Mont Ripley, just outside Hancock and Houghton in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, opened in 1934 after being founded in the early 1900s by Fred Pabst Jr. and managed by Fred Lonsdorf. Later acquired by Michigan Technological University in 1944, it became a central winter recreation site for the Houghton-Hancock area and holds the distinction of being Michigan’s oldest ski area. Over time it developed ski patrol, night skiing, lifts, snowmaking, and new facilities, while maintaining a strong racing culture and challenging terrain. Even after severe flood damage in 2018, repaired runs reopened in 2022, reflecting its enduring local importance.