with two cafeterias, a fireplace room, and a lounge with additional fireplaces. | Only Detroit region ski resort with 2 high-speed chairlifts. | |
Total Runs: 17 Vertical Drop: 300 feet Elevation: 1,201 feet Chairlifts: 6 Night Skiing: Yes Hours: 10 A.M. - 10 P.M. (weekdays), 9 A.M. - 10 P.M./9 P.M. (Sat./Sun.) | On-site "Off the Wall" offering a variety of appetizers, burgers, paninis, salads, entrees, central bar, and live entertainment - all with a bird's eye view of the hill. | X-Games grade terrain park features, including the annual hosting of the Red Bull Slide-In Tour. |
For the Trailblaze team, we experienced firsthand the full spectrum of each ski resort while filming Episode 2. From capitalizing on Mt. Holly's long turns, to the family-friendly accessibility of Alpine Valley, and the festive atmosphere under the lights at Pine Knob, we were mesmerized by the world-class skiing and amenities available within an hour's drive of Downtown Detroit.
We also couldn't help but daydream about the opportunities that Detroit's ski hills provide to the future of recreational tourism in southeast Michigan. Especially given the current state of the ski resort industry across the nation.
Ready for Primetime: Metro Detroit's Future as a Skiing Destination
"Did you have a good time skiing," the baggage check-in attendant asked me at the Denver Airport as I offer up my ski bag for the flight to Detroit.
"Actually, I'm on my way to go skiing."
“In Michigan?” she asks.
“Yep, in Detroit.” She gasps.
This excerpt formed the opening lines of a Ski Magazine article titled "Motown: Ski Town," published on January 23, 2002. The noted gasp seems more than appropriate for the timeframe: "Out West" skiing in destinations like Colorado, Utah, Montana, and so on was in the midst of its boom era, drawing scores of skiers and snowboarders from across the country - and globe - to the region's epic terrain, pristine powder, and affordable prices.
Yeah. You read that correctly. "Pristine powder" and "affordable conditions."
Fast forward a few decades and the storybook "out west ski trip" nearly requires granting a second mortgage to afford. Worse yet, the snow conditions in classic skiing towns like Park City, Utah have experienced a rapid deterioration. Social media feeds have been inundated this year with harrowing videos of snowless-slopes, over-saturated lift lines, and un-refundable lift passes priced at $300+ for a day ticket.
Understandably, this has caused significant despair for skiing and snowboarding aficionados that care passionately for the sport.
Fortunately, we have a proposed solution: Ski Detroit.
This recommendation goes far beyond simply promoting Detroit as a winter recreation destination à la Denver, Park City, or Bozeman. Beyond just the Detroit region, Michigan in particular has steadily caught the attention of the global skiing community over the past 15 years. Starting in 2012 with Vail Resort's acquisition and integration of Mt. Brighton into the "Epic Pass", Alterra Mountain Company made a similar move with Boyne Mountain Resort and Boyne Highlands into the rival "Ikon Pass" in 2018. More recently, independently-owned Mount Bohemia in the Upper Peninsula has been consistently named one of the best ski resorts in the country since 2019.
Michigan's atmospheric rise on the global skiing stage is largely propelled by three main factors:
Abundant - and reliable - lake effect snow;
Affordable lift ticket prices for non-pass holders; and
Accessibility to other recreational and entertainment amenities.
While the Detroit region receives notably less lake effect snow than our west side compatriots, we still receive enough of the seasonal bounty to provide for ski days beginning the first week of December and well into spring. The armada of snowmakers that blanket all of Detroit's ski hills provide additional assurance that as long as cold temps linger, there will be ample snow for turns.
The true X-factor in the case for skiing Detroit, however, are the last two factors: "Affordability" and "Accessibility." Due to the mind-boggling modern prices associated with the classic family ski vacation out west, a growing demographic of Americans are facing a tough decision regarding whether to even introduce skiing and snowboarding into the lexicon of recreational options. Add in the egregious traffic getting to - and congested lift lines at - those same resorts, families inevitably pay thousands of dollars for a handful of runs.
Now, let's compare that experience with skiing near Detroit. You land at DTW, ski bags in hand, and can be loading onto a chairlift in under an hour. After skiing all afternoon (or into the evening) with essentially no lift lines and a ticket that costs roughly 17% of an out west one, you arrive back at your hotel in Downtown Detroit in time for dinner reservations, a Red Wings or Pistons game, and a night on the town.
And if your legs are feeling up for it, you can run it back the next day on a whim.
That's the beauty of skiing Detroit - or really any Detroit vacation. You truly can have it all: celebrated museum tours paired with guided hikes, championship-caliber sports events and turns at industry-redefining ski hills. A full-service travel destination, waiting for your arrival.
We'll see you on the hill, Detroit!
Trailblaze Detroit is a multimedia series co-produced by Visit Detroit and Expedition Detroit. The core purpose of the series is to promote outdoor adventure tourism and discovery throughout Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties, as well as highlight the Detroit region's natural spaces, seasonal activities, hidden outdoor gems, and the individuals that support them.
Are you interested in using adventure marketing to promote your organization or business? Awesome - we're here to help! Contact us at info@expeditiondetroit.com or 734.821.6416 to learn more. (734) 821-6416
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