Pine Mountain Jump

The Pine Mountain Ski Jump is one of the highest artificially created ski jumps in the world, located in Iron Mountain, Michigan, Dickinson County. It is part of the Kiwanis Ski Club and hosts annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup competitions.[1] "Pine Mountain Slide is known throughout the world as one of the better jumping hills." Annually in February, it "hosts jumpers from around the world at the best tournament in the United States." Top-rated foreign jumpers compete. Currently (excluding ski flying hills) Pine Mountain holds the U.S. records for the longest jump in World Cup competition at 140m (459 feet), as well as the overall distance record at 144m (472.44feet).[2] The facility also includes two smaller ski jumping hills that are built into the hill northwest of the large hill. Attendance is about 20,000.[3]

Pine Mountain Jump
LocationPine Mountain
Iron Mountain
United States
Opened1937
Renovated1977
Size
K–pointK-120
Hill sizeHS133
Hill record Klemens Murańka
(140.5 m in 2017)
View from the parking lot

Specifications
  • Scaffold height: 176 feet (54 m)
  • Scaffold length: 117m [2]
  • Length of underhill (end of take-off to outrun): 632 feet (193 m)
  • Length of underhill (end of scaffold to end of outrun): 1,032 feet (315 m)
  • Critical point (K-point) of landing hill: 394 feet (120 m)
  • Hill Size (HS): 133m [2]
  • Pitch of landing hill: 39°
  • Estimated speed of skiers at takeoff (variable depending on wind and other factors): 55–65 mph (89–105 km/h)[4]

History

Construction of the jump began in 1937 and was completed in 1938. At the time it was 156 feet (48 m) high. It hosted its first competition in 1939. In 1948, the outrun was dug out, and in 1977 the inrun tower was made larger (to the current 176 feet (54 m)) after a fire. There have been numerous other renovations over the years. In 1996 and 2000 the hill hosted the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, bringing in 20,000 spectators. However, it has not hosted one since, and now hosts annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup competitions.[5]

Locally known as "Giant Pine Mountain," it is reputed worldwide to be one of the best ski jumping facilities. The ski jumping fans are said to be friendly. It is also considered by most jumpers as the most challenging jump on the Continental Cup circuit and in the world. This partly is due to the fact that the top of the jump is nearly 600 feet above all of the surrounding landscape giving the jumpers the same view that they would have if they were standing on top of a 60 story skyscraper. Also, because of the jump and hill's high rise above the surrounding landscape there is a significant wind factor for jumpers making it more challenging.[6]

Excluding ski flying hills, the Pine Mountain Ski Jump is the largest ski jump in the United States and it is between the 3rd and 8th tallest man-made ski jump in the world (depending on how height is measured).[7] There are two other ski jumps in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan: Copper Peak is the only Ski flying venue in the western hemisphere, located near Ironwood, Michigan (and has been called "Suicide hill"),[8] as well as the pre-existing Suicide Hill Ski Jump located at Ishpeming, Michigan, which is near the National Ski Hall of Fame.[8]

Jump Records

Below is the list of past and current record holders:

Year Distance (m) Distance (ft) Name Country
1939 78 256 Bob Rocker United States
1941 81.5 267 Alf Engen NOR
1942 88 289 Torger Tokle NOR
1949 89 292 Joe Perrault United States
1949 89.5 294 Matti Pietikäinen FIN
1949 90.5 297 Joe Perrault USA
1955 91.5 300 Rudy Maki USA[9]
1961 96 315 Jim Brennan USA
1962 96.5 317 Pekka Tirkkinen FIN
1965 99 325 John Balfanz United States
1968 102 335 Adrian Watt United States
1971 105 344 Jerry Martin United States
1978 113 371 Gebhart Aberer AUT
1980 121.5 399 Armin Kogler AUT
1991 122 400 Werner Schuster AUT
1996-02-18 131.5 431 Masahiko Harada JPN
1996-02-18 131.5 431 Jens Weißflog GER
1996-02-18 140 460 Masahiko Harada JPN
2002-02-23 142 466 Kalle Keituri FIN
2004-02-21 142 466 Olav Magne Dønnem NOR
2006-02-18 142.5 468 Stefan Kaiser AUT[3]
2009-02-15 142.5 468 Lukas Müller AUT
2009-02-15 143.5 471 Stefan Thurnbichler AUT[5][10]

List of Events Held

The Pine Mountain ski jumping tournament has been part of the FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup every year since 2004 and with the exception of the occasional Winter Olympic Games or World Cup event, the tournament is unually the most prestigious and highest level ski jumping competition held in the Western Hemisphere. Below is an incomplete list of events held at the hill.[1][2][3]

  • United States National Ski Jumping Championship held in 1958.
  • United States National Ski Jumping Championship held in 1960.
  • United States National Ski Jumping Championship held in 1966.
  • FIS Ski Jumping World Cup held February 16, 17, 18. and 19, 1996.
  • FIS Ski Jumping World Cup held February 25, 26, and 27, 2000.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 16, 17, and 18, 2001.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 22, 23, and 24, 2002.
  • FIS Continental Cup held January 20, 21, and 22, 2004.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 25, 26, and 27, 2005.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 17, 18, and 19, 2006.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 16, 17, and 18, 2007.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 15, 16, and 17, 2008.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 13, 14, and 15, 2009.
  • FIS Continental Cup held January 29, 30, and 31, 2010
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 11, 12, and 13, 2011.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 10, 11, and 12, 2012.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 8, 9, and 10, 2013.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 7, 8, and 9, 2014.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 20, 21, and 22, 2015.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 19, 20, and 21, 2016.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 24, 25, and 26, 2017.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 9, 10, and 11, 2018.
  • FIS Continental Cup held February 8, 9, and 10, 2019.

Getting there

From US Highway 2 in town (Iron Mountain), turn west onto Kent Street just south of the Chapin Pit, and follow the signs. In about 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km), look for Upper Pine Mountain Road which winds up to the hilltop. There is no charge. The view from the observation deck at the top of the jump is about 30 miles (48 km).[4]

References
  1. "Kiwanis Ski Club". Iron Mountain, Pine Mountain, 120 metre ski jump. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  2. http://www.skisprungschanzen.com/EN/Ski+Jumps/USA-United+States/MI-Michigan/Iron+Mountain/0574/
  3. "Continental Cup Ski Jumping February 11, 12, & 13, 2011". Ski Jumping at the Pine Mountain Ski Jump, Iron Mountain, Michigan. Exploring the North. 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  4. "Iron Mountain, Pine Mountain Ski Jump". Hunt’s Guide to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  5. "Ironwood Copper Peak". Ski Jumping Hill Archive. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEc0iGMqUNk
  7. http://www.skisprungschanzen.com/EN/Articles/0013-World%27s+largest+ski+jumps
  8. Baulch, Vivian M. (1 February 2002). "Michigan's long history of ski jumping". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  9. http://www.skihall.com/index.php?_a=document&doc_id=11&id=207
  10. Deuter, Ron (16 February 2009). "Austrian teen wins at Pine Mountain". Iron Mountain: Daily Press. Retrieved 12 February 2011.

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