Welcome To Boyne Mountain Resort
Welcome to Boyne Mountain Resort! Each stop on this walking tour will have text, photos, old newspaper articles and/or videos connected. Scroll through the photos on the top of each stop to see each piece of media and delve a little deeper into our history. Click individual photos to display them properly on your phone screen. Newspaper articles can be seen in full as well, plus you can tap the screen to zoom in & read the text.Boyne Mountain Resort's first ski runs were built by Youth Hostelers from Detroit in the late 1940s. Included is an article about the Youth Hostel Program and a map of their locations in Michigan. 💡Push Play Video to see a video with 7 minutes of original Boyne Mountain footage from 1979.📸 Attached Media:-Photo of youth hostelers building runs, from Boyne Mountain Archives-"Youth Hostels Attract Hundreds of New Tourists" article & graphic from the Petoskey News Review on August 16, 1949-Photo of female skiers in the early days of Boyne Ski Club, from Boyne Mountain Archives-Photo of Boyne Mountain with a ski lift in the foreground, from northernexpress.com🔗Links in Text:-"Boyne Mountain 1979" from Kim Kircher, YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60MDQfv4rwE📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa - Everett's
Everett Kircher was the patriarch of the family that owns Boyne USA. Everett was born on July 15, 1916 in St. Louis, Missouri. Before Everett turned 1 year old his father had moved the family to Detroit to start earning $5 /day at the Ford factory. Everett went back and visited his family in Missouri throughout his childhood, learning to hunt and fish with his great uncles. Everett attended the University of Michigan until his mother was gravely injured and he went home to help run the family business, a Studebaker dealership. In 1948 he founded Boyne Ski Club with $1 investment in 40 acres of real estate from Senator Pearson. The restaurant in front of you was named after Everett and holds many of his prized possessions. Let’s start the tour with the fish tank. Take a look in the fish tank that is part of the wall of Everett’s Restaurant – it contains brook and brown Trout, two of Everett’s favorite local catches. If you take the part of the walk to the Boyne River you will see where these swimmers live and where Everett fished. The brook trout is a small fish native to the Boyne River. They range from 6 to 9 inches in length and thrive in the cold, northern waters of Michigan. Brook trout naturally reproduce in the north and south branches of the Boyne River, and are typically only found above the dam. The temperature of the water below the dam gets a little too warm in the summer for the brookies. The brown trout is a cold-water fish native to Asia and Europe, and they were first introduced to Michigan in 1883. They are not as sensitive to warmer waters as brook trout. Brown trout can be found throughout all of the Boyne River and they are sometimes stocked below the dam. The average size brown trout that our Outfitters catch in the Boyne is 8-12 inches. 📸 Attached Media:-Photos of Everett from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-Photo of Everett from the US Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame-Article about Everett fishing in Norway, "Everett Kircher with his record 46-Pound Atlantic Salmon" by the Harbor Light on August 27, 1969-Photo of Everett from Sports Illustrated on November 20, 1961🏃 Walk past the front desk and out the back doors of the lobby. Turn around and look at the Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa. This is where the original Boyne Mountain Parking Lot was located. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Balloon Platoon in Parking Lot - now the Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa
On the 14th of April, 1969 the Balloon Platoon Balloonist Club from Bloomfield Hills, MI brought their one-man balloon propelled contraption to Boyne Mountain Resort. They proceeded to entertain spring skiers by inflating one of the balloons and lifting the pilot almost 800 feet in the air. At that time there were 100 balloons in the United States, per a Petoskey News Review article written that day. Once they retrieved the man and balloon in a nearby field, the crew headed back to ski and enjoy the fresh powder. The Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa now sits where that parking lot was located. Another fun aerial activity that was available in the mid 1970s here at Boyne Mountain Resort: touring northwestern Michigan by air in the Boyne Country Mallard! The 10 passenger plane would fly over Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Falls, Boyne City and Charlevoix. Then it would swoop out over Lake Michigan to pass above Beaver Island and Fox Island, then head back in to Petoskey and Harbor Springs with a pass over The Highlands. After going over the Straits and viewing the Mackinac Bridge, the tour would then land on Mackinac Island for a horse-drawn carriage ride. What a luxurious tour! 📸 Attached Media:-"Ballooning Skiers Make Ascent at Boyne" photo from the Petoksey News Review on April 14, 1969-"Tour Northwestern Michigan By Air" photo and text from the Boyne Country Summer-Fall Services and Activities Directory, 1970s-Photo of Skiers at Boyne Mountain Resort from Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-Photos of the Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa in different seasons from Boyne Mountain Resort Archives🏃Turn back around and walk toward the Clocktower Lodge. You’ll be walking with the pond on your left and Boyne Realty on your right. Continue past the Adventure Center and the main village lane. Walk beside Boyne Country Sports and up a little hill toward the Trophy Room Pub & Pizzeria. 📚 Bibliography: ₹ β ♥
Boyne Ski Club - now the Clock Tower Lodge
The original lodge here at the Boyne Ski Club was built in 1947 and opened in 1948. It was a very basic building for warming up during ski days. It included the Trophy Room Bar, a cafeteria, restrooms and a huge fireplace built with Onaway Stone. In 1953 the Lodge was expanded to include a dining room, Snowflake Lounge and outdoor heated pool. Everett was known to be enamored with Sun Valley Ski Resort in Idaho, and he brought their idea of the outdoor heated pool to the Midwest. The original Trophy Room Pub & Pizzaria was known as The Snake Pit to Boyne regulars, a name taken from a 1948 movie. The SnowBunny Ball was a huge event each spring right here at the Trophy Room Pub & Pizzaria. Skiers would dress up in costumes on Friday night for the big party, then would have to ski the next day in the same garb. If you got caught skiing without your costume, you would get taken to a ski jail at the bottom of the hill. Now Boyne Mountain Resort has a different party that weekend in March and we call it Carnival (at Boyne Mountain) or Crazy Daze (at The Highlands). 📸 Attached Media:-1948 Lodge Photo from the New England Ski History website-1948 Lodge Photo from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-"North Ski Resorts Improved for Expected Banner Winter Season" article from the Petoskey News Review on November 29, 1951-"Plan Swimming Pool at Boyne Ski Resort Spot" article from the Petoskey News Review on February 5, 1953-"Boyne Falls" news update from the Emmet County Democrat on December 30, 1954-1953 Pool Addition Photos from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives🏃 Look to your right and you’ll see the double doors of the Boyne Country Sports store and the Burton store. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Symon's General Store - now the Burton Shop
The Burton Store was originally Symon’s General Store. Symon’s opened in the mid-1950s and carried gourmet Austrian & European Foods. It was the perfect stop to grab a tasty snack between runs or before going to the bar. Boyne: People History Memories described it as, “the place to go for all the European gourmet treats you craved while being steeped in all that Austrian ski lore at Boyne Mountain.” They now own various food and beverage establishments around Petoskey and Harbor Springs. 💡 Want to read more about Symon's reaching their 60 year anniversary? 60 years of gourmet food: Symons General Store reaches milestone 📸 Attached Media:-Symon's General Store Logo from https://www.symonsgeneralstore.com/-"Symon's Leaves Lasting Legacy" article from the Petoskey News Review on February 17, 2005. 🔗Links in Text:-"60 years of gourmet food: Symons General Store reaches milestone" article from the Petoskey News Review on January 17, 2005 https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/business/2016/01/09/60-years-of-gourmet-food-symons-general-store-reaches-milestone/45117827/🏃 Walk up the brick pathway toward the back of the Clock Tower Lodge. You will veer to the left when you get to the lamppost surrounded by flowers. This patio is where our ice skating rink is located in the winter. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Boyne Ice Rink - now Stein Eriksen's Patio
In the 1960s, guests were visiting from all over the Midwest and business was booming. Everett decided to add an ice rink behind the lodge and offer skating year-round. Everett hired professional figure skaters to teach lessons for the Boyne guests but ice in the summer was difficult to maintain so it only lasted a few summers. Pickup hockey games were known to happen, sometimes with famous players like Gordie Howe or Marty Pavelich. You can still enjoy the same ice rink in the winter along with the original SkateHaus that was built for skate rentals and warming up. 📸 Attached Media:-Photos of ice skaters and skiers from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-"Christmas Ski Week Showed That We're The Midwest's Best" photo and article from the Petoskey News Review on January 7, 1988🏃Stay on the same ground level and walk to your left toward the entrance door. Walk inside and past the vending machines. In the room to your left, you’ll find the huge Onaway stone fireplace used for warming. Turn to the right and walk down the hall lined with wooden walls. Walk to the opening in the walls and you’ll see the huge dining room of Stein Eriksen’s. This is our largest dining area on property. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Stein Eriksen's
Stein Eriksen was Everett Kircher’s pick for Director of Skiing at Boyne Mountain for the ski school’s opening year, but he wouldn't immediately make that committment. Stein was born in Norway in 1927, became a ski legend in his home country and went on to compete in the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. He won the gold medal in the giant slalom and the silver medal in slalom. After the Olympics he moved to the US to join Boyne Mountain Resort in 1955 and start their ski school. Everett wanted him to teach the reverse shoulder method, something that had never been taught in the states before; the Arlberg method was the status quo. Many people consider Stein the first superstar of the skiing world, plus it helped that he was charismatic and handsome. His lesson book was always full. Stein was a very flashy skier and was known for his aerial ski acrobatics including a famous front flip. “Ski like Stein” was a popular saying heard on property but no one could live up to it. A writer from the Grand Rapids Press accurately called him the Babe Ruth of skiing. Stein Eriksen’s is known for traditional Après Ski fare like cheese and chocolate fondue, hot chocolate and adult beverages. It is open from December through March for dining, plus it can be booked for special events any time of year. 💡 Stein was a spokesperson for numerous products, including Rolex and Chevrolet. Read this fantastic article released by Rolex after his passing. Stein Eriksen Rolex Explorer💡 And watch his cutting-edge Chevrolet commercial! Chevrolet Corvair 1960📸 Attached Media:-Photos of Stein Eriksen from the Traverse City Record Eagle-"Boyne Falls" news update from the Emmet County Graphic on November 25, 1954-"Looking 'Em Over" article about Stein's introduction to Boyne from the Petoskey News Review on January 18, 1955-"Stein Eriksen Still Active in Skiing, Ski Promotion" article from the Petoskey News Review on March 1, 1979🔗Links in Text:-"Stein Eriksen Rolex Explorer" article from Rolex https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2010/05/1962-stein-eriksen-rolex-explorer.html#/page/1-"Chevrolet Commercial Corvair in Aspen 1960" by King Rose Archives, YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_x8Z08acvY🏃Check out the display case in the hall just past the doors that go into the kitchen for more of Stein’s history. Continue walking past the case and turn right to go up the stairs toward the Snowflake Lounge. When you reach the landing on the upper floor, the door to the Snowflake Lounge is directly behind you. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Snowflake Lounge
This is where all the skiers partied back in the day. It was even made into a verb – snowflaking. “We’re snowflaking at 5 tonight. See you there after skiing!” Après-Ski (pronounced AH-PRAY SKI) is a popular European post-skiing tradition of music and late-night partying; in English it means After Ski. The Trophy Room Pub & Pizzaria first, then the Snowflake Loungeis where that happened at Boyne Mountain. One of the quotes from Boyne: People History Memories describes the Snowflake Lounge atmosphere succinctly. “I remember this man who was sent up to Boyne Mountain to unwind since his doctor said he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He had a single room right next to the Snowflake. After a few nights of loud music and late parties he finally decided, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” and he came right into the Snowflake in his pajamas.” 📸 Attached Media:-Photos from Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-"Miss Michigan and her court" photo from the Petoskey News Review on February 7, 1956-"Paris Fashions Shown at Luncheon" article from the Petoskey News Review on July 11, 1958-"ODYSSEY musicians" advertisement from The Graphic on August 29, 1977🏃Walk back down the stairs. RESTROOMS are located here if you need them. Turn the opposite way from the restaurant and continue down the hall, past all the lodging rooms and out the double doors into the Boynehof Lodge parking lot. Walk around through the right side of the parking lot until you can see the front of the Boynehof Lodge. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Boynehof Lodge
When Everett started building lodgings at the Boyne Ski Club, the Hemlock and Edelweiss Lodges were the first built. Edelweiss has just reopened, but the Hemlock was torn down to build the six-seat, high-speed chairlift called Mountain Express. The third lodging building, built in 1959, was this Boynehof Lodge connected to the Clock Tower Lodge. The traditional Tyrol-style painting on the original building was done by Herbert Wickenhouser of Heidelberg, Germany. Boynehof was essential lodging for the newest hit at the Mountain – Ski Weeks. In the early 1960s Everett was trying to find a way to attract skiers mid-week, so his friend Victor Gottschalk came up with the Ski Week promotion. For $49 a skier could come to Boyne Mountain Resort for 5 days to ski, stay, eat and take lessons. It was incredibly popular with the young, single professionals. The handsome European instructors were integral in the success of the week, flirting and mingling with guests during meals and après-ski. The Thursday night races were the biggest hit of the week with all the participants coming out for the last event before their big Austrian banquet. Currently Boynehof Lodge is the only lodging that allows dogs on property. Due to its close proximity to the Village at Boyne Mountain, pool & hot tub, the Snowflake Lounge, Stein Eriksen's and the skating rink, it is in high demand each winter. 💡Want to take a peek back at the early days of Boynehof Lodge and Ski Weeks? Click View Video to see an original reel from back in the day. 📸 Attached Media:-"Boyne Mountain" photo from the Petoskey News Review on March 9, 1960-"Boyne Mountain Clubhouse is Unique in Design" article from the Charlevoix County Herald on January 7, 1949-"Boyne Falls" news update from the Emmet County Graphic on December 30, 1954-Ski Week Race Photo from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-"Boyne Mountain Plans Renovation" article from the Petoskey News Review on August 15, 1984-"Boyne USA" advertisement from the Harbor Light on October 4, 1989🔗Links in Text:-"Boyne Mountain 1950's" from Boyne Mountain https://youtu.be/TtzcPqkQDhQ🏃 Peek your head inside the lobby to see the original Alpine design of the late 1950s. When you exit Boynehof Lodge, turn right and walk up the concrete stairs at the end of the parking lot. You will see a dog walk station with doggie bags. At the top of the stairs, look up and to your right for a long, metal contraption on the edge of the woods. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Duck Bill Snowmaker
Snow in the Midwest is not the same as the snow out West; there are many more marginally cold days and thaw days here in Michigan, plus the humidity is considerably higher. Everett realized early that in order to optimize his use of the Mountain he was going to have to supplement Mother Nature’s natural abilities. Everett is quoted saying, “we cobbled up a little tripod stand with a center water jet and an air jet on either side. Then we criss-crossed compressed air into the stream. It worked. We made snow right off. Right then my course was charted. I would chase after snowmaking with the fervor of Ahab hunting Moby Dick.”Δ The contraption you are looking at now is the newest iteration of the Duck Bill Snowmaker, a design Everett developed in the 1950s. At one point Everett said there were over 500 duckbills spread over the Boyne Mountain Resort property. BOYNE also went on to patent the incredibly efficient Highland Snow Gun in the 1970s, which used six-times less energy than previous snowmakers. It would also make snow at 30 degrees Fahrenheit whereas the competitors had to be 28 degrees Fahrenheit. This slight difference in temperature and humidity was significant for snowmaking in the Midwest. In an article published in December 2014, President Ed Grice described the logistics of getting resources up the mountain. “If you were to take a bird’s eye view of Boyne Mountain with X-ray vision, you’d see two large pipes – one running up and one running down – on every slope. One carries water at 350 to 400 pounds of pressure and the other is pumping 80 pounds of air.” You will be seeing several different types of snowmakers as you make your way down to the road. The latest BOYNE snowmaker is called the Low-E fan gun. The Highlands website teaches us, “the true secret weapon in this snow gun is the exclusive Boyne designed water bath technology that is capable of yielding higher production output while achieving lower energy consumption … The composition of the proprietary Boyne Low-E fan gun is courtesy of BOYNE's snowmaking masterminds and our long-time friends from the world's leading snow gun manufacturer, SMI of Midland, Michigan. Each new Low-E fan gun is built on resort grounds and previous models are reclaimed and converted with the necessary upgrades.” 💡 Click Play Video to see a calming video from December 2020 of all the snowguns blasting in the morning. 📸 Attached Media:-Snowmaking photos from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-"Boyne Mt. Hopes to Ski on Thanksgiving" article from the Petoskey News Review on November 21, 1969-"Laid-Off Snowmakers Picket at Boyne" article from the Petoskey News Review on February 21, 1977-"Boyne Mountain: There's snow time like the present" article and photo from the Petoskey News Review on December 23, 1986-Snowmaking at The Highlands https://www.highlandsharborsprings.com/snowmaking🔗Links in Text:-"Better than Coffee" video from the Boyne Mountain Resort facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BoyneMountain/videos/10157237614180670🏃Turn left and walk along the edge of the woods in the grass. You’ll notice an old green metal structure on top of a cement block.📚 Bibliography: β Δ Σ ♥
Original Four-Place Meadows Chairlift
In 1964 the three-place chairlift was introduced to the world at Boyne Highlands. Everett was convinced that a four-place lift would be all the rage and wanted its debut to be at Boyne Mountain Resort. He spoke with the lift manufacturers at the time, Heron and Riblet, but they were unconvinced that it was feasible. After numerous conversations, Everett finally talked them into working up a design and in 1966, the first four-place chairlift was introduced as the Meadows Lift at Boyne Mountain. It was so groundbreaking that executives from Doppelmayr, the premier Austrian lift manufacturer, came and visited Boyne Mountain Resort to see how it was designed. We now have three Doppelmayr lifts on property, the new Meadows lift ahead of you, the six-seat, high-speed chairlift at Mountain Express and a high-speed eight-person Disciples Lift being installed in 2022. 📸 Attached Media:-Boyne Advertisement from the Petoskey News Review on October 11, 1966-Photo from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-"One of Boyne Mountain's Three Chairlifts" photo from the Petoskey News Review on March 9, 1960-"Austrian Instructors" photo from The Emmet County Graphic on December 11, 1986🏃Continue following the woods along the grass. You will see the 10th zipline platform and will walk around to the right of those stairs. Ahead of you is the Ski Patrol building. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Ski Patrol
When the Boyne Ski Club first started, Midwesterners were just learning how to ski. There was no one to form a ski patrol, so Everett developed a program for Boyne City High School kids to become proficient. They received lessons and were integrated into the workforce of Boyne. “Learning to ski and be on the patrol for a kid from Boyne City opened up the world and was a great change in our lives,” said Boo Litzenburger in the book Boyne: People History Memories. Many of these kids went on to become local entrepreneurs or higher-ups at Boyne. One of the responsibilities of the Ski Patrol was to pack down the snow, as this was before snow-making or groomers. The patrollers would line up on a hill and step it all the way down to compress the snow and make it last longer. The other main responsibility for Ski Patrol was to monitor the skiers and help with any injuries. Due to the primitive design of the skis and bindings in the 1950s and 60s, there were an incredible number of fractures on a daily basis. On average, if you had 300 people out skiing, approximately 30 would end the day with a fracture. 💡Want to learn more about the National Ski Patrol here in Northern Michigan? Check out NSPNMR.📸 Attached Media:-"Torchlight Parade Inaugurates Petoskey Ski Hill" photo of Boyne Mountain Ski Patrol from the Petoskey News Review on February 25, 1953-"Ski Safety Program Set" article from the Emmet County Graphic on December 3, 1959-Article about Jim Dilworth, one of the first Boyne Mountain Ski Patrollers in the 1950s, "Nubs Snowmaker Helps Mother Nature Along" from The Graphic on December 11, 1986🔗Links in Text:-National Ski Patrol Northern Michigan Region www.nspnmr.org/🏃Continue walking behind the Ski Patrol building and across the grassy area towards the Meadows Lift building with the blue roof. Please be aware you are walking across a disc golf fairway. If players are on your right when you’re facing downhill, they could be teeing off. Please communicate with the players to prevent any injuries or delay of play. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Current Meadows chairlift
In early 1960 Everett Kircher decided he wanted to start a ProRacing Tour. He initially called Sepp Reusch from Stowe in Vermont but Sepp wasn’t interested. Then Everett called Friedl Pfeiffer from Aspen’s Ski School and the two of them started the IPSRA, International Professional Ski Racing Association. The first race was in Aspen in 1961. The second race, The Kircher Cup, was held at Boyne Mountain Resort and included the first freestyle competition. Look up the hill and to the left. The run just to the left of Meadows is called Stein’s Mambo. You could say that Stein Eriksen started his own sport, freestyle skiing, where he could display his aerial acrobatics on skis. It was originally called ‘hot-dogging', but was categorized by 1961 into aerial, moguls and ballet during the first freestyle event held at Boyne Mountain Resort. There was a cash prize, but all the famous skiers refused to participate unless Steins’ flip was disqualified. Stein agreed to the stipulation, and ended up coming in as runner-up to Othmar Schneider, the future Director of Boyne Mountain’s Ski School. Stein’s Mambo is also the name of Stein Eriksen’s signature aquavit cocktail at Boyne Mountain. It is served at The Beach House restaurant in the summer and Stein Ericksen’s restaurant in the winter. 💡 Click Play Video to see Stein describe how he started doing a flip on skis.Want to hear about our most recent Racing Season? 2022 Recap📸 Attached Media:-Photo from the Traverse City Record Eagle-"Pro Ski Race Set" article from the Petoskey News Review on February 23, 1961-"Boyne Mt. Ski Pros Take Series Lead" article from the Petoskey News Review on January 29, 1966-Photo of Everett Kircher presenting The Kircher Cup to Pro Race Champions on ABC's Wide World of Sports in 1960 from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-"Boyne Country Continues to Add "Four Season" Balance in Growth" article from the Petoskey News Review on November 22, 1971🔗Links in Text:-"Stein Eriksen's First Aerial Flips in Norway" YouTube, scene from the documentary, "the Legendary Skier" produced by Terri Marie of White Wing Entertainment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Qwwonh39Y-"Michigan Challenge Series 2022" YouTube by Boyne Mountain Resort www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcezJWj5XWs🏃Walk down toward the main road on the grass. Stay off the right side of the road until you reach the next stop. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Grass Parking Lot
Everett’s dream for the Boyne Ski Club initially slated the lodge to be set further off the ski hill to allow for longer runs. Look across the road to the large open field just before the Mountain Grand Lodge. That land belonged to the Skop family and wasn’t part of the original 40 acres from Pearson. The Skop family lived in Detroit and worked for Dodge. Everett and his lawyers tried everything to acquire the land but the family was adamantly against selling. This one factor shaped the runs at Boyne Mountain and taught Everett a valuable lesson. He stated in his autobiography, “If I ever started another ski area I’d lock up all the land needed before a single tree was cut.” Fast forward 15 years to the early 1960s when Everett purchased Harbor Highlands, now called The Highlands. Even though there was only one run and one tow rope to start, Everett had big plans. He purchased all the land at the base of the ski lift as well as the hill so he could expand to his heart’s content. The ski runs are a bit longer at the Highlands for this reason and the resort layout is more spaced out than the Mountain. 📸 Attached Media:-1940 Boyne Valley, Deer Lake Plat Map-Looking across the old Skop Land, photo from SnoCountry.com-1961 USGS Topographical Map - Boyne Falls-1986 USGS Topographical Map - Boyne Falls🏃Turn right. Continue on the road back toward the red airport building. Follow the road around the soccer fields to the left. 📚 Bibliography: ® β Δ ♥1940 Plat MapFrom Charlevoix County 1930c, MichiganPublished by W. W. Hixon & Co. in 1930
Boyne River Loop
The loop to the river and back is almost a mile long. If you don't want to walk it, you can skip forward to the Opening Day - January 9, 1949 stop. 📸 Attached Media:-Photo of the Boyne River, taken by @naturalbeautyandwonder-"Students Clean Debris from Boyne River" from the Petoskey News Review December 4, 1970🏃 If you want to continue to the Boyne River, walk away from the main lodge on the paved path along the main road. 📚 Bibliography: ♥
Goodbye Sign
As you walk down the Boyne Valley Trail toward the river, you’ll notice a big sign with a dog that says, “Thank you for visiting. Come Back Soon.” Back in the 1950s there was an iconic dog that lived here at Boyne Mountain named Fritz. Everett was enamored with all things Sun Valley and had liked the fact that they had a St. Bernard named Bingo. Everett acquired a St. Bernard and gave him a fitting Austrian name, Fritz. 💡Want to learn more about the history of St. Bernards as rescue dogs in the snow? A Brief History of the St. Bernard Rescue Dog 💡Want to learn more about Bingo and his owners, the Iselins? Fred Iselin was the first director of Sun Valley's Ski School in Utah. Read this fascinating post on Facebook: Historical Photos of Fruita & Western Colorado📸 Attached Media:-Photo of Fritz outside near the Boyne Mountain slopes from Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-Photo of Bingo and Elli Iselin from the Aspen Times on February 21, 2008🔗Links in Text:-Photo of Bingo on a Ski Lift from Facebook m.facebook.com/HistoricalFruitaPhotos/photos/ski-lift-no-1-aspen-mountain-part-twopart-one-can-be-read-here-httpswwwfacebookc/1041620322932859/-"A Brief History of the St. Bernard Rescue Dog" article by Smithsonian Magazine https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/a-brief-history-of-the-st-bernard-rescue-dog-13787665/🏃Keep walking toward the river on the paved path. When the path starts veering left, stay on the grass and walk toward the bridge. There is a mowed path following the wood line on the left. Keep walking until you see the signs at the water’s edge, just to the left of the bridge. 📚 Bibliography: Δ
Boyne River
Notice the water level indicator and sign for Crowd Hydrology. There are many places along the Boyne River with these signs. Text them the water level if you want to participate! The Boyne River traverses 22 miles of northern Michigan and was named for the Boyne River in County Kildare, Ireland. It was named by “Uncle” John Miller in the late 1860’s when he settled near the mouth of the Boyne River where it flows into Lake Charlevoix (previously called Pine Lake). The Boyne is a blue-ribbon trout stream that sings to the avid fly fisherman. After all of Everett’s endeavors and million-dollar ideas, he states, “I’d rather be known as a great fly fisherman.” Everett learned how to fly fish with his Uncle Will in Blooming Rose, Missouri on the Big Piney River. Once Everett moved his family up north permanently, he searched for the perfect spot in the surrounding area. Nightly he would end up back in the Boyne River. He did some research and found out Consumer’s Power owned the land along the Boyne where he loved to fish. They sold him 160 acres with a mile of Boyne River frontage with the requirement that he must clean up the river. Lots of trash had been dumped there over the years. Everett built a house on the property, cleaned up the river and the spot is now known as the EK Preserve. This was the family’s private getaway and where Everett truly loved to fish. The only way to visit this treasured property today is with Boyne Outfitters when you book a guided fishing trip to the EK Preserve. 💡Want to know more about the Boyne River? Friends of the Boyne River💡Interested in taking a Fishing trip down the Boyne with our Boyne Outfitters? Boyne River Outings📸 Attached Media:-Photo of fish on the Boyne River from the Boyne Outfitters Archives-Photo of the Boyne River, taken by @naturalbeautyandwonder-"Everett Kircher" photo in the Boyne River from the Petoskey News Review on April 30, 1959- "Boyne Mt. May Generate Half of its Electricity" article from the Petoskey News Review on August 6, 1981🔗Links in Text:-Friends of the Boyne River website www.boyneriver.org-Boyne Outfitters www.boyneoutfitters.com🏃If you would like to stroll through the woods along the river, please be careful of poison ivy; it is abundant. When you are done exploring, start walking on the paved trail heading back toward Boyne Mountain Resort. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ • ♥
Boyne Valley Trailway
This trail that you are on is now known as the Boyne Valley Trail. Boyne Valley was organized in 1873 and the big railway, Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad (GR&I) came through in 1874. The town was then renamed Boyne Falls. Logging was the main industry in the region and the driving force behind the railroad expansion. Other big industries followed the rails and soon a grist mill and a shingle mill opened in town. Boyne Falls had three hotels and a number of general stores, a hardware store, pharmacy, barber, telephone office, bank and a livery stable. In 1893 the White family from Boyne City started the Boyne City, Gaylord and Alpena Railroad Company (BCG&A) to benefit their lumber interests on the shores of Lake Charlevoix. The BCG&A line connected with the GR&I near Boyne Falls. The line initially just went from Boyne City to Boyne Falls, but was extended to Gaylord in 1905, Atlanta in 1914 and Alpena in 1918. It changed hands numerous times and went broke before reaching Alpena. R.E. Olds of Oldsmobile funded the completion of the line. In 1935 most of the line was abandoned east of Boyne Falls. The short line between Boyne Falls and Boyne City stayed afloat and ran under different names until 1982. In 2000, a small group of locals had a vision for preserving the original BCG&A railway as a recreational trail. Boyne Mountain was excited and wanted to be a part of the project. The first 10 years or so were difficult while acquiring easements and parcels of land. Since 2015 the trail has been growing westward, with the latest expansion toward Charlevoix in progress. 💡 Want to learn more about the trailway today or see a map? Boyne Valley Trail📸 Attached Media:-Boyne Valley Trailway Logo www.boynevalleytrailway.org/welcome.html-"Boyne City Railroad" photo and text from the Boyne Country Summer-Fall Services and Activities Directory, 1970s-"Boyne City Railroad" advertisement from the Boyne Country Summer-Fall Services and Activities Directory, 1970s-"How Do You Enlist Public Support for Area RR Threat?" article from the Petoskey News Review on December 26, 1974-"State's Smallest RR Going, Going, Gone!" article from the Petoskey News Review on May 14, 1976-Auction Flyer from the Petoskey News Review on May 14, 1976🔗Links in Text:-Boyne Valley Trailway website www.boynevalleytrailway.org/welcome.html🏃 Follow the path to the stop sign. 📚 Bibliography: ° ∞ ₹ •µ ♥
Opening Day - January 9, 1949
Check out all of the media we have about Boyne Mountain's Official Opening Day - January 9, 1949!📸 Attached Media:-"Boyne Lodge to Install Chair Lift" article from the Petoskey News Review on September 16, 1948-"Wanted: Snow for Boyne Mt." article from the Northern Michigan Review on November 18, 1948-"Dedication of Boyne Mt. Ski Club this Saturday" article and photo from the Northern Michigan Review on January 6, 1949-"Horseshoe Lunch" & "Gerries Drug & Jewelry Store" advertisements from the Charlevoix County Herald on January 7, 1949-"Location of Boyne Mountain Result of Six Weeks Search Throughout North Michigan" article from the Charlevoix County Herald on January 7, 1949-"Boyne Mountain Offers Wide Variety of Winter Sports" article from the Charlevoix County Herald on January 7, 1949🏃 Turn right up the small road and walk around the playing field towards the red airport.📚 Bibliography: ♥
Kircher House
Everett was a genuine trailblazer, both literally and figuratively. His empire in northern Michigan truly opened the area to tourism and he was repeatedly recognized for all his contributions to this community. Roger Miller, filmmaker, had always been a friend of Everett Kircher and a huge fan of Boyne Mountain Resort. He featured BOYNE in numerous films, and came back to Boyne Mountain Resort to make this reel highlighting the rambunctious Carnival, a drunken spring tradition at Boyne Mountain Resort. 💡 Click Play Video to watch the film. Stephen, Everett's youngest son and the CEO/President of Boyne Resorts, is also in the film.The Kircher Family home is tucked away in the woods on the left of the trail. The majority of Kircher descendants work for Boyne Resorts in different capacities, across the country. There are still Kircher family members that reside here, please be respectful of their privacy. 💡 Want to learn more about Everett's legacy, Stephen Kircher? Here is a great article from GolfBusiness.com. King of the Mountain💡There are innumerable articles about Everett and his endeavors. This one by Skiing Heritage is quite lengthy and thorough. Everett Kircher: Boyne Gets Going Appreciative to Bob for compiling those Studebaker resources online as this edition is no longer available in the archives! 📸 Attached Media:-"Boyne Country Man feted for Converting Cold to White Gold" article and photo from the Petoskey News Review on January 16, 1970-"Kircher's Boyne Country Has 400 on Payroll" article from the Petoskey News Review on December 1, 1970-"Boyne Country's Kircher is named Ambassador of Tourism" article from the Petoskey News Review on May 25, 1978-"The Making of a Resort Empire" article from the Petoskey News Reviewon August 16, 1979 -"Kircher 'Man of Year' at Annual Game Dinner" from the Petoskey News Review December 3, 1981-Carnival Photos from The Graphic on March 30, 2006🔗Links in Text:-"Boyne Mountain Carnival Weekend, Michigan" YouTube by Warren Miller Entertainment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9YcGv941o-"King of the Mountain" article by Golf Business www.golfbusiness.com/article.aspx?id=3852&bq=6yfv%5Eg433$-"Everett Kircher: Boyne Gets Going" article by Skiing Heritage in June 2003, found in Bob's Studebaker Resources 2022 at studebaker-info.org/Dealers/ekircher/ekircher.html🏃Continue north on the dusty path which is now a multi-use trail for walking, biking and cross-country skiing in the winter. You’ll see the Kircher orchard on your left through the pines. When the trail forks off to the left, take that dirt path toward the tennis courts. Walk in the parking lot just to the left of the tennis courts. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Old Hemlock Golf Course - now the Tennis Courts
Welcome to the site of the original Boyne Golf Course, the Hemlock. Everett created that first course with only a tractor and ambition; he had zero education in golf course design. Everett wanted to provide jobs year-round and a friend, Bill Haber, suggested adding golf to the property. The 1950s Hemlock course was the beginning of northern Michigan’s golf future. The tidy course made the entrance to Boyne Mountain Resort more inviting, too. As soon as he finished carving out that course, he dove head-first into course design and started studying the greats. Everett Kircher enlisted Robert Trent Jones to design the first 18-hole championship course, The Heather, at the Highlands in the late 1960s. He immediately started on the next and finished The Alpine course at Boyne Mountain in 1970. The combination of the memorable one and a half mile cart ride up to the first tee and the views while playing the way back down make The Alpine a classic northern Michigan course. The Moor at The Highlands was the third built, followed by The Monument at Boyne Mountain which was completed in 1987. 💡 Want to hear from the SVP of Boyne Golf Operations and PGA Pro, Bernie Friedrich? Click Play Video to watch an interview with Matt Adams from Fairways of Life💡 Interested in learning more about all our courses here in Northern Michigan? Visit Boyne Golf. 💡 Want to see Everett's Michigan Golf Hall of Fame Member's page? Everett Kircher 📸 Attached Media:-Everett's portrait from the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame http://mghof.org/members/everett-kircher/-Everett beside his hole on the Monument Golf Course, photo from the New England Ski History website-"Golf Courses of Northwest Michigan" from the Petoskey News Review on June 27, 1991-"Boyne Country Looks Ahead to Big Time Golf and Conventions" from the Petoskey News Review on December 4, 1970-"Lee Armstrong Brings His Experience to Boyne" from The Graphic on July 18, 1977-"Birthday Wish Comes True - New Golf Course" from the Petoskey News Review on July 18, 1985🔗Links in Text:-"Fairways of Life - Bernie Friedrich Interview at PGA Show 2022" YouTube by Boyne Golf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTuwXaIiDSI-Boyne Golf www.boynegolf.com🏃Continue across the parking lot and cross Boyne Mountain Road. Please be careful of the traffic. Walk toward the gated entrance and the Boynestadt Condominiums. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Boynestadt Condominiums
The condominiums in front of you were the first to be built on the property and are also known as ‘The Letter Condos’. At the beginning of the 1970s the influx of Boyne visitors dropped off due to low airline prices. Everett had a two-fold solution to this sudden dip in income: one was investing in building condominiums on site, and the other was investing in a ski resort out west. The first country club condos at Boyne Mountain were finished by the mid 70s and Boyne Realty came into existence. Boyne Realty initially filled the whole Adventure Center building and a large sales team worked on selling the standing condominiums along with planning for future endeavors. Simultaneously Everett scouted numerous resorts out west with the intention of purchasing one. Sun Valley, his favorite, was for sale a little too early in the late 1960s and Everett passed it up. The family looked at Jackson Hole, Telluride and several other resorts before deciding on Big Sky Resort in 1976. Boyne USA then went on to purchase Brighton Resort in Utah in 1987 and felt he hit the jackpot with their extremely dry “champagne powder” snow falling an average of 430 inches yearly. 💡Interested in looking into real estate at Boyne Mountain Resort? Boyne Realty📸 Attached Media:-Boynestadt Condo Sign from the Boynestadt Association Website http://www.boynestadt.com/-"Boyne Country Condominiums" advertisement from the Boyne Country Summer-Fall Services and Activities Directory, 1970s-"Plan 43 New Units at Boyne Mt. Condominium" article from the Petoskey News Review on January 22, 1973-"Boynestadt Condominium" advertisement from the Petoskey News Review on August 27, 1979-"Real Estate One of Boyne" advertisement from the Petoskey News Review on December 21, 1982-"Boyne Mountain Condominiums" advertisement from the Petoskey News Review on March 24, 2000🏃Continue down the access road along the side of Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark toward the Village at Boyne Mountain. Please be careful of any vehicles or delivery trucks coming down the road. Walk past the loading docks and continue toward the wood hut at the bottom of the hill. 📚Bibliography: β Δ ♥
McClouth trails
The very beginning of northern Michigan downhill skiing started with Otsego Ski Club. Don McClouth, owner of McClouth Steel Co of Michigan, started the ski club in 1939 just east of Gaylord. Everett skied at OSC regularly and met many like-minded individuals that ended up being instrumental in his success. The runs directly in front of you, North and South McClouth, are named after Don, the pioneer of northern Michigan skiing. If you look to the right/north, you’ll see the bunny hills that were originally named for Senator Pearson. Just east of the bunny hills is Helga House, the home of the Boyne Mountain SnowSports Academy. 💡 Want to learn more about the Otsego Resort? Click Play Video to see Pure Michigan's take on Hidden Valley. 💡 Still want to know more about skiing Hidden Valley? Check out The Otsego Club website📸 Attached Media:-"Hidden Valley OTSEGO SKI CLUB Main Lodge c1950s Postcard" from https://www.hippostcard.com/ -"Boyne Mt. Telephoto View" photo from the Petoskey News Review on January 4, 1954-"Boyne Falls Students Learn to Ski: Recreation Program a Success" article from the Petoskey News Review on April 4, 1975-"And Skiers Flocking Here in Maybe Record Numbers" article from the Petoskey News Review on December 23, 1976🔗Links in Text:-"Otsego Resort - Ski Pure Michigan" YouTube by Pure Michigan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-vuThWBARA-The Otsego Club - Skiing website www.otsegoclub.com/ski/mountain-information/🏃Turn left and walk with the mountain on your right toward the center of the Village at Boyne Mountain. Walk down the main village lane until you reach Forty Acres Tavern, our slope-side pub. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Forty Acres Tavern
When Everett and two friends, John Norton and Jim Christianson, went scouting for a Michigan ski hill fit for a resort they checked out several areas in northern Michigan. When they decided on this location in the mid 1940s, they went looking for who owned it and found William Pearson. Mr. Pearson was a Boyne City resident, former legislator and logger. When Everett told him why they wanted the mountain, Pearson famously said, “Anybody damn fool enough to want to build a ski hill... well, I’ll give you the property.” The attorney wrote up the contract and the first 40 acres of Boyne Mountain was purchased for $1. The original plot included the main part of the Mountain (from Boyneland to Meadows) and where the Clocktower lodge sits. During the opening ceremony in January 1949, Pearson spoke about his donation.💡 Click Play Video to hear this speech. “It seems like a dream to me. The first time I went up this mountain was in 1884. It wasn’t for ski purposes (laughing), I promise you that. From that time on, more or less, I have logged the greater part of the ski mountain. I never expected to be able to live to see a time like this. I congratulate these boys. They’ve done a wonderful service. If I have been a little help to them in these declining years, I am more than pleased for it and I certainly thank them. I appreciate the membership in this club, and I thank you.” 📸 Attached Media:-""Grand Old Man" Does Hit Bit Toward Aiding the Tourist Industry" photo and article from the Charlevoix County Herald on January 7, 1949-1940 Boyne Valley Plat Map with Pearson's 40 acres highlighted in yellow🔗Links in Text:-"1949 Grand Opening" YouTube by Boyne Mountain Resort https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO0CAWDBCso🏃There are restrooms at the top of the mountain IF the Eagle’s Nest is open. For access to RESTROOMS before the lift ride, check out Forty Acres restaurant, the Adventure Center or the Civic Center. Turn toward the mountain and look for the Hemlock chairlift. If you would like to ride the lift, please purchase a ticket at the Lift Ticket Window directly south (right) of Forty Acres Tavern. The trip up the mountain takes 10 minutes. 📚Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Historic Hemlock chairlift
Sun Valley Resort in Idaho was the first resort in the United States to install a chairlift in 1937. Averill Herriman, the founder of Sun Valley, built the first two chairlifts in the world for his resort. Vic Gottschalk, Everett’s ski instructor at Sun Valley found out in 1946 that Sun Valley was selling their first lift and notified Everett. Kircher then offered $2000 for the lift and the offer was accepted. Vic salvaged every last bit of the original lift and loaded it onto a flatbed railcar headed to Michigan. The single chair lift was installed in 1948 and the grand opening was on January 9, 1949. By 1960 Everett had enlisted Studebaker mechanics from his dealership in Detroit to retrofit a two-person chair for the lift. 💡 Want to hear all about the history of the chairlift and its tie to Boyne Mountain? Click Play Video to watch "The Birth of the Chairlift and It's Tie to the Midwest".📸 Attached Media:-"Skiing is Easy" photo of Lois Kircher from the Northern Michigan Review on January 6, 1949-"Ski Lift Attracts Visitors" photo from the Petoskey News Review from August 8, 1949-"First Chair Lift Ever Erected in Mid-West Carries Skiers Up Slope" article from the Charlevoix County Herald on January 7, 1949-Photos from Boyne Mountain Resort Archives🔗Links in Text:-"The Birth of the Chairlift and It's Tie to the Midwest" YouTube by Midwest Skiers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxmvxTSNBxs🏃On your way up on the chairlift you’ll notice a lodging building on your left. This is Edelweiss Lodge, now known as Chalet Edelweiss. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
Chalet Edelweiss
Edelweiss Lodge was one of the first lodging buildings build in the 1950s and was recently completely remodeled for the 2021 season. The word Edelweiss comes from an Alpine perennial flower, leontopodium alpinum; the same flower you see on the Boyne Mountain logo. Edelweiss, also known as wool flower, is a soft, fuzzy white flower in the daisy family. The etymology of the word is German, meaning edel = noble and weiss = white. There is much lore surrounding this iconic flower. The Edelweiss Lodge was completely renovated in 2021 and is now known Chalet Edelweiss.💡 Want more information about the flower? The Mystical and Mythical Edelweiss 💡 Click Play Video to watch a video about the flower, Edelweiss, that starts with the Edelweiss ballad from The Sound of Music.📸 Attached Media:-Photo of Edelweiss Lodge from the Boyne Mountain Archives-Photo of Chalet Edelweiss (post-renovation) by @naturalbeautyandwonder-"Improvements are Made at Ski Resorts" article from the Cheboygan Observer on November 22, 1961-"Skiing for Charity" photo from the Petoskey News Review on January 14, 1992🔗Links in Text:-"The Mystical and Mythical Edelweiss" by House of Switzerland https://houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/history/mystical-and-mythical-edelweiss-"Edelweiss" YouTube by Alpenwild https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh2GuE9SRZA🏃Once you have exited the chairlift, the Eagle’s Nest will be on your left. 📚 Bibliography: β ΔΩ € ♥
Eagle's Nest
The Blue Ox was the original square building at the top of the Hemlock Lift. In the 50s and 60s it was only a warming hut with bathrooms and a small kitchen. When Boyne expanded the building in the 1970s to include a dining room, Everett modeled it after the Round House at Sun Valley – this round building is now known as the Eagle’s Nest. The Cold Springs 18-hole Disc Course starts behind the Eagle's Nest off Cold Springs trail. 💡 Click Play Video to see a video recap of the course.📸 Attached Media:-Photo of the Eagle's Nest from the Boyne Mountain Archives-Photo of the view from the top on September 11, 2020 from the Boyne Mountain Resort Archives🔗Links in Text:-"Disc Golfing at Boyne Mountain Resort" YouTube by Boyne Mountain Resort🏃Walk back on the mountain toward the SkyBridge. 📚 Bibliography: β Δ
Michigan's Second Bridge - Boyne's SkyBridge
In 1953, at the beginning of Boyne Mountain, a hotel owner in Gatlinburg, TN called Everett about installing a chairlift. When Everett went to investigate the location, he immediately saw a potential jackpot in the making. By 1957 he had leased land, purchased a lift from Snowbowl in California and installed it with his father on the Tennessee mountain they named Crockett Mountain. From the third year of operation, the Gatlinburg Sky Lift was transporting over 100,000 people yearly to the top of the mountain. The success of the SkyLift helped Boyne USA grow and expand the Mountain, The Highlands and across the United States. This new SkyBridge will be known as Michigan’s second bridge and was inspired by Everett’s 1957 SkyLift in the Smokies, followed by the Gatlinburg SkyBridge in 2019.💡 Click Play Video to see a 2001 Michigan Skier TV Interview with Everett Kircher about the Gatlinburg SkyLift and his endeavors in the early years. (12 minutes long)💡 Want to see an old photo from the original SkyLift in the Smokies? Gatlinburg SkyLift Park📸 Attached Media:-Photo of the SkyBridge once the flooring was finished on September 2, 2022 from Boyne Mountain Archives-Proposed Michigan SkyBridge from Boyne Mountain Resort Archives-"Vacationers have been enjoying the views in Gatlinburg for decades!" SkyLift photo from Gatlinburg article on Style Blueprint https://styleblueprint.com/everyday/gatlinburg-history/-Gatlinburg SkyLift Photo from https://www.gatlinburgskylift.com/skylift-Gatlinburg SkyBridge Photo & Details from https://www.gatlinburgskylift.com/skybridge🔗Links in Text:-"Everett Kircher, The 1950's, glsp" YouTube by Jennie McCafferty, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x44mG2Z-pAE-"Smoky Sky Lift" photo from May 12, 1958- Gatlinburg SkyLift Park's facebook page https://m.facebook.com/GatlinburgSkyLift1/photos/turnbacktuesday-to-1958-at-the-gatlinburg-skylift-better-known-in-that-time-as-t/1034222463640955/🏃 Walk back toward the Eagle’s Nest. The run to the right (south) of the Eagle’s Nest is the Victor Run. 📚Bibliography: β Δ
Victor trail
Victor Gottschalk had been Everett’s ski instructor for years at Sun Valley when Everett started working on the Boyne Ski Club. He helped Everett lay out the runs on his new mountain. He was the very first ski instructor at Boyne Mountain Resort, even before the official grand opening in January of 1949. He was instrumental in getting Boyne Mountain Resort off and running, including the logistics of moving the Hemlock chairlift. Vic was the first person in the world to disassemble a chairlift. He was incredibly thorough and saved Boyne money by salvaging each scrap from the old lift. Everett named the Victor run after him and planned on making him the Director of Skiing after Stein had moved on. Unfortunately, Vic died in an avalanche on Bald Mountain (along with two of his students) at Sun Valley in 1952 leaving Sun Valley, Everett and the Boyne Resorts family devastated. 💡 Click Play Video to see a promotional Sun Valley Resort video from the 1950s.📸 Attached Media:-Photo from Boyne Mountain Archives-"Gottschalk Heads Boyne Mt. Ski School" article in the Charlevoix County Herald on January 7, 1949-"Boyne Falls Students Taught Skiing by Gottschalk" article in the Charlevoix County Herald on January 7, 1949-"Ski School’s Tribute to their fallen comrade, Victor Gottschalk" photo on https://idahooutdoor.net/skihistory02/-"Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain / Viewed From Lake Creek Ridge, Boulder Mountains" photo on https://idahooutdoor.net/skihistory01/🔗Links in Text:-"Sun Valley, 1956" YouTube by Vintage Ski Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmEachhIFpc🏃 Return back to the Hemlock chairlift to ride it back down. When the next location is reached, the grand hemlock tree would have been in the middle of the slope to your right.📚Bibliography: β Δ ♥
The Hemlock Tree on the Hemlock trail
The Hemlock trail was named for an enormous Hemlock tree that was preserved in the middle of the hill. It was at least 50 feet tall and over 150 years old. One evening in December 1970 while Everett and friends ate in the dining room, several kids were spotted taking axes to the tree. Their parents skied at Otsego Ski Club and were notified of the trespassing teenagers. The tree was injured beyond saving and had to be chopped down. Everett said, “We have all lost an old, good friend.” Hemlock was one of the most popular runs during the early years at Boyne. The average slope is 45% and before snowmaking and grooming came to be, access was limited in the morning. On Saturdays, Everett held off on opening the hill until all lift tickets were sold so the early skiers wouldn’t ski all the snow off the hill. 💡 Click Play Video to see Pure Michigan's video highlighting the Hemlock Run.📸 Attached Media:-"Boyne Mt." photo of the Hemlock Tree from the Petoskey News Review on December 31, 1970-"With Early Winter Snows..." photo of the Hemock Run and Hemlock Tree from the Emmet County Graphic on January 5, 1956🔗Links in Text:-"Boyne Mountain | Ski Pure Michigan" YouTube by Pure Michigan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvpNB9RwYxw📚 Bibliography: β Δ ♥
End of the Tour
Thank you for taking a walk through Boyne Mountain Resort’s history. Please share your photos and experiences online by tagging #boynemountainhistory. --------------------------- These are the resources used to create this historic walking tour. Please check them out if you want more information. The book Boyne: People, History, Memories is available for purchase at the Geshenk Laden gift store in the Mountain Grand Lodge. Bibliography ♥ Photos & Newspaper Articles from https://research.gwood.us/newspapers ∞ Boyne Falls History. https://www.boynefallshistory.com/ ® Boyne Valley Township, Deer Lake Map. From Charlevoix County 1930c, Michigan. Published by W. W. Hixon & Co. in 1930. http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/154402/Boyne+Valley+Township++Deer+Lake/Charlevoix+County+1930c/Michigan/ µ Boyne Valley Trailway History. http://www.boynevalleytrailway.org/history.html • Centennial Book Committee. “Boyne Valley Area Pictorial Boyne Falls, MI.” Michigan Polonia: Polish Geneaology and Family History. http://www.mipolonia.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Boyne-Valley-Area_Pictorial_Boyne-Falls_MI.pdf Σ Geiger, Lynn. No Business Like Snow Business. December 2014, Traverse City Business News. https://www.tcbusinessnews.com/no-business-like-snow-business/ β Kircher, Everett. Everett Kircher: Michigan’s Resort Pioneer. Vincent and Associates, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 1998. Δ Kircher, Molly Clark. Boyne: People, History, Memories. Boyne Resort, 1998. € Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edelweiss ° Michigan Railroads. Railroad: Boyne City, Gaylord and Alpena Railroad Company. http://www.michiganrailroads.com/railroads-in-history/457-b/2375-boyne-city-gaylord-and-alpena-railroad-company. To view their whole bibliography, please visit http://www.michiganrailroads.com/bibliography ₹ Northern Mich-Mash Preserve website for local history. Copyright 2017. https://northernmichmashpreserve.weebly.com/boyne-falls.html Ω Pluess, Jessica Davis. The Mystical and Mythical Edelweiss. House of Switzerland. https://houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/history/mystical-and-mythical-edelweiss
