I have seen a Michigan Road Map from 1968 or 1969 which shows a skier mark for the Bald Mountain State Recreation Area south of Lake Orion indicating they had downhill skiing there. The recreation area still exists and boasts x-c ski trails but no alpine skiing. I do not know if this area ever had tows, but it looks like there are remnants of a couple runs on the north face of a ridge at the south end of trout lake.
About.com Detroit‘s “List of Cross Country Skiing Places in Oakland County, Michigan” says, “Bald Mountain State Recreation Area in Lake Orion has 8 miles of trails for cross-country skiing through hilly terrain (some of the hilliest in Southeast Michigan) in its North Unit.”
If you have any recollections or reminiscences of lift-served skiing at Bald Mountain, please post them or send me an email using the directions on the About MILSAP page.
Steve Hertler (Steve.hertler@gmail.com) posted the following on our About MILSAP Page on 11/4/11 at 4:29pm. I think it better belongs here: “Regarding the bald mountain ski area in Lake Orion. While I never skied there, and don’t know positively where this was located, I do remember seeing what was explained to me the old ski area, along with what appeared to be the old lift equipment. It was actually located just north of the Palace of Auburn Hills, on the east side of Lapeer Rd. The area now is a business park, and most of the hill has been leveled by earth movers. However, as one is driving North on Lapeer rd., passing the Palace, Lapeer Rd. climbs up a hill. I believe that this was where the top of Bald Mountain ski area was.”
Is Steve Herter right? His recollection would place Bald Mountain Ski Area about 2 or 3 mi. south of the current Bald Mountain State Recreation Area and near the corner of Lapeer Rd. and Dutton Rd. About a half mi. east of Lapeer Rd. Bald Mountain Rd. runs parallel to it. Another hilly location would be just south and east of the intersection of Dutton and Bald Mountain roads. Anyone else like to chime in to firmly locate this area?
If you go east on Stoney Creek road from Orion road about a half mile down on the north side there is a gate and a small place to park. You can take a walk into the woods on some trails and come to those hills near the lake mentioned in the original post. Everybody I know calls it suicide hill. My friends and I have been going sledding there for years. Some parts of it are really steep so its pretty fun (and dangerous). Also really exhausting to walk back to the top.