In Michigan's UP (Upper Peninsula) through January, snow totals have already eclipsed 150” and counting in Ishpeming and Marquette areas. During a recent post-holiday trip to our house in the Ish, we got to experience a legit UP blizzard. On Sunday, Dec. 28th, the snow bomb cyclone system dumped an impressive 18-20” in the span of just 12 hours, plus 60 MPH wind gusts for good measure. We awoke the next day to find a 10' wave-like drift that covered our side door and garage. We had planned our trip with the idea of playing in the white stuff… activities like XC ski, snowshoe, and fat biking. However, we began instead with a new sport called cardio shoveling. Ever use a Yooper Snow Scoop? It's truly a full-body workout.
After digging out with some help from neighbor Scott and his plow truck, we found our daily routine. Sleep late (wait for temps to warm above single digits), eat a giant protein-packed breakfast, go outside for a snowshoe, a ski, or a fat bike roll. After any Upper Peninsula winter sport, we followed up each activity with a warm-up in the sauna. And our cold-plunge alternative: stand outside in the snow for a minute or two, then repeat.
WEST End Ski & Trail
For us, every trip to the UP includes a stop at WEST End Ski & Trail, our go-to ski and bike shop located in downtown Ishpeming, plus Velodrome Coffee is right next door. And, if you need a place to stay for a few overnights for a winter adventure, WEST has several downtown stay-n-play vacation rentals. It's an ideal location to gear up for Upper Peninsula Winter Sports.
Retail therapy at WEST this time included a NEW bike for Josh, a mostly new warrantied frame with some upgrades. Josh's new girl is the Pivot Switchblade. She's a beauty with a bright blue frame, with custom Berd wheels and nylon spokes. Riding this one will have to wait until Spring, since fat bike season is in full swing. With a big dump of snow to play in, we focused on deals like warm gear for snowshoeing or XC skiing. The shop also has plenty of RAMBA logo wear for your winter wardrobe. Buy a shirt, sweatshirt, or trail map and support winter grooming efforts.
Snowshoe (RAMBA and Al Quaal Recreation Area)
There was so much snow that RAMBA put out a call for snowshoers to get on the trails and help pack them down so the machine-grooming process could begin. Doing our part, we parked by Malton Electric, cut a new trail churning through knee-to-hip-deep snow on Bacon Strip to Two Lookouts, and on the SBT (Snow Bike Trail) loop. About two miles was all I could handle in the deep stuff, and thankfully, we had tracks to follow on the SBT. The view atop Two Lookouts is worth the effort.
Al Quaal is also a fun area to snowshoe; there's a dedicated loop and a bunch (20+ miles) of hilly XC ski loops that weave around Deer Lake, Baby Lake, and for your efforts, you'll get bluff views of Teal Lake. Out our door, it's a ¼-mile walk to the trailhead, so we made several activity stops with Al during the week.
XC Ski the Ish and Marquette
The snow dump made for great conditions at the local Ishpeming Ski Club (the same place that hosts the annual ski jumping event in mid-January). Of note, 2026 is the 100th Anniversary of ski jumping on the historic Suicide Hill. The tournament is a U.S. Cup and Junior World Qualifier event on the 90-meter hill. The variety of winter sports in the Upper Peninsula is impressive.
Besides prepping the ski jump, the volunteers groom on-site trails for classic or skate skiing. Looking for an easy flat track? Start on the red loop (1.6km), then progress to the green loop. Want some hills? Try Blue and Purple for an additional 3.1km and 0.9 km. The snowy woods sparkled in the brief afternoon sun on my classic wintry tour. For skiers, the Ski Club is just the tip of the UP iceberg. The NTN network in Marquette has over 50 K of skiing from the Forestville Trailhead. After a foray around the local trails, stop indoors for a warmup at the US Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in Ishpeming. A little history will give you some perspective on who influenced your favorite winter sports, and how skiing and snowboarding evolved and thrived in the area.
Ishpeming Ski Club, Suicide Hill
RAMBA Winter Fat Biking
Josh and I layered up, kept our snow boots on for a tour of RAMBA's SBT (Snow Bike Trail). RAMBA's reputation for winter grooming is well-known in the area; I tip my helmet to all the volunteers who spend hours grooming and sculpting the trails into a winter riding paradise.
Important tip: keep your tire pressure low (3-5 psi, depending on conditions) so you don't create ruts in the groomed track. We rolled part of the SBT loop from the Malton Road trailhead, found the No Boots loop, and returned on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail that connects at various points. There are at least 12-15 miles of winter trail to explore on two wheels, with scenery just as breathtaking as the summer months.
Fat biking on RAMBA trails
Stuck in the Upper Peninsula
We discovered not everyone is prepared for winter UP style. For NYE, we bought tickets to a comedy show at nearby Upper Peninsula Brewing Co. in Negaunee. After devouring some burgers with sweet potato fries at Jackson's Pit, we walked two blocks to UPBC, ready for some laughs. We got a chuckle early when the MC informed us that the headliner comic (D Jones from Detroit) was stuck in a nearby snowbank and would be delayed. One of the brewery employees volunteered to pull him out with his truck, so we sipped beers patiently during a slight delay.
D Jones finally arrived; he regaled us with a story of how he drove 8 hours and, when he was finally closing in on the venue, he mistakenly turned onto a snowmobile trail off a main road. Only in the UP, eh. That kick-started plenty more laughs while D Jones thawed and warmed up to Yooper hospitality. He gave shout-outs (and comped tickets) to the tow truck driver and the guy from the bar who helped rescue him from the snowbanks. When you visit and get stuck, you'll probably encounter the same kind of hospitality.
Upper Peninsula Brewing Co. in Negaunee
Upper Peninsula Winter Sports & Events
Embracing winter is the mantra for locals and visitors. When you have lemons, make lemonade. When you have piles of powder, go play in it! With a huge snow base already, check the 906 Adventure calendar, including The Polar Roll for snow bikers, slated on Feb. 21. The Noquemanon Ski Marathon is an annual event in late January that showcases 12, 24, and 50 K ski options.
For a complete winter party for all ages, Negaunee hosts the Heikki Lunta Winter Festival on Feb. 6-9. This is a true Upper Peninsula experience named after the Finnish God of Snow; take part in an ice-fishing derby, watch some hockey, try out the luge sliding hill, or have some family sledding fun. Hungry? This fest will fill you up with a Cudighi Dinner, Fish-fry, plus a chili-cook-off, and of course, the Pasty eating contest.
Don't be afraid of winter, embrace it and make the UP Yours this winter!
Groomed trails with views of Teal Lake, Al Quaal Rec. area
