Marquette Mountain has been a very familiar place to many Northern Michigan students and faculty throughout the years. The mountain has always been a place for students alike to get together and enjoy their outdoor activities such as skiing and snowboarding. Julia Allen and Sami Brown are just two of the hundreds of NMU students who ski the hill during the year. 

Senior Sami Brown also started to ski before coming to Northern. Brown is from Waco, Texas, and grew up going on family vacations to Colorado where she learned to ski and kept that passion alive.

“I’m from Texas, and we never get any snow there. So, it’s always a very unique and fun experience,” Brown said. “With skiing people can participate at all different levels of experience. It’s a fun activity that you can always get better at, and that you can do socially or by yourself.”

Senior Julia Allen also started skiing before she came to NMU. She always enjoyed the views and simplicity of skiing, and she likes skiing because she said she gets to wear cute outfits and be with friends.

In high school Allen and her friends even started a ski club at their high school, which Allen’s mom helped organize throughout the years. When discussing what she liked about skiing in Marquette she said, “There’s actual snow. The mountain is nice and pretty. It’s the only winter activity that I can actually do besides hiking.” 

Allen and Brown brought their passion from home to Marquette and even bought the NMU student winter pass for the mountain.

“I like Marquette Mountain because of how close it is,” Brown said. “And even though it’s not the biggest ski resort by any means, it’s still fun and there’s a lot of different things that you can try.”

With the warm winter weather Allen hasn’t skied as much as she was when the semester first began. I wish I could be out there, she said. I bought a season pass and I want to be able to use it. It’s sad, and Brown agrees. 

“It’s pretty disappointing because I just bought new skis and now, I can’t really use them,” Brown said. 

As people who are familiar with skiing and the common courtesy rules, Allen and Brown had some quick tips for staying safe on the hill.

“Remember to pizza and french fries. And you go side to side, and take it slow, but also have fun,” Allen said. 

Brown added in by advising to make sure and mind the signs, so you don’t go down a run that’s too difficult for you, she said. Don’t try anything that you don’t see yourself succeeding with and look out for trees and bumps.

Student winter ski passes are still being sold at Marquette Mountain on their website.