Pine Mountain ski jump
Encyclopedia
The Pine Mountain Ski Jump is one of the highest artificially created ski jumps
in the world, located in Breitung Township
Dickinson County
, Iron Mountain, Michigan
. It is part of the Kiwanis Ski Club and hosts annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup competitions. "Pine Mountain Slide is known throughout the world as one of the better jumping hills." Annually in February, it "hosts jumpers from around the world at the best tournament in the United States." Top-rated foreign jumpers compete. "All classes of records have been set on Pine Mountain, including the international record of 459 feet (139.9 m)." Attendance is about 20,000.
The Upper Peninsula's Copper Peak
is the only Ski flying venue in the western hemisphere (and has been called "Suicide hill"). However, there is also a preexisting Suicide Hill Ski Jump
in Ishpeming, which is near the National Ski Hall of Fame
.
in town (Iron Mountain
), turn west onto Kent Street just south of the Chapin Pit, and follow the signs. In about 3/4 mi, look for Upper Pine Mountain Road which winds up to the hilltop. There is no charge. The view from the observation deck at the top of the jump is about 30 miles (48.3 km).
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
in the world, located in Breitung Township
Breitung Township, Michigan
Breitung Township is a charter township of Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,930.The township is named after Edward Breitung, a miner and U.S...
Dickinson County
Dickinson County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,472 people, 11,386 households, and 7,583 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 13,702 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, Iron Mountain, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is part of the Kiwanis Ski Club and hosts annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup competitions. "Pine Mountain Slide is known throughout the world as one of the better jumping hills." Annually in February, it "hosts jumpers from around the world at the best tournament in the United States." Top-rated foreign jumpers compete. "All classes of records have been set on Pine Mountain, including the international record of 459 feet (139.9 m)." Attendance is about 20,000.
Specifications
- Scaffold height: 176 feet (53.6 m)
- Scaffold length: 380 feet (115.8 m)
- Length of underhill (end of take-off to outrun): 632 feet (192.6 m)
- Length of underhill (end of scaffold to end of outrun): 1032 feet (314.6 m)
- Critical point (K-point) of landing hill: 394 feet (120.1 m)
- Pitch of landing hill: 39°
- Estimated speed of skiers at takeoff (variable depending on wind and other factors): 55 mile per hour
History
Construction of the jump began in 1937 and was completed in 1938. At the time it was 156 feet (47.5 m) high. It hosted its first competition in 1939. In 1948, the outrun was dug out, and in 1977 the inrun tower was made larger (to the current 176 feet (53.6 m)) after a fire. There have been numerous other renovations over the years. In 1996 and 2000 the hill hosted the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, bringing in 20,000 spectators. However, it has not hosted one since, and now hosts annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup competitions.The Upper Peninsula's Copper Peak
Copper Peak
Copper Peak is a ski flying hill located in Ironwood, Michigan, United States. Built in 1969, it remains the only ski flying facility in the Western Hemisphere. With a K-spot of 150 meters, Copper Peak has allowed jumps up to 158 meters...
is the only Ski flying venue in the western hemisphere (and has been called "Suicide hill"). However, there is also a preexisting Suicide Hill Ski Jump
Suicide Hill Ski Jump
Suicide Hill Ski Jump is located in Negaunee, Michigan, and is part of the Ishpeming Ski Club.- HS 96 :*Scaffold Height: 140 ft*Hill Size: HS 96*K-point: 90 meters*Angle of take-off: 11.5 degrees*Landing angle: 36.5 degrees...
in Ishpeming, which is near the National Ski Hall of Fame
National Ski Hall of Fame
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum is located in the City of Ishpeming in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the birthplace of organized skiing in the United States...
.
Jump Records
Below is the list of past and current record holders:| Year | Distance (m) | Distance (ft) | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | 78 | 255.9 |  USAUnited States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| 1941 | 81.5 | 267.4 |  NORNorway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
|
| 1942 | 88 | 288.7 | NOR Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
|
| 1949 | 89 | 292 | USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| 1949 | 89.5 | 293.6 |  FINFinland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
|
| 1949 | 90.5 | 296.9 | USA |
|
| 1961 | 96 | 315 | USA |
|
| 1962 | 96.5 | 316.6 | FIN Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
|
| 1965 | 99 | 324.8 | USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| 1968 | 102 | 334.6 | USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| 1971 | 105 | 344.5 | USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| 1978 | 113 | 370.7 |  AUTAustria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
|
| 1980 | 121.5 | 398.6 | AUT Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
|
| 1991 | 122 | 400.3 | AUT Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
|
| 1996-02-18 | 131.5 | 431.4 |  JPNJapan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
|
| 1996-02-18 | 131.5 | 431.4 |  GERGermany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
|
| 1996-02-18 | 140 | 459.3 | JPN Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
|
| 2002-02-23 | 142 | 465.9 | FIN Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
|
| 2004-02-21 | 142 | 465.9 | NOR Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
|
| 2006-02-18 | 142.5 | 467.5 | AUT Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
|
| 2009-02-15 | 142.5 | 467.5 | AUT Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
|
| 2009-02-15 | 143.5 | 470.8 | AUT Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
Events
The Pine Mountain Ski Jump tournament is held in mid February, and is sponsored by the Pine Mountain Kiwanis Ski Club.- 2010 FIS Continental Cup was held on January 29, 30 and 31.
Getting there
From US Highway 2U.S. Route 2 in Michigan
US Highway 2 is a component of the United States Numbered Highway System that connects Everett, Washington, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan, with a separate segment that runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine...
in town (Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain, Michigan
Iron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,154. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula....
), turn west onto Kent Street just south of the Chapin Pit, and follow the signs. In about 3/4 mi, look for Upper Pine Mountain Road which winds up to the hilltop. There is no charge. The view from the observation deck at the top of the jump is about 30 miles (48.3 km).