The Petoskey Winter Sports Park is listed on a Consumers Power map of top ski areas in the northern lower peninsula dating from the 1960’s. They note that it had 3 slopes and a rope tow.
The park is still in operation. Run by the city of Petoskey Department of Parks and Recreation, it offers ice hockey, skating, skate rental, and sledding in addition to skiing and snowboarding. No lifts are mentioned by the city (you can see a rope tow in the 2nd picture in their gallery), but they have a warming hut with fireplace, concession stand, seating, drinking fountain and wireless. The local newspaper states that they have a surface lift and 100′ of vertical. Apparently, there is no charge to use the lift or slopes–cheapest lift ticket ever!
Petoskey WSP Bump Jump Photo from Petoskey News-Review
The Petoskey Winter Sports Park is one of Michigan’s oldest, and certainly longest operating, ski slopes. Now with a single run and rope tow, this season (13/14) saw record snowfall and in-town skiing that lasted until early April. From the 1930’s the park was central to Petoskey’s annual winter carnival, featured in the Forgotten Films Michigan PBS ski documentary, Winter Wonderland. The ski jumps have long been dismantled (early ’60’s) but the love of winter continues on the slope, sledding hill and ice rinks. It is still free and everyone passionate about early Michigan winter sports can still ski it. It might be the oldest slope you ever wedeln!