IRONWOOD, Mich. (WJMN) — Great Lakes Sports Commission (GLSC) announced Wednesday it has approved a $148,820 investment in Copper Peak ski jump in Gogebic County. The investment will be used to fund upgrades to the tower scaffolding and infrastructure for its ski jump tower.

The funding will also help to improve Copper Peak’s Adventure Ride attraction, which includes an 800-foot chair lift ride to the crest of the hill and an elevator ride up the jump. The ride attracts over 12,000 visitors and generates more than $200,000 in revenue each year as a tourist destination in the western UP.

“We appreciate the funding provided by the Great Lakes Sports Commission that will be dedicated to increasing the safety and strength of Copper Peak’s infrastructure project,” Brian Glodowski, Copper Peak Inc, board president, said. “With its ever-growing ridership and followers, this project, funded largely by the GLSC, will ensure Copper Peak remains an increasingly important driver for economic stability through outdoor and recreational opportunities in Ironwood, Gogebic County, Michigan and beyond.”

Specifically, funding will help with improvements for structural repairs and chairlift upgrades, including the installation of racks to transport mountain bikes to the top of the hill via the chair lift. According to Copper Peak Inc, adding the capability to the lift will enable Copper Peak to increase the attraction of Copper Peak as a trail cycling destination in the region.

According to GLSC Chair Fritz Erickson, the project will bring nearly $2 million in revenue each year to the Western Upper Peninsula.

The Copper Peak property is available for public viewing 365 days per year. The Adventure Ride and chalet are open Memorial Day through mid-October each year, and the mountain bike trails are open late spring through fall, weather and trail conditions permitting.

You can find more information on Copper Peak here.