MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The late start to the snowy season has started to cause some concern for future winter events, as a lack of snow in the UP can be a big obstacle.
Already the Tahquamenon Sled Dog Race has been canceled, a late start to the Marquette Mountains season and the month-long builds for Houghton’s Winter Carnival has been postponed a week.
Travel Marquette’s CEO Susan Estler said that the lack of snow “affects the entire economy and because of the winter events that we have and it is a very active time of year a lot of people are dependant on those big events to carry them through the winter months to be able to stay here year-round in Marquette”.
An upcoming popular snow-reliant event is the ski jumping tournament. The ski club said for the athlete’s safety the hill requires a 6-inche base of snow on the hill, and have postponed the event in the past, but after Tuesday’s snowfall are hopeful.
“Sometimes even on the night of the event we might cut short if the winds are to high, we have to keep these skiers safe, it’s all about safety for the skiers the athletes and the spectators so we have made those little adjustments but we’ve done it for 137 years since 1887 we’ve never missed a year and we’re gonna do it again,” commented the Vice President of the Ishpeming Ski Club Peter Copenhaver.
“Hopefully we will have the ski jumping, hopefully, Noquemanon will go out but there’s always a possibility that this might all go away,” continued Estler.
Against all odds, organizers are still planning on the tournament happening next Friday, January 19th.
Click here for more information on the Ishpeming Ski Club and the 137th Annual Ski Jumping Tournament.
