Crews are pouring concrete on the landing hill at Copper Peak in Ironwood Township, marking a visible milestone in the $40 million-plus effort to rebuild the only ski-flying venue in the Western Hemisphere.
The work is well underway. Board Chairman Bob Jacquart told the Ironwood Daily Globe in an article published Wednesday, Aug. 5, that Barr Engineering Company, which has offices in Michigan and Minnesota, and ECI Inc. of Tiffin, Ohio, will cover the entire landing area in concrete by the end of this construction season. Workers are also building walls and stairways and plan to install avalanche nets before winter.
"This is year two of a four-year construction project," Jacquart said. "And we're actively raising funds for year three."
Once the concrete is finished, plastic landing mats will go on top, enabling year-round training and international competitions sanctioned by USA Ski Jumping, USA Nordic Combined and the International Ski Federation. FIS has committed to hosting six World Cup events at the site once renovations wrap, according to the Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association: three winter and three summer competitions, plus summer training sessions.
Jacquart called the project the largest construction effort in Gogebic County history. He said he hopes work to bring electrical power to the facility will begin next spring.
Economic stakes
The completed venue could generate $190 million in economic impact within five years of reopening, Jacquart has estimated, according to the UP Travel and Recreation Association. Executive Director Tom Nemacheck has noted that international visitors to events of this caliber typically stay an average of 18 days, spending at airlines, hotels, restaurants, outfitters and retailers across the U.P. and northern Wisconsin.
Fundraising has reached $22 million toward the $40 million-plus goal, with an immediate target of at least $10 million by October 2026 to keep construction on schedule, according to the association. The State of Michigan awarded Copper Peak a $20 million grant in March 2022 to help fund the redevelopment.
What visitors can do now
Copper Peak's Adventure Ride is operating Sundays only during the 2026 season because of construction, running 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. The ride takes visitors by chairlift 800 feet up Chippewa Hill, then an 18-story elevator to an observation platform with views spanning roughly 2,500 square miles, including three states, Lake Superior and into Canada.
A new visitor center has opened at 1401 Cloverland Drive in Ironwood, on the corner of Luxmore Street. The center sells Copper Peak merchandise, Adventure Ride tickets and exclusive discounts.
Supporters who want to help fund year three can sponsor a landing mat for $300. Donations are accepted at the site, online or at JumpinForCopperPeak.com.
Background
Copper Peak was built in 1969 and inaugurated in February 1970. The site held 10 FIS-sanctioned ski-flying events between 1970 and 1994, when the last competitions took place. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The 469-foot structure sits atop Chippewa Hill, a volcanic outcrop rising 360 feet above the surrounding area.
Upcoming at Copper Peak
- Adventure Ride: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT (through the 2026 season)
- Visitor Center: Open at 1401 Cloverland Drive, Ironwood (corner of Luxmore Street)
- Fundraising deadline: $10 million goal by October 2026 to keep year-three construction on track
- Landing mat sponsorships: $300 per mat at JumpinForCopperPeak.com
