Mountain Review: Mount Bohemia
MOUNTAIN SCORE
Lac La Belle, MI
48
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
See our criteria
6
Snow:
2
Resiliency:
3
Size:
4
Terrain Diversity:
8
Challenge:
2
Lifts:
7
Crowd Flow:
3
Facilities:
6
Navigation:
7
Mountain Aesthetic:
GOOD TO KNOW
1-Day Ticket: $95
Pass Affiliation: None (some partner resorts on season pass)
On-site Lodging: Limited
Après-Ski: Moderate
Nearest Cities: Green Bay (4.5 hrs), Milwaukee (6.5 hrs), Minneapolis (7 hrs)
Recommended Ability Level:
+ Pros
Consistent lake effect snow
Easy to find advanced and extreme terrain
Unique views and vibe
Insanely cheap season pass
– Cons
Incredibly inconsistent openings and snow quality
Slow lifts, along with bus rides for some runs
No beginner runs and limited intermediate runs
Far away from everything
MOUNTAIN STATS
Lifts: 2
Trails: 95
Beginner: 0%
Intermediate: 4%
Advanced/Expert: 96%
VIDEO
Mountain Review
Looking for one of the most unique skiing experiences in the country? Look no further than… Michigan? Located almost 10 hours from Detroit at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Mount Bohemia, or “Boho” offers a no frills ski area that claims to be for advanced skiers and riders only. But does “best in the Midwest” translate to best in the country?
Even on somewhat sunny days, weather can change fast as the Lake Effect Snow moves in, making for constant powder days.
Snowfall and Resiliency
Despite being in the Midwest, Boho offers snowfall far above its competition. Unlike competing ski areas, many of which would be lucky to see high double digits of snowfall inches each year, Boho regularly sees hundreds of inches of snow annually. This is in large part thanks to generous lake effect snowfall (LES), as Lake Superior surrounds the ski area from nearly every direction, with the sole exception being the immediate southwest. Whenever the lake isn’t frozen over and the wind is blowing, you can bet your bottom dollar it’s snowing in the Keweenaw. This means that there are less deep powder days, but very consistent 2”-8” days. After larger parts of the lake freeze over, which is usually in late February-March, the area is generally colder and gets less snowfall due to the lack of LES. In the best years, seasons can extend as far as May 1st, which is especially impressive given Boho’s complete lack of snowmaking.
But that lack of snowmaking and dependence on mother nature is a cruel double edged sword. With much of the footprint south and west facing, the snow melts off quickly in the springtime, and can get very icy after multiple days without any snow. Unlike other Midwest ski areas that can get around icy slopes with top notch grooming, Boho lacks grooming entirely. This means if it’s been a week, or even a few days without snow, the whole area will have turned into icy bumps and icy glades. In the later springtime, the small minority of north facing slopes stay open longest, though this area isn’t immune from ice either. Mount Bohemia’s lack of resiliency measures especially have consequences for its early season. Sometimes, the ski area doesn’t open until late January, and a February opening isn’t entirely unprecedented either. Neither are mid-season closures in the event of especially awful natural conditions. Wind holds are also sometimes an issue, as the wind off the lake can close the lifts for the day; that being said, under these circumstances, the hill will still be open to those who want to earn their turns by hiking or skinning up. Luckily, pending an absolutely terrible season, the snow in midseason tends to be very consistent, and due to the isolation of the hill, there are stashes of snow that can stay for days, or even weeks at a time if you can find them and the weather has remained cold.
Mount Bohemia is home to two brightly colored fixed-grip lifts, which both deal with lines quite well on all but the busiest days.
Lifts and Buses
As for getting up the hill, there are two lifts, the frontside triple chairlift (officially known as the Mountain Dew Hoist), and the backside double lift (officially known as the Honey Pot Hoist). The triple lift is in the process of a phased rebuild, and the project will bring new towers and triple chairs for the 2025-26 ski season. Despite there only being two lower capacity lifts, lines at Mount Bohemia move relatively fast, with occasional 15 minute lines building up on the busiest Saturdays, but ski-on lifts on weekdays.
A significant number of runs also end at the road, where a group of shuttle buses run every day to bring people back to the main base. This bus system runs frequently and efficiently, making the lack of ski-out access less of an annoyance than one might think. It is worth noting that on busy days, you may experience a few buses passing you by while you wait along the road after they fill up earlier on the route. If you want to get first dibs on a bus seat, runs that go the furthest east, like those in the Far East or Middle Earth areas, end where the bus routes start, so you’re almost guaranteed a seat when skiing those runs. Runs that end further west, like the Extreme Backcountry terrain, are later in the bus route, meaning you could be waiting as a few buses pass you by in that area.
The buses themselves are pretty interesting as well, with different buses having different music themes. If you find yourself on the ABBA bus, you might even find yourself witnessing live performances of ABBA songs.
TRAIL MAP
Navigation and Layout
When it comes to finding your way around the mountain, you may be a bit confused your first time at Mount Bohemia. Boho has a very unique vibe in that the run names don’t matter too much, and getting lost is often a part of the experience. The trail map is also quite unhelpful, though some different maps at the base area can help clarify some navigation, though these maps are a little out of date and a few runs have been added that aren’t shown on the map. That being said, you will always end up either at a lift or the road to ride one of the aforementioned buses, so it’s tough to be in a position where you can’t get home at the end of the day. Since the buses on the road go right back to the base, you’re never more than a lift or bus ride from there.
When it comes to Mount Bohemia’s layout, the resort can effectively be thought of as a cone. From the summit, terrain goes down from every side of the mountain. The mountain is made up of the frontside lift lappable terrain (Bohemia Mining Company and Bohemia Bluffs on the map), the backside lift lappable terrain (Bears Den on the map), the north side (Haunted Valley, Outback, Pirates Cove, and Graveyard), the east side (Outer Limits and Middle Earth), and last but not least, the Extreme Backcountry, which is between the frontside and backside terrain. Each of these terrain zones has something different to offer, with cut mogul runs on the frontside, long undulating cut runs on the backside, shorter and steeper glade runs on the north side, long stretches of woods to get lost in on the east side, and plenty of steep trees and cliff drops in the Extreme Backcountry. Just about all the trees throughout the 400-acre area are skiable, though it’s important to stay alert for unmarked rocks and cliffs, which can pop up just about anywhere on the mountain. The tree runs vary widely, from wider cut runs through Oaks and Maples on the frontside and Haunted Valley, narrower runs through cedar and hemlocks in Middle Earth, steeper runs through old growth pines in the Extreme Backcountry, and other mixes of trees, tightness, and steepness throughout the area.
Beginner Terrain
If you’re not a confident skier or rider, it’s probably wise to think twice before booking a trip to Mount Bohemia. Beginner terrain doesn’t exist at all at Boho, which the mountain makes abundantly clear with its “No Beginners Allowed” marketing materials. With no groomed runs, the snow is either bumped up or rutted out in higher traffic areas, making the whole mountain not ideal for learning to ski or snowboard.
Intermediate Terrain
Intermediate terrain is limited as well. The resort has two marked blue runs, though one of them, the Ghost Trail, is a long catwalk—and it also happens to be the easiest way down from the summit. If you’re an intermediate skier looking for easier tree terrain, the Far East and Middle Earth glades are a lot more mellow, with meandering runs following small streams and gullies. Some of the Bear’s Den terrain is also doable by intermediate skiers, though it will likely be bumped up short of an exceptional powder day. The frontside cut runs also have mellower slopes, but they are typically home to the largest moguls. Although the Prospector blue run does exist on the front side, some marked black diamond runs are actually easier due to its steep entrance. If you can’t ski bumps or trees, Boho is not for you.
While some of Boho’s glades start out unassuming, unmarked obstacles such as stumps, rocks, and cliffs can pop up anywhere across the mountain.
Advanced and Expert Terrain
To really appreciate Mount Bohemia, you should really be at an advanced or higher level of skiing or riding. All the terrain marked with a single or double-black diamond should be doable for guests of this skill level. This all being said, if you are unfamiliar with the mountain, heed caution when in double-black gladed runs; unmarked obstacles such as stumps, logs, rocks, and even cliffs tend to pop up in these areas.
For the biggest challenges at Mount Bohemia, guests will want to head to the Extreme Backcountry area. Here, all the runs are marked with the notorious triple black diamond rating. Many people will scoff at that ostentatious symbol, but it really isn’t much of an exaggeration as far as they go, as the area is bisected by a cliff line halfway down the runs. The center of the cliff band is where the largest drops are, where cliffs as tall as 40’ can be found. Even if you drop the cliffs, the hardest part is yet to come, as the landings are usually in very tight trees. Other than the cliffs, the Extreme Backcountry holds many steep glades with scattered rocks, logs, and stumps that make for some very playful terrain among the pine trees. There are a few other triple black diamonds scattered across the mountain that hold other extreme features such as cliffs from 10-30 ft tall.
With a vertical rise of almost 850 ft, Mt Bohemia is a bit of an anthill on the national stage, although regionally, this is actually competitive enough to give it the largest vertical drop in the Midwest (If you exclude the Black Hills of South Dakota). This means that while Boho has steep runs, they aren’t the longest if you’re used to skiing outside the Midwest. If you’re looking for real cardio runs in your next destination ski trip, you may be a little disappointed with the experience. However, since both lifts are top to bottom, you will be skiing for the whole vertical in every run, rather than skiing smaller pods. For example, the vertical of Bohemia is taller than lifts such as Powder Seeker 6 at Big Sky, Mott Canyon at Heavenly, or Shooting Star at Stratton.
Mount Bohemia boasts views of not only the nearby Lac La Belle, but also the massive Lake Superior in the distance and endless forests all around.
Mountain Aesthetic
On a clear day, the aesthetic at Mount Bohemia impresses. From the top of the hill, you have an expansive view of the Keweenaw Peninsula, many lakes, and the massive Lake Superior. You can see as much as 50 miles out across the lake, including down to the Huron Mountains to the south, and Isle Royale to the northeast. While trees prevent the view from the summit from being truly 360 degrees, there are many areas across the mountain that have clear views of the big lake, or the smaller Lac La Belle. If you’re searching for an isolated skiing experience, you’ll surely find that at Boho, as many runs will find you feeling lost in the woods before popping out on a cut run or at the road. This all being said, the big downside to the views at Boho is the limited number of clear days, as the Lake Effect snow can bring cloudy conditions, even on days when it’s sunny further from the lake.
Little Boho and Voodoo Mountain
For those seeking a novel experience, it’s also worth noting that Mount Bohemia offers "Little Boho," a distinct ski area accessible via a short hike from the back of the main parking lot. The hike or skin up to this 300-vertical-foot area takes 15 to 30 minutes depending on your level of fitness and is generally flat. The runs end with bus service required to get out (which is less frequent than that of the rest of Mount Bohemia). But this jaunt can pay off, as Little Boho is home to some properly steep terrain—and it stays untracked if it’s been a few days since the last snowstorm and temperatures stay consistent. Little Boho has a more fickle opening schedule than the rest of the resort, and under most circumstances, it's probably not worth the hike, but it's there if you want some extra terrain to check out with pretty much nobody on it.
While not physically connected to Mount Bohemia, there is also a cat skiing operation run out of Boho called Voodoo Mountain. This full-day experience runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays on some hills north of Mount Bohemia proper and costs less than $200. This is also held on north-facing terrain, and thanks to the limited number of people, powder stays untracked for weeks, though the terrain is much less steep than the runs found at Mount Bohemia. While not for everyone, this is one of the cheapest full-day cat skiing operations in the country, and allows for plenty of mellow powder turns.
RECOMMENDED SKIS FOR MOUNT BOHEMIA
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Recommended intermediate ski
Recommended advanced ski
Recommended glade ski
Recommended powder ski
Mount Bohemia’s yurt-heaving base area is home to a few bars, lodging, and food options.
Getting There and Parking
In order to get to Mount Bohemia, you need to be prepared for quite the journey. The nearest airport is in Hancock, around an hour away, and flights only go to and from Chicago, and are susceptible to getting cancelled due to weather. The nearest larger airports are in Green Bay (4.5 hours away), Milwaukee (6.5 hours away), Minneapolis (7 hours away), or Chicago (7.5 hours away). The drive can also get hairy at times due to weather, and visibility can drop to near zero at any time. In general, weather forecasts are not as accurate in the Keweenaw Peninsula due to the microclimate, so be prepared for anything.
RECOMMENDED SNOWBOARDS FOR MOUNT BOHEMIA
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Recommended intermediate board
Recommended advanced board
Recommended expert board
Recommended powder board
Après-Ski and Lodging
When it comes to things to do at Mount Bohemia besides skiing and riding, boy is it an experience. Directly off the ski runs are two bars (one of which is Christmas themed year round), two areas to get food at prices that are expensive for the Midwest, but reasonable by ski area standards, multiple options for lodging, and the Nordic Spa. The spa is included with a season pass and offers multiple saunas, a cold plunge, a steam room, an outdoor pool, and the largest hot tub in the Upper Peninsula. The hot tub has gotten so popular that oftentimes they have to have mandatory rotations on weekends. For lodging, you can rent slopeside cabins or yurts for groups, or stay in the hostel on site, but these accommodations are sparing in amenities. If you want to stay somewhere a bit nicer, a few inns and vacation homes do exist around the peninsula, but they’re either sparse in quantity or over half an hour away. If you have an RV or camping set up, you can also grab a spot in the parking lot along with some locals who stay there all season, though if your camping setup is more conspicuous, you should probably reserve a space for $25.
Boho’s “Nordic Spa” is home to some large hot tubs, saunas, and cold plunge pools, and becomes a popular Après spot after the slopes close down.
Verdict
Overall, Mount Bohemia is one of the most unique destinations for skiing and riding on the Continent. The mix of advanced and expert terrain at such an unassuming location with one of the most unique après scenes in the US makes any trip to Mount Bohemia a memorable experience. And on a clear day, the lake views don’t hurt the experience either.
Pricing
For pricing, 1-day tickets start at $95, and you can’t buy day tickets for Saturdays. Tickets are only sold online, but this is one ski area where it is expected you don’t buy a day ticket, as the season pass is one of the best deals in the country. For $109 (plus fees) you get a full season pass to Mount Bohemia, including the Nordic Spa, and a large, nationwide reciprocal network. This reciprocal network does have some caveats, so make sure to check the Mount Bohemia website before you redeem these benefits. The pass is only on sale for one week in December, and if you miss it, you’re out of luck. If you are even thinking of skiing at Mount Bohemia, buy the season pass when it is on sale.
