Imagine skiing right out of your trailside yurt (those cool round shelters with domed roofs) onto new snow. You have reserved Yurt #5, a large one with rustic log furniture and a warm cozy ambiance.
You are in the backcountry ski resort of Mount Bohemia, on Michigan's northern peninsula off Lake Superior, to ski the steep terrain and deep powder. You heard that Mount Bohemia has extreme skiing to thrill any expert skier with long runs for over 1,000 feet long that include cliffs and glades full of fluffy powder. You heard that they even have guides to take you into the wild backcountry to find the best runs with the most challenge. Now that you are here, you are thrilled. Expert skiers congregate on Mount Bohemia and the conditions are perfect.
There are no trails that a beginner should be on and they are not allowed on the mountain. The runs are not groomed or filled in, but left totally natural so it takes a lot of work to ski the trails. And it probably would not be the right ski resort to take children. It speaks exclusively to adventurous souls looking for the ultimate in a hard core backcountry ski experience. If you are looking for that experience, this is it.
Ski magazines praise Mount Bohemia as a "hidden gem" Chair lifts include a triple and double and there are 71 runs with a high possibility of your making first tracks every day. A factor to take into consideration, and another reason why only expert skiers ski Mount Bohemia, is that the conditions can be variable. When they are good, they are absolutely perfect. However, because of the lack of grooming on the mountain, there are occasional rocks, ledges, bald spots, and then changing weather as well, including ice and fog. Another reason is the lack of normal ski resort amenities. This ski experience is for people who want the "real thing" the way natural skiing should be.
The Apex and Horseshoe chutes are the toughest on the mountain. Horseshoe chute has a cliff you ski over with a famous 40 foot drop. Nearby you can find excellent snowmobile trails through the backcountry as well.
About the yurts! A new restaurant and bar yurt serving breakfast, lunch and dinner has opened. Besides the individual yurts there is a large one for groups and a Hostel Yurt to camp in. As you can probably surmise, Mount Bohemia stills retains the spirit and feel of a campground for ski enthusiasts. Yurts are fun but not comfort zones. There are bunks, not beds. Roughly hewn wooden plank floors, not carpeting you sink into. Apres ski is either sharing a bottle with someone or climbing into your sleeping bag, pulling the ski hat over your head to stay warm, and slipping off into snowflake dreams.
If you don't want to stay in a trailside yurt, you can find a reasonable room near the mountain.
It is a long trip to get to Mount Bohemia. It is at least 15 miles to the nearest small village. And Green Bay, the largest nearby city, is over five hours away if there is no snow to drive through. Part of Mount Bohemia's allure and mystique is that it is so remote and hard to get to.
At night, there are no lights or snow cats grooming the slopes. They are quiet and very dark. The possibility of seeing the Northern Lights and nothing else but the deep black sky blanketed with millions of stars is yet another reason Mount Bohemia is so special to so many.
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