Caberfae Peaks: the ski hill that opened in 1938

Caberfae’s state historical marker gives the sturdy version of the story. Snow trains brought hundreds of people to the hills southwest of Cadillac for the public opening on January 16, 1938. The name comes from a Gaelic term meaning “stag’s head.”

The hill was a community project. The U.S. Forest Service, Civilian Conservation Corps, Cadillac Chamber of Commerce, and local volunteers worked together on a public winter-sports area. CCC crews cleared ski and toboggan runs and built a shelter and access roads. Skiers chipped in five dollars at a time, and volunteers used the money to build Caberfae’s first rope tow in 1940.

By the 1950s, the marker says Caberfae had become one of the Midwest’s largest ski resorts, and its success helped Michigan’s winter-sports industry grow. That is a better-supported distinction than trying to settle which Michigan hill should be called the absolute oldest.

Caberfae still operates as a ski-and-golf resort. Check the operator’s current hours and conditions before making the drive; the winter calendar changes with the season and the snow.