Caberfae Peaks Ski & Golf Resort

Caberfae Peaks is a downhill ski area located in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan near Cadillac, Michigan. It gets its name from the Gaelic word for "stag's head".

Caberfae Peaks Ski Resort
Aerial view of Caberfae facing south, early December 2017
LocationMichigan, United States
Nearest major cityCadillac, Michigan
Coordinates44°14′59″N 85°43′30″W
Vertical485 feet (148 m)
Top elevation1,545 ft (471 m)
Base elevation1,060 ft (320 m)
Skiable area225 acres (0.91 km2)
Runs34
Longest run3,960 feet (1,210 m)
Lift system4 chair lifts, 1 surface lifts
Lift capacity9,207 skiers/hr
Terrain parksYes - 1
Snowfall125 inches (320 cm) annual
SnowmakingYes
Night skiingYES
Websitehttp://caberfaepeaks.com

History

Caberfae Peaks' official opening was in January, 1938, making it one of the oldest ski resorts in the US. The resort opened with a lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and one ski trail named "Number One". The first rope tow was powered by a Ford Model A car engine. Over the next 5 years a dozen more trails were cleared and several rope tows installed. It closed after the 1942-43 season and didn't open again until after the end of World War II.

With its ten-year head-start on Boyne Mountain, Caberfae became Michigan's largest winter sports area by the mid 1950s. Regularly scheduled "snow trains" brought thousands of skiers to the area, with daily crowds sometimes exceeding 4000. A snowmaking system was installed in 1957.

The resort continued to expand throughout the 1960s, adding trails and lifts to bring the count up to 35 trails serviced by 20 lifts. However, poor snow during the 1965 and 1966 holiday periods caused financial difficulties for the operation and the resort was sold to a private company in 1967. Prior to this it had been managed as a non-profit.

The resort struggled financially throughout the 70s. New owners in 1980 began expanding the resort, bringing in fill dirt to raise the summit of the North Peak and opening the South Peak. The South Peak opened in 1983 and the North Peak expansion was completed in 1992, increasing the vertical drop to 485'. Meanwhile, many of the trails cleared in the 50s and 60s were abandoned and most of the rope tows removed.[1]

For the 2013-2014 season, Caberfae opened 25 acres of gladed terrain off the North Peak.[2]

Winter activities

The area offers cross-country skiing and alpine skiing. Snowshoeing, ice skating, and snowmobiling are available nearby.

Summer activities

Golf

The 9 hole regulation length golf course opened in 1995.[3]

References
  1. Caberfae Peaks History by Jim Neff Michigan Skier http://www.michiganskier.com/caberfaehistory.html Archived 2013-08-24 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Caberfae Peaks Adds Backcountry Terrain http://miskireport.com/blogs/industry-insider/caberfae-peaks-adds-backcountry-terrain Archived 2015-10-16 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Golf Course Review

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