Mt. Ashwabay celebrates 75 years of skiing

Saturday Mt. Ashwabay celebrated their 75^th anniversary. Starting with a ceremonial chairlift ride up to the top of the hill.

Hundreds of people made it out to the Bayfield ski slopes for some skiing while also celebrating the slopes they grew up on. Vice President of the Mt. Ashwabay Ski Alliance, Charles Finn, says, “They’re representative of a large contingent of people who have invested in this incredible hill.”

Some of the people who grew up on the hill now work there too. Kathy Radtke is one of those people, she’s been in ski patrol for 35 years. And has also been an alpine coach too. She says having a ski hill this close to Ashland really helps younger skiers.

“I know other coaches who have to travel and hour to get to their team to practice, they fight with the hill to get a space to practice. So our kids jump in the car and can be here in 5 minutes,10 minutes, 20 minutes”, she says.

Kathy says seeing this many people show up to the anniversary was really uplifting after the park saw some rough years. “There were some slim years where there were not very many skiers, very few kids, and this 75th anniversary is a celebration of the people who have loved this place and they want it to continue and they are enjoying it… and some people think a little tiny hill like this couldn’t create that but we do”, says Kathy.