Photo courtesy of Visit Keweenaw With the recent blizzard, area snowmobilers are already out and about. While the season has officially started, local trails are not yet open or groomed.

HOUGHTON — As the calendar turned to December, the Keweenaw Peninsula is sporting a fluffy, white blanket of powdered snow. Kids are sledding at community hills, and cross-country skiers are getting their first miles of the season in. Hubs like Swedetown Trails and Michigan Tech Trails are already being groomed for snowshoeing, skiing and snow biking. With cozy downtowns and warm lodges to complete your snow-covered experience, you’ll see a Michigan winter like never before.

According to a press release from Visit Keweenaw, you can keep tabs on every flake of snow that falls on Visit Keweenaw’s Snowfall & Trail Conditions Page. It’s a one-stop hub for trail updates for all types of outdoor recreation including snowboarding, snowmobiling, skiing and snowshoeing. So far this season the Keweenaw received over two-and-a-half feet of snow! That puts the region ahead of last year at this same time. With freezing temps holding steady, it’s only piling up from here!

Three Openings to Watch For:

• Mount Bohemia Ski Resort — Mount Bohemia relies on natural snow, so the resort could open any day in December as conditions allow. Keep an eye on Visit Keweenaw’s social media for the fastest announcements.

• Mont Ripley Ski Area — Perched next to the Portage Canal, Mont Ripley makes its own snow. This ski area is beginner friendly and typically opens in late December. Try out the tubing park for a fun day on the hill.

• Snowmobile Trails/Portage Lake Lift Bridge Crossing — While the Michigan snowmobile season has officially begun, the Keweenaw’s snowmobile trails are not open yet. Hundreds of miles of trails run through private properties up north. Watch closely online from the Keweenaw Snowmobile Club for the green light on groomed snowmobile trails.

Later in December or January (as conditions allow), the club will open the lower portion of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge as a dedicated snowmobile crossing. Until then, riders will need to trailer across.