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| The Copper Peak Ski Jump |
It was built east of Ironwood forty years ago and used for 10 "ski flying' events between 1970 and 1994. It hasn't hosted a ski jump competition since but has been open for the public to experience everything except jumping.
I liked the idea of taking pictures high above thousands of acres of forest beginning to turn color. It seemed like a once in a lifetime experience worth investigating.
Monday, September 19, we drove out U.S. Highway 2 and made a left turn. At the top of one of the hills, I saw the top of Copper Peak in the distance.
Just saying that first glance was pretty dramatic and thought-provoking, "do I really want to go up that?" Conversation continued in the car while I considered whether I had the guts to go up Copper Peak.
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| The chair lift from valley floor. |
I told a friend at work the week before my trip I planned to go up Copper Peak. I knew it was high. I didn't consider how high. How high, you might ask... well there is an 800-foot chair lift from the ground up the side of the large hill, then an 18-story elevator ride to the observation deck; from there you can climb an additional 8 stories to the very top.
From the top you can see three states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota (across Lake Superior)), 2500 square miles, and Canada on a clear day.
Looking at the top from a couple miles away, it was intimidating. 'OK, I thought, let's go look, then decide,' as we took the right fork on a road through a deep forest that delivered us next to an A-frame building which was a gift shop and ticket booth.
You look around as you get out of the car. The chair lift was across the road. From our vantage point the jump was hidden by the hill.
We went inside to look at the gifts. I asked the woman behind the counter some questions about the experience. My wife wasn't going up. In those initial moments inside the store, I didn't think I was either.
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| Notice the steep angle of the cable. |
Walking to the cashier counter, I paid the fare, received my ticket. The woman called the chair lift to say the first passenger of the day was on the way.
I stopped at the car to put on a sweatshirt and empty my pockets so I wouldn't lose anything on the ride.
This was my first time on a chair lift (I'm not counting the State Fair Sky Glider). The attendant directed me to stand on the inside set of foot prints, then sit when it came up behind me. I admitted my touch of fear as the chair left the platform.
"You'll be fine," he said.
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| My shadow on Sumac trees - 25 feet below. (All photos 9/19/2022 dwm) |
I faced forward wrapping my left arm around the arm attaching the chair to the cable while holding the camera with both hands. When I was a reporter-photographer there were a number of times I did something outside my comfort zone; to avoid nervousness I focused on shooting video. I used the same tactic and a lot of prayer as the chair ascended at close to a 70-degree angle above an exposed rock.
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| The chair lift takes you to the top of the hill. |
The ride was uneventful and steady. Later, when watching the chair lift from the jump, I noticed the lift wasn't moving. I am thankful that didn't happen on my trip. The brief stoppage was to clean a spill on one of the lifts, so that made sense, however, since stops weren't expected one would have bothered me.
As I reached the top of the hill the jump came into view. It was bigger up close.
The attendant at the top of the hill told me to lift the guard over my head, stand and exit left. The trail leading to the elevator was a short distance.
Come back for part two, Copper Peak - Reaching the Top, it goes live Thursday, September 29, 2022.
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| A look at the Upper Peninsula from atop the hill, with a lot farther to climb. 9/19/2022 dwm |
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