198 Inches of Snow Just Caused a $195K Problem in Michigan

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula got absolutely hammered with snow last winter, and now we’re seeing just how much damage all that snow caused.

198 Inches of Snow Fell in Ishpeming, Michigan

The Ishpeming Ski Club says it needs $195,000 in repairs after the extreme snowfall damaged its facilities at the historic Suicide Hill ski jump.

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Ishpeming recorded 198 inches of snow during the 2025-26 winter season according to MLive. That was enough to cause the club’s equipment building to collapse, and when it came down, it seriously damaged a specialized machine called a WinchCat.

READ MORE: 5 Record-Breaking Genesee County Blizzards 

That machine is used to groom and maintain the ski jumps. And without it, the club says it can't safely maintain Suicide Hill or host its annual ski jumping tournament.

K40 Youth Ski Jump Also Needs Repairs

There was more damage, too. Spring runoff washed out part of the surface underneath the K40 ski jump, which is used by younger jumpers. The club has found a replacement WinchCat and gotten estimates from local contractors for a new pole barn and repairs to the K40 landing hill. All together, they're looking at a $195,000 repair bill.

READ MORE: Is Thundersnow More Common in Michigan Than You Think? 

This isn't just some random ski hill. The annual tournament at Suicide Hill is the longest-running ski jumping tournament of its kind in the United States. The club held its 139th tournament this year, which also marked the 100th anniversary of Suicide Hill.

Ishpeming Ski Club Launches Fundraising Campaign

So now the Ishpeming Ski Club is asking for help to keep this very Michigan tradition going. They've launched a fundraising campaign, and donors can have their names permanently recognized at the facility.

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You know you've had a serious winter when the snow doesn't just shut down your driveway, it takes out a building. And 198 inches? That's more than 16 feet of snow.

Why Suicide Hill Is Important to Michigan Ski Jumping

So while we were down here complaining about scraping a couple inches off the windshield, folks in the U.P. were apparently dealing with enough snow to collapse a building and destroy a machine that costs a small fortune to replace.

READ MORE: 500 Genesee County Crashes in Just 5 Days 

The good news is, this is fixable. The Ishpeming Ski Club just needs some help getting there, because after 139 years of this tradition, it would be a shame to let one monster winter knock it off the hill.