What's happening: Mount Bohemia Ski Resort, recently voted USA Today’s #1
Ski Resort in North America, for the first time has opened one of its ski chairlifts as a summer tourism attraction. Nine hundred feet higher than the sea level of Lake Superior, Mount Bohemia offers striking 360-degree views of the countryside, including Lake Superior and Lac La Belle. Visitors can also hike trails at the top of Mount Bohemia. The chairlift has been averaging 40 to 110 riders a day.
Behind the decision: The ski resort runs a chairlift in the fall for autumn color tourism. The decision to open a chairlift in the summer came after improvements to the triple-chairlift near the ski lodge and locals and visitors finding it more difficult to access nearby Bare Bluff, which also offers views of the south shore. The view at Mount Bohemia is 200 feet higher than the bluff. "We wanted to give it a try and see what happens," says Vern Barber, general manager at Mount Bohemia. "We silently launched it and have not done a whole lot of promotion."
What they're saying: "We've been doing this in the fall for fall colors and it's been very popular, so we thought we'd give summer a try, every popular," Barber says. "It's a great view at the top. Everybody has said it's well worth their time and money. It's a cool ride to the top."
What's next: The chairlift runs five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets are available
online. The chairlift will close briefly in September and then reopen for fall tourism. The plan is to offer the chairlift ride again next summer and, if all goes well, the resort may reinstall a tower on Mount Bohemia for even better viewing.
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