Look Back at the End of Michigan's Popular Sugar Loaf Ski Resort (2025)

FAQs

What happened to Sugarloaf Ski Resort, Michigan? ›

The once-popular northern Michigan ski resort was finally demolished in November of 202. Before its final demise, it lay in ruins for years. Considered at one time to be one of the best ski resorts around, the lodge would see 3,000 to 4,000 skiers a day and was once the largest employer in Leelanau County.

Built on a former municipal dump site, Riverview was operated by the city government as a ski park and was affectionately known as Mount Trashmore. Due to heat produced by decomposition of organic material in the landfill, it was difficult to keep snow on the hill.

Located in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Mt. Bohemia boasts the state's highest vertical and steepest terrain.

By December 2020, when real estate advisor and Leland Public Schools board member Ross Satterwhite announced the long-shuttered resort was sold. Satterwhite's company, Iron Bridge Capital, represented Sugar Loaf's new owner, SPV 45 LLC, in the purchase.

Its demise is a story of poor management. After a couple of bad winters, it defaulted on loans and the bank took over, eventually selling to John Sills in 1981. In 1997, the bank reacquired Sugar Loaf and sold it to hotelier Remo Polselli. Polselli ran Sugar Loaf until it closed.

As the oldest ski area in Michigan and snowiest city in the Midwest, Mont Ripley is a true alpine town experience. Mont Ripley is home to twenty-two trails, terrain park, tubing park, 112 acres, and a scenic overlook of the Keweenaw Waterway. For more information, visit the Mont Ripley website.

Aspen Extreme

The main character, T.J. Burke (played by Paul Gross), walks onto Mt. Brighton in late Fall at the start of the movie. Burke hikes up the Black run to the top of the Red, Black and Silver chairlifts where Dexter Rutecki (Peter Berg) is welding a two-person chair that belonged to the Blue chairlift.

Giorgio said sales from season pass holders and hosting events during the summer help the ski resort during these difficult seasons. Mount Brighton is part of Colorado-based Vail Resorts, so Giorgio said many pass holders also travel to some of the other 41 resorts under that company.

Ski School was filmed at ski resorts in Oregon and Whistler, British Columbia. According to Dean Cameron, though, they were able to film on a modest budget because it was shot in the springtime so they "got May rates". Pick-up shots were done in Los Angeles about a year after principal production.

Mount Bohemia – Extreme Skiing, Endless Adventure

Mount Bohemia in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has the longest runs with the highest vertical and deepest powder in the Midwest.

What is the longest green ski run in Michigan? ›

LOIS LANE TO NORTH PEAK PASS // BOYNE HIGHLANDS

The longest run in Michigan—1.25 miles—rates a firm green circle, meaning anybody who can slide onto a chairlift and “make a pizza” with their skis can go top to bottom without much of a problem.

What's the biggest ski resort in Michigan? The answer is – drum roll please – Boyne Highlands in the Lower Peninsula is the biggest. Skiers and riders can play on 53 slopes spread over 432 acres, 3 terrain parks, and the vertical drop is 552 feet.

Sugar Loaf in Leelanau County, northwest of Traverse City, once attracted 3,000 skiers a day in winter but has been idle for more than 20 years.

Sugar Loaf stayed on visitors' minds long after its last workers locked the doors after the 2000 season and walked away, leaving beds still made, banquet mugs still in dishwasher trays, phones still on desks.

The Netherlands is the largest owner in Michigan at 458,436 acres followed by Canada at 359,679 acres.

Beginning on May 12, [1945], the fighting at Sugar Loaf lasted for a week including one day with four charges on the peak. The Americans prevailed on May 18, with 2,662 casualties, and another 1,289 suffered battle fatigue. The Japanese forces, students and civilians, also suffered devastating casualties.

Sugarloaf was dropped by the label in 1973. By the end of 1975, Corbetta and Pollock were the only remaining members of the original quartet creating music as Sugarloaf. They toured as Jerry Corbetta and Sugarloaf until 1978 when the Sugarloaf name was finally retired.

Sugarloaf – Maine's Biggest Ski Resort.