I have a listing dated 1970 from long-time ski patroller Gregg Reese which he found in his father’s papers. Alton A. (Bud) Reese was a patroller and officer with the Northern Michigan Region of the National Ski Patrol. A roster found in his files lists patrol directors and their patrols from 1970. On the list are a George and Susan Whitehead, listed as directors for the patrol at Barn Mountain. I have found that locals in Boyne City refer to one of the slopes in the Avalanche Preserve Recreation Area (a city park and former site of Avalanche Peak Ski Area) as Barn Mountain. Apparently, the ski area was once known by that name according to Gary Curatolo in a post below. He speculates they changed the name to capitalize on Boyne Mountain advertising and to avoid scaring away skiers who might fear the name “Avalanche.”
On Jan. 4, 1968, The Cass City Chronicle printed the AAA Michigan “Guide to 1968 Winter Sports Fun.” It listed Barn Mountain in Boyne City with 14 runs, a double chairlift, 2 Poma lifts and rope tows. That Fall, in the October 27, 1968 Detroit Free Press, an article lists Barn Mountain among 7 ski areas that were discontinuing operations that year.
If you have any information about skiing at Barn Mountain, please post it or send it to us via the directions on the About MILSAP page.
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avalanche and barn mountain are most definately the same ski area.some info can be obtained from the book everett kircher Michigans resort pioneer. during the last years of operation they changed the name to barn mountain thinking they would get benefit from boyne mountain advertising and the feeling that the name avalanche might scare away intermediate skiers. I am from the northern detroit area and have done alot of skiing in northern michigan since 1961 !! gary curatolo
The last time I saw that place I was shooting my bow at a 3d target rage set up on the sight about 15 years ago.
The owner of Boyne Mountain Ski Resort (I believe his name was Kirchner) purchased land of Avalanche and renamed it Barn Mountain. He began to develop it into a ski run but was deterred from his planned development because he was unaware he didn’t own property on the road (10 lots that my Dad owned). Unable to complete the project because his plans included this property, construction stopped and the one lift was dismantled. I am told he gifted this property to Boyne City with the condition that it would never be developed into a ski resort to compete with the one he already owned.
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I remember this as a little child. My father worked as a dispatcher for the police department. We lived on Park street, and went sledding on Barn Mountain every winter.