MLive says: “From the top of the Pine Mountain Ski Jump, you can pretty much see the rest of the world. And you don't need to be a world class skier to take a look at the view. You just need to be willing to climb 500 steps to the top of the ski jump. You can make the climb during any season and the view will be different each time. We recommend a fall visit so you can take a look at colorful foliage as far as the eye can see. Of course, it's also a great idea to make a trip up for the annual jumping tournament so you can see some amazing (and brave) skiers fly through the air.”

July 3, 2019

Pine Mountain was a lovely spot for a break from driving. While I didn’t explore the resort or find this location in the fall with gorgeous foliage, I did climb the 500 steps to the top of the jump, and enjoyed it.

There isn’t much to say about Pine Mountain in general; it’s an olympic ski jump and the view at the top is gorgeous. Check out my climb below, at every 100 steps.

Once I reached the top of the steps, I was hoping I’d be able to climb the actual ski jump. Unfortunately, that gave me vertigo because of how narrow and steep the climb was.

Luckily there were still some other gorgeous views at the top…

I really loved this climb because each step was actually numbered, so you could track your progress as you went along the stair case. If I lived in this area, I would definitely climb this a few times each week.

After my climb, I was craving a nice prepared lunch, so I found a spot in Iron Mountain to get some food. Five minutes away I found Spiro’s Downtown. I ordered a mediterranean salad with sauteed mushrooms and toasted pita bread - it hit the spot in a very perfect way. While I was dining, a couple with two huge and lovely dogs sat down at the table next to me, and we ended up having a really lovely conversation over our lunches. I finished off my lunch with a piece of peanut butter pie (DELICIOUS) and got back on the road for my next stop on my UP adventure.

13/83: Dickinson

July 3, 2019