Caberfae Peaks: Michigan's oldest ski resort

Tucked into the Manistee National Forest in the hills southwest of Cadillac, Caberfae Peaks is the oldest ski resort in Michigan and one of the oldest in the whole country. It opened back in 1937, built by Civilian Conservation Corps crews who cleared a single run — they called it “Number One” — and rigged up a rope tow powered by an old Ford Model A engine. The name comes from a Gaelic phrase for “stag’s head.”

It grew fast. By the 1950s, “snow trains” were hauling thousands of skiers up from downstate, and Caberfae had become the biggest winter-sports area in the state. Today it has some of the highest lift-served peaks in Michigan, with a few dozen runs spread across the hills for everyone from first-timers to experts, plus a golf course for the summer. For a state without mountains, it’s a surprisingly real ski hill — and it’s been at it longer than anywhere else in Michigan.

Hours, lift tickets, trail conditions, and lodging are at caberfaepeaks.com.