Yooper Event Spotlight: Continental Cup Ski Jumping

Greetings to all! As I'm writing this we are on the tail end of an actual blizzard across much of the Upper Peninsula. I'm talking 50 mph winds, roads shut down, and civil emergencies announced! I figured writing a new blog would be the perfect way to kill some of the cabin fever I've had from being hunkered down the last two days. Right now I have my fingers and toes crossed that next weekend doesn't bring the same kind of weather, because I don't want anything to interfere with the greatest winter event in the Upper Peninsula. That event is known by two simple words: Ski Jumps.

Every February, ski jumpers from all over the world descend on the sleepy little town of Iron Mountain, Michigan, which also happens to be my hometown. These athletes/daredevils are there for the FIS Continental Cup Ski Jumping Competition, an event put on by the Kiwanis Ski Club, which was founded in 1939. This wonderful organization is the heart and soul of the tournament. Without their hard work and dedication this tradition would never continue. I say tradition because for the local people it truly is one. Competitions in one form or another have been happening here since the jump was first built. I can't say they have happened every single year, but I personally am going to be 30 years old, and there have been competitions held there every year I have been alive. That alone is an impressive feat in my eyes.

The jumping starts Friday afternoon with practice rounds, although in recent years they have started holding a competition on Friday too. Saturday and Sunday are where you really get your money's worth, and $20 a button (students 11-17 $15, 10-under free) gets you in all weekend ($25 at the gate, students 11-17 $20). They hold competitions each day, with the top 6 jumpers making the podium. If you don't know what ski jumping is just keep reading. I'll get to the specifics in a bit!

As I said earlier this is the greatest winter event in the Upper Peninsula, and I said that for a good reason. Except, ski jumps is more than just an event. It is an experience for you and 10,000+ of your new best friends. No, I'm not joking about that number. Last year 11,000 people showed up! The best I can do is try and walk you through it, so let's get started!

You are going to get up around 7:30 or 8am Saturday morning, and get on all of your warm clothes. Be sure to eat a big breakfast too, because you need a good base layer in your stomach before the day starts. Layers of clothing are important, because you are going to be outside all day long! You have to decide on fashion or function as well, because as my dad likes to say "You can't look cool and stay warm at the same time." Before you head to the hill you need to do a checklist and make sure you have your essentials. It's a little different for everyone, but I will show you what mine looks like:

Hat & Gloves - Check
Admission Button - Check
Cowbell - Check
Wood Mug - Check
Beer/Alcohol - Check
Snacks - Check

Okay, by now it's around 9 or 9:30 so you're ready to head to the hill. As you get closer they have road blocks set up. Volunteers will stop your vehicle and ask to see your buttons. If you don't have one you can purchase one at that time. They usually will give you some free hand warmers too, so that's a plus! It's now time to make your way into the huge lot at the bottom of the hill.

Speaking of the hill, here are some more specifics.You know that the tournament is in Iron Mountain, but the competition takes place at the world famous "Giant Pine Mountain Ski Slide." This jump was built in 1937, with the first competition being held in 1938. It is one of the largest artificial ski slides in the entire world, and is the largest pure ski jumping hill in the United States (not counting ski-flying hills). It truly is an impressive site to behold, with the wood and metal scaffold reaching 174 feet above the ground.

The Ski Slide

If you've never seen ski jumping before I can explain it like this. Skiers start at the top of the jump and sit on a bar with their skis in a set of tracks. From there, they look out to the hill's edge where a coach holds a flag from their country. When the coach feels the wind conditions are optimal they will wave the flag telling the jumper it's time to go. The jumper takes off down the slide with their knees bent, and they reach speeds of 55 to 65 mph by the time they reach the end of the slide. When they reach the end they jump and lean their upper body out over top their skis. They then literally fly down the hill as far as they can. The resistance from the air going up the hill underneath their skis is what keeps them floating, which is actually pretty cool from a scientific standpoint, but it also looks really bad ass! The jumpers can soar as far as 471 feet (current hill record) or longer! They are judged on multiple factors including both their distance and their form. At first glance it just seems like crazy people flying down a hill, but it is actually a very technical sport that requires a lot of calculation to go with their athletic ability. It truly is a thrill to watch, just check out this video I took two years ago!

There are really two types of spectators at Ski Jumps. There are those who just park their vehicles way in the back of the lot or they just park on the highway and walk in. Then there are those who get a "spot", which would be the category me and my family fall into. For $50 you can reserve a spot for you and your crew. You have the option to keep your same spot every year, and if you don't take it for whatever reason, it is open for someone else to take. Typically, you see people in the same spot every single year, just like season ticket holders at other sporting events. You tend to get to know everyone around you. These "spots" almost always get set up on Friday, and they consist of an area where you throw out a bunch of hay to get you up off the ice and snow. Many people also put up a shelter or a wind block to keep the elements at bay. Just about everyone has a wood stove of some sort as well. From there you see all sorts of differences in how people like to set things up. Each spot has it's own personality and vibe to it, but the two constants you will see are food and drink in massive quantities! I'm talking everything from chips and dip all the way to chili or fresh porketta sandwiches. I'm talking anything from a can Busch Light to drink all the way to jello shots or homemade apple pie moonshine. If you choose not to carry in your own goods they do have a massive heated pole building where you can get food, drink, and merchandise. Basically, just picture it looking like a Packers tailgate party, but rows of big snowbanks you walk up and down.

A view of the lot from the top of the hill

There is a little something for everyone at ski jumps, and you can stay as far away or as close as you'd like. There are stairs all the way up the side of the landing hill that you can take right to the top, which is where the last photo is from. The video from prior is from the side of the hill too. There aren't many sports that you can get that up close and personal to the action, but that's really the beauty of this event. You can party hard, make it family friendly, or anywhere in between. There's room for anyone and everyone.

Now, if you're the type that likes to drink I'm warning you now that you start early, and by early I mean when you get there at 9:30 or 10am you crack a beer right away. Another of my father's famous sayings is "You can't drink all day unless you start in the morning," and that phrase was basically coined at ski jumps. It is an all day affair of what I call LSD or Long Slow Drinking that goes until the jumping ends around 5 or 5:30pm, but I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, so back track with me a little bit!

The trial round of jumping starts at 11, and everyone is always excited to see jumpers start flying down the hill. The announcers tell everyone over the speakers who is on the bar and what country they are from. When the coach waves the flag as I mentioned earlier the announcers ring a large bell "DING DING DING!" and the skier makes their way down the slide. You will also hear the announcer say "Springer Come!" as they ring the bell. This is a term meaning "jumper come down the jump." I've done a Google search on the term to try and find it's origins and nothing really comes up except mentions of the ski jumps in Iron Mountain. I guess this is a local term that has just lasted through out the years. It's more of a theme than it is a term. Say these words to anyone who has been to ski jumps before and they are sure to give you a big grin and say it right back to you.

The main competition starts at 1, and that's when things really get going. You'll notice all day that after the jumper flies down the hill and lands you'll hear all sorts of applause, cow bells, and car horns going off. Farther jumps get more noise, but we cheer for everyone no matter what. That's part of the fun. It doesn't matter who they are or how good they do. We just appreciate that they have traveled from around the world to come and jump in front of us. These jumpers appreciate us too! I've had the chance to talk to many of them over the years, and they always say Iron Mountain is their favorite place to jump. They say it's because everyone is so friendly, and they love that we make it a huge party. In order for them to ride the chair lift back up the hill to jump again they actually have to walk by a few of the spots the spectators have, and you will routinely see these young jumpers chugging a beer and high-fiving with the fans. These jumpers are all young guys in their late teens and early 20's, so the atmosphere at jumps makes them feel like rock stars, and for that weekend it's totally true.

"Springer Come!"

I feel as though I could write on a novel on this event, and what it means to myself and the community. Yet I could never put into proper words just how wonderful it really is. It is a melting pot of different nations and different types of people, much like the Upper Peninsula was in the various mining towns that boomed back in the old days. This is a true Yooper event for Yooper people, that you will not find anywhere else. It is the people that make this event truly stand out. As you walk around you will run into so many friendly and smiling faces. People who will offer you a bite to eat, a beer to drink, or just a spot to stop and warm up by the fire. If you have yet to experience this event don't hesitate to make the trip next weekend to Iron Mountain. If you are a seasoned veteran I'm sure I will you see you at the hill. Don't be afraid to stop by and say hello. So with that my friends, I say cheers and springer come!