No Need to Head West, Powder in the Midwest: Mount Bohemia
- Aaron Floyd
- Feb 18
- 6 min read
This year’s ski trip felt different from the first chair. Not just because it was a great trip—though it absolutely was—but because it completely reset how we think about Midwest skiing. We didn’t head west. We didn’t get on a plane. We just drove north and somehow ended up skiing some of the best snow of the season.
Turns out, world-class skiing isn’t always a destination. Sometimes it’s just a little farther into the Upper Peninsula than you’ve ever bothered to go.
This recap is meant to do two things: tell you where we skied, ate, drank, and slept—and show you how to actually pull off this trip yourself. That includes one important detail: we did the whole thing in an electric vehicle. Yes, an EV ski trip. In winter. In the UP. It worked.
Stop One: Mount Ripley (Houghton, MI)
The plan was to take advantage of our Mount Bohemia season passes, which include free days at several sister resorts. That made Mont Ripley in Houghton, Michigan an easy first stop.
The drive from Madison, WI is about seven hours, which meant two EV charging stops along the way. One of those stops landed perfectly in Minocqua, where we did the smartest thing of the day and ate brunch at Lida’s Breakfast & Lunch. It was so good we made a point to stop there again on the way home
Charged up and well fed, we continued north to Mount Ripley https://www.mtu.edu/mont-ripley/
Mont Ripley is operated by Michigan Tech and features three chairlifts, about 440 feet of vertical, and 25 runs. It’s classic Midwest skiing in the best sense of the phrase. Nothing flashy—just a solid hill that’s perfect for stretching the legs, knocking the travel stiffness out, and getting a few good hours of turns in.
The layout makes side-to-side movement a little awkward thanks to an oddly placed tow rope, but if you carry enough speed you can bounce between lifts from the bottom. Sitting right above the river, Ripley also offers great views of downtown Houghton and is a huge asset for the university and the town.
EV note: Houghton is the last fast-charging option on the Keweenaw Peninsula. There are ChargePoint chargers downtown—just make sure you have the correct adapter. https://www.plugshare.com/location/353195
Lodging in Mohawk: White House Lodging
After Ripley, we continued on to Mohawk and checked into White House Lodging, which we booked through Airbnb.
We specifically chose this spot because it’s one of the very few places in the area that offers EV charging, which made planning the trip much easier. In fact, with an EV, it was the key to having the range we needed to comfortably get to Mount Bohemia and still ski without stressing about the drive back.
White House Lodging is straightforward, functional North Woods lodging done right. No fluff, no gimmicks—just a clean, warm place that understands why you’re here. The room had everything we needed: a comfortable bed, private bathroom, TV, coffee, Wi-Fi, and space to dry gear and recover after long ski days.
Location-wise, it’s about as dialed as it gets for a Bohemia trip. You’re close to the mountain, right near food and drinks, and getting back at the end of the day never feels like another mission. If you’re skiing Bohemia, this place just makes sense.
Dinner & Local Intel: Glacia Tavern
Once settled, we crossed the street to Glacia Tavern, where we found good food, local beer, and exactly the kind of atmosphere you want the night before a big ski day. (https://maps.app.goo.gl/VBnDJVF78rb9qEjB6)
We ended up chatting with one of the servers who skis Bohemia regularly and picked up a handful of genuinely useful tips for the next day—the kind of info you only get from people who are actually there all the time.
They’re open until 9 p.m., with food served until close, which made it an easy and stress-free stop after a long drive.
Snowy Morning & First Turns at Mount Bohemia
Snow started falling when we left Mount Ripley, and the forecast called for a few inches overnight. By morning, it was clear the storm had overdelivered—about five inches on the ground, with more on the way.
The drive to Mount Bohemia was full-on winter: snow-covered roads, low visibility, and zero regrets about having four-wheel drive.
Lift tickets are sold in the yurt starting 30 minutes before opening. We grabbed ours, picked up an excellent Bloody Mary at The North Pole, and waited briefly in line before the lifts started spinning.
Bohemia has two lifts, and while both offer plenty of challenge, we found the better and more consistent terrain off the Honey Pot Hoist. That’s where we kept gravitating throughout the day, and where we had the most fun.
A quick reality check: Mount Bohemia is an expert-only ski resort, and they’re not kidding. If you’re not comfortable skiing black diamonds elsewhere—or advanced terrain at larger East or West Coast mountains—this probably isn’t the place for you. There’s no grooming, plenty of steep sections, drops, and terrain that will absolutely let you know if you’re in over your head.
Powder, Vibes, and Why Bohemia Feels Different
We timed it just right. Snow fell all day, stacking close to 10 inches, pushing Bohemia past 200 inches for the season. In the trees off the Honey Pot Hoist, we found knee-deep powder from previous days—better than many “powder days” I’ve had elsewhere in the country.
But Bohemia isn’t just about the snow. The vibe is different. There’s more hooting, hollering, cheering, and shared stoke than anywhere else I’ve skied. Maybe it’s the remoteness. Maybe it’s because everyone there can actually ski. Maybe it’s the musically themed buses that scoop you up when you ski out to the road and blast tunes while you cram in like sardines. It’s probably all of it.
During the week, fresh snow can sit untouched for days. Staying closer to the lifts usually means steeper terrain, while venturing farther out opens up glades and gullies. With new snow, it’s hard to go wrong anywhere on the mountain.
Our favorite zone was the Galaxy area—Asteroid, Neptune, Meteor, and the crowd favorite, Uranus
We lapped this area repeatedly, skied out to the road, and piled onto the buses. We came one person short of the 36-person record on one lap, which feels like both a loss and a win.
One run worth avoiding: Long Traverse. It’s labeled a black diamond, but it’s long, flat, and exactly what it sounds like. Skiers will be bored. Snowboarders will be annoyed. Skip it.
Food, Hot Tubs, and Night Skiing
Food options include the yurt connected to The North Pole, pizza near the hot tubs, and legitimately great shrimp tacos upstairs in the Tiki Shack above the sauna. By mid-afternoon, hot tub space starts disappearing fast—no surprise, since Bohemia’s ungroomed terrain will absolutely punish your legs.
The front lift stays open until 8 p.m. for night skiing. The main runs are lit, but a headlamp is a must according to some of our lift mates throughout the day.
Between the trail-side yurts, hostel, bar, and hot tubs, most people don’t go anywhere once the lifts stop spinning—and honestly, there’s no reason to.
Final Stop: The Porcupine Mountains (“The Porkies”)
From Mohawk, we headed south and across the peninsula to the Porcupine Mountains, another Mount Bohemia sister-pass location. It was the weekend, which meant lines for lift tickets and lift lines—technically lift line, since there’s only one chair.
I’d heard good things about the Porkies, but coming directly from Bohemia, it was a tough comparison. A thin base, bare spots, and limited terrain made it hard to justify the stop. The tow rope placement is awkward, runs fast, and ends too early, requiring uphill hiking. The black-diamond runs felt closer to blues elsewhere.
At around $45 for a day ticket, it might work for families or newer skiers, but if you’re considering it as part of a Bohemia trip, I’d personally skip it.
One Last EV Win
On the drive back, we stopped in Bergland and used a free J1772 charger provided by Polaris for about 15 minutes—just enough buffer to comfortably reach the Minocqua supercharger on snowy roads. https://www.plugshare.com/location/562721
Having charging options like this in remote winter destinations makes EV ski trips far more realistic than most people think.
Final Thoughts
All in all, this was a seriously successful ski trip. Three new resorts, all on the Bohemia pass, incredible snow timing, and proof that you don’t need to fly west—or burn a tank of gas—to ski hard.
Would we do it again? Absolutely.
Mount Bohemia earns its reputation as the best skiing in the Midwest, and days like this make it easy to see why.
Until next time, Boho.
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