Mt. Brighton was the last of the southeast Michigan “majors” to open, sometime in the mid-1960′s. In The Cass City Chronicle for Feb. 3, 1966, the AAA Guide to Winter Sports Fun in Michigan lists Brighton with 6 runs (including 2 for beginners), J-Bar, 5 rope tows, snowmaking and night skiing.
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- Echo Valley – Kalamazoo
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- Roundtops – Gaylord
- Sheridan Valley – Lewiston
- Ski Village – Waters
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- Sylvan Resort – Gaylord
- The Pinnacles – Gaylord
- Tyrollean Hills – Gaylord
- Vanderbilt Ski Club – Vanderbilt
- Waters Ski Club – Waters
- Woodridge Ski Area – Lewiston
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- Bear Hills – Bear Lake
- Big-M Ski Area – Manistee National Forest
- Birch Hills Ski Area – Paris
- Briar Hill Ski Area – Mesick
- Buck Hills – Thompsonville
- Chimney Corners Resort – Frankfort
- Elberta Mountain Winter Sports Park and Ski Jump – Elberta
- Lost Pines Lodge – Harrietta
- Manistee Ski Area – Manistee
- McGuires Ski Resort – Cadillac
- Missaukee Mountain – Lake City
- Pere Marquette Ski Club – Buttersville
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- Ward Hills Winter Sports Area – Branch
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- Binder Park – Battle Creek
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- Brock Park – Ionia
- Carousel Mountain – Holland
- Eskar Hills Ski Area – Middleville
- Fry’s Winter Sports Park – Comstock
- Goshorn Hills – Saugatuck
- Grand Beach Ski Club – New Buffalo
- Grand Haven Ski Bowl – Grand Haven
- Grand View Orchards – Hudsonville
- Indian Hills – Grand Rapids
- Kalamazoo Country Club – Kalamazoo
- Little Switzerland Ski Area – Three Rivers
- Middleville Ski Resort – Middleville
- Moon Ridge – Lakeview
- Newago Winter Sports Park – Newago
- Pando Ski Center – Rockford
- Royal Valley – Buchanan
- Schussaway – Lowell
- Ski World – Buchanan
- Winterskol – Lakeview
- Upper Peninsula Areas
- Adventure Mountain – Greenland
- Big Valley – Newberry
- Briar Mountain – Norway
- Bryce’s Hill – St. Ignace
- Chatham Ski Hill – Chatham
- Cliff’s Ridge – Marquette
- Iroquois Mountain Lodge – Sault Ste. Marie
- Lake Shore Ski Club – Sault Ste. Marie
- Maple Mountain Ski Area – Munising
- Mt. Joy – Ironwood?
- Norvul – Norway
- Spring Valley Ski Hill – Caspian
- Thunder Bowl Ski Area – Manistique
- Vulcan USA – Vulcan
- Northeast Lower Peninsula Ski Areas
On Jan. 20, 2012, Geoff Smith left the following comment on our page for Brighton in the Southeast Michigan Ski Regions, pointing out that I had so far neglected to create a page of Mt. Brighton in our “Current Areas” section. Geoff said,
“Mt. Brighton was the last “big” SE Michigan area developed (after Mt Holly, Pine Knob and Alpine Valley) in the mid 1960′s and was located a few miles west of US 27 off of I-96 in Brighton. There were 4 owners. One, Gene Hill, was the head ski instructor and area promoter. Another, Bill Riskey, was nationally reknowned for his snow making expertise. I coached ski racers there in the 1970′s and several Jr Olympic and collegiate racers got their start there. Tim Hill, Gene’s son, is currently US Masters champion for his age group.”
Geoff, How can I contact Gene…I would love to find his son Mark, Matt and Jeff…I taught with Gene’s group starting 1976….Thanks!
I skied Mt Brighton a few times during the early to mid-1970s. I remember at one time they had an expert run “Big Riskey” on the one side, and on the opposite side they had an unusual set-up where the same lift loaded in both directions, the one direction went up the main hill right next to Big Riskey and the other direction served “Little Riskey”, which was a tame little hill opposite the main hill. I haven’t skied there since the winter of 1975-76, but for several years during this last decade, I used to deliver meat to Taorello’s Market in Brighton, on my way up to Meijer’s warehouse in Lansing, and driving by brought back fond memories too.
Trying to find the Gene Hill family from MT Brighton from that era…if Geoff could help me out with this…I taught there 1976 thru1983….under Gene Hill