Copper Peak Set To Host Michigan’s Most Epic Race of 2018

Copper Peak, a ski flying hill in Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula, will host an event this spring that is truly unique and sounds incredibly fun. On May 12, 2018 the Red Bull 400 will be coming to Copper Peak, marking the first time a competitive event will be held at the site since 1994. Unlike the skiing competitions that have been held here before, the Red Bull 400 is a running race in which competitors will run 400 meters UP the ski jump. Red Bull describes the event: “Running 400m doesn’t sound like much of a challenge, does it? But what if you were to run those 400m at a height gain close to 140m and as a pure uphill sprint? That’s a race guaranteed to put your calves, quads and endurance to the ultimate test.” You can check out a teaser video Red Bull put together for the event at https://www.redbull.com/int-en/videos/red_bull_400_copper_peak.

Copper Peak is located north of Ironwood and was built in 169. The Michigan historical marker at Copper Peak reads: “At an altitude of 1,500 feet, 300 feet above the surrounding terrain, this location was the southernmost area in Michigan to offer a prospect of producing copper in commercial amounts. The Chippewa Copper Mining Company began work here in 1845, sinking a still visible tunnel into the granite rock. No copper was ever produced, although around 1900 the Old Peak Company made further explorations. In 1970 a 280-foot ski slide, the highest in the world, was completed on the peak in time for the western hemisphere’s first international ski flying tournament here. Skiers record flights of nearly 500 feet from this slide.” This facility hosted skiing events from 1970 to 1994, and has since become a popular summer and fall tourist attraction thanks to the views from the top of the Copper Peak Adventure Ride.

The Copper Peak event is one of two events in the United States (Park City, Utah – Sept. 29) and one of only three in North America (Whistler Mountain, B.C., Canada – July 14). Other Red Bull 400 stops include Finland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Norway, Italy, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

The Copper Peak event is limited to 400 participants in seven categories (there are seven category options), so if this sounds like an event you’re interested in taking on head to https://rb400copperpeak.splashthat.com/ as soon as possible.

You can learn more about the future plans for Copper Peak, including the hopes that it can soon once again host ski flying events, at https://copperpeak.net/the-future-of-copper-peak/. Copper Peak is located on the Black River Scenic Byway. You can check out our photo gallery of the byway as well as posts about Rainbow Falls, Great Conglomerate Falls, Sandstone Falls, Gorge Falls and Potawatomi Falls. For nearby things to check out in Ironwood, see our posts about Hiawatha (World’s Tallest Indian), the Stormy Kromer Hat, Superior Falls, Interstate Falls and Saxon Falls.