Photo Keweenaw Snowmobile Club Facebook page Visit Keweenaw estimates tourists and visitors spent approximately $12 million in the Keweenaw in total in 2024.

HOUGHTON – The recent snowy weather is shaping up to be good for local business. With more than 700 miles of snowmobile trails across Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon counties, and hundreds of miles of cross-country ski trails, along with downhill skiing at Mt. Ripley, Mt. Bohemia and Porcupine Mountains Ski Area, winter sports attract enthusiasts from all over the country.

Brad Barnett, executive director of Visit Keweenaw, said thus far, this winter is turning out to be a good year.

“We’re ahead of schedule,” Barnett said. “We’re 23 inches ahead of where we were at the beginning of 2025, so we’re in for a doozy if it keeps up.”

Barnett said looking int January and February, things are looking very positive, as far booking pacing and reservations are concerned, even compared to last year, which was a strong year.

“We just got a little bit of data for the first couple weeks of December, and it looks like that week leading up to the Christmas holiday – we’re ahead of pace compared to last year (2024), hotel reservations.”

Barnett said historically, January and February are the biggest visitation months in the Keweenaw, with February being the stronger of the two.

“People can plan their visits. They know they’re going to be guaranteed snow in Feburary here in the Keweenaw, and in February, we also have Winter Carnival, which is the biggest event in terms of an event to roll.”

“So, you put those two things together, it makes a really strong month for the Keweenaw. We’ve got our fingers crossed. You never know what Mother Nature’s going to throw our way.”

Barnett continued, “As we get into the big months, January and February are the two biggest winter visitation months for the Keweenaw, you keep your fingers crossed that things will be steady.”

“Historically, Feb. has to be the strongest month,” Barnett said, “and January comes in second, but Feb. just because of the reliability of snow.

Heikinpäivä is scheduled for the last Saturday in January (Jan. 24), this year, Heikinpäivä is Hancock’s annual mid-winter festival. Since its inception in 1999, the event has consistently grown in popularity and attendance, and now attendees from the local community, the wider Midwest, and even internationally. This year, the festival also serves as the opening event for Hancock’s designation as the 2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture.

Michigan Tech’s Winter Carnival scheduled for Feb. 4-7. Winter Carnival, according to Visit Keweenaw, “is a time to celebrate the large amounts of snowfall Michigan’s Upper Peninsula receives each winter. Winter Carnival is characterized by snow statues, outdoor games, and many student activities.”