• Thursday-What'sUP November 9 - 06:13 pm

Carl Schroeder was standing in Houghton, looking over to Ripley and snapped a great shot. The Mont Ripley Ski Hill is just waiting for a covering of white, signaling the beginning of the ski season once again. With the snow-making machines, that could happen as soon as the temperatures chill down and stay cold. I'm not certain what that magic number is, but now that we're heading into the middle of November, it won't be long before those freezing digits are reached. If you look close enough at Carl's shot, you can make out the ski lift too. I hear Ripley will install a second chair lift, with construction possibly starting as soon as next summer.

I have a picture just like this in my gallery! I love the view. Mine was taken when there was color on the trees though.

For anyone who has ever had the joy of climbing Mt. Ripley during the summer, it is quite a hike. The summer field geology class at Tech has a project on the side and top of Ripley called the 3-point problem and uses many of the features (ski runs, wooded areas, chair lift, etc...) as geologic markers. When I was a student it wasn't so bad; I only climbed it once. When I taught the class a few years later, I had to set up the survey stakes and help students, which meant I climbed up and down about 4 or 5 times. By the end of the day I was feeling rather tired, and I still had to pick up the stakes. Lucky for me, one of the 4 wheelers was out so I "borrowed" it to climb up and retrieve the survey markers.....

This shot reminds me of our trips to Indianhead Mountain in Bessemer, those were the days. Going down those slopes was such a free and easy feeling! But, alas, old age sure turns you into a paranoid being. I get a nose bleed just looking at those hills. To be young again!

When you look at Mont Ripley, from a different view, you can see a long short building of some sort half way up. It doesn't show it in this picture. Does anyone know what that is? I have so often wondered what it is.

Another beautiful picture from God's country. I can remember when Mt. Ripley had just tow ropes to take you up the hill. It would wear out your gloves and jackets in one season. Also, the "hut" had no heat and it was so small that you couldn't fit more than 6 people in there at one time. Looked like an old storage shed!!

Maybe some of the Ski Patrollers can tell what the long short building is. At the top near the end of the chair lift is a "chalet" for use only by the ski patrollers. Those folks dedicate much of their time and resources to keeping the hill safe. They have annual training in first aid, use of the sled, & chair-lift evacuation and almost all is paid for from their own pockets. The hill reminds me of Fred Lonsdorf and his vision in developing it. Many of the WWII 110th Division skiers started hills: Vail, Aspen, Boyne Mt. and Ripley are only a few.

ah dotsie--your telling your age --I too remember those days gone by-- remember the ski jump?--MOB

Long short building...oxymoron?

-:) heh, heh

I think that what Carmen means is a building that is long horizontally, but short in height.

Thank you Bill for putting it in words better than what I did. Too early and not enough coffee yet is my only excuse! ;-)

We spent a week's vacation last February during Winter Carnival, staying in Twin Lakes. Our third grader got to spend a day at Mont Ripley, taking snowboarding lessons, and having a great time.

We were pleasantly surprised to see families dropping their kids off to spend the day in wholesome recreation, in a safe environment. CC folks are really lucky to have Mt. Ripley, basically right in town.

Here in Houston, population 3 million, parents would never dream of leaving their kids someplace by themselves.

Hats off to the Tech staff, ski patrollers, and everyone who contributes to Mt. Ripley being such a great place!

Hey Carmen, I got ribbing from my hubby when ordering "jumbo shrimp". Now that is an oxymoron we all use. Now I chuckle when I see that on the menu :)

You got that right Bill about Houston!!!!

Another Houstonian saying "hello."

I still think the best view of Mt. Ripley is while sitting on a stolen tray from Wadsworth and going so fast your hair is on fire down the slope just about midnight.........but that would be one guys opinion.......