P E E K L L ’ WE
U O Y
! S E P O L S E ON TH Y R T A I D O P ICS & D ORTHOPE
Essentia Health St. Mary’s-Detroit Lakes 1027 Washington Avenue | Detroit Lakes Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Urgent Care: Monday-Saturday 8:00 am - 7:30 pm Sunday 12:00 pm - 7:30 pm 218.847.5611 EssentiaHealth.org
1160451
2 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
WELCOMES BACK WELCOMES WELCOMES BACK BACK P R O U D T O F E AT U R E T H E PP RRPOORFOUE UD S SDTI OTONOAF FLEELAYATTDUUERRSEEI GTTNHHE ED E
P RPOR FOEF SE SS ISOI ONNAAL LL LYY DDEESSI IGGNN EE DD
The Mountain Reborn Detroit Mountain didn’t come back to life on its own. It took the entire community, led by a dedicated core group of volunteers, to take the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area from dream to reality. Inside, we look at the people behind the successful effort, and we look at what the new recreation area has to offer. – Editor Nathan Bowe
18 The Fun Never 6 Making it happen
12 Reaching lofty heights: New lodge 4 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Ends: Kids’ activities
22 Smooth sailing for skiers
24 Postcards from the past
PUBLISHED BY DETROIT LAKES NEWSPAPERS 511 Washington Ave Detroit Lakes, MN 218.847.3151 www.dl-online.com A supplement to the Tribune November 19, 2014 PUBLISHER Dennis Winskowski
56 History of the 42 Engineering a successful project
26 Flying
downhill: Mountain bike trails
30 Ski patrol 36 The
management team
38 Brian Berg: Lighting a spark
44 City
stepped up
46 Place to
learn to ski
48 Bumpy ride
they’ll love: Terrain park
mountain
70 Let it snow 74 Impacting the community
76 It’s not all
downhill: Cross country skiing
80 It’s not just
about winter: Biking, hiking, special occasions
52 84 Downhill all the Big customer way: Tubing hill
base to draw on
EDITORIAL Nathan Bowe Pippi Mayfield Vicki Gerdes Paula Quam Brian Basham Robert Williams ADVERTISING Mary Brenk Nick Omberg Kristie Fritz Jennifer Taves Connie Klopka Liz Warling Kari Pederson CREATIVE SERVICES Sara Leitheiser Bob Jensen Luanna Lake Carol Hennen Jake Pfeifer Rachel Poser Cindy Gilster CIRCULATION Viola Anderson BUSINESS OFFICE Sherri Lefebvre Nicole Ecker CLASSIFIEDS Lorie Holmer Nikki Hansen THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 5
MAKING IT HAPPEN Core group of supporters made dream a reality
STORY BY NATHAN BOWE
T
here were some serious setbacks along the way towards raising $7 million to making the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area a reality, but the passion and enthusiasm of a core group of believers made it happen. Mark Fritz and Mike Hutchinson, owners of Lakershirts, were interested in buying the Detroit Mountain property from the time the ski area first closed, Fritz said. “I had an interest, but I’m not sure if the offer even got to the Bekkerus (family),” he said. Life went on, “but always in the back of my mind was the thought that if it doesn’t reopen, that would be a nice property to own,” he said. His mind changed when he and Jeff Staley (then a Lakeshirts employee, now general manager of the Detroit Mountain Recreation 6 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
I WAS NEVER A SKIER AS A YOUNGSTER, so when
Mark Fritz, on facing page, announced the start of the fundraising campaign on Detroit Mountain. He led the fundraising effort and was a key player, among a very dedicated group, in making the dream a reality. Above, the former lodge before it was torn down and replaced. Area) met with former Becker County Administrator Brian Berg and talked to him about it. “He said ‘that’s the stupidest idea ever,’” Fritz said. “Berg said this should be in the public domain, for everybody to use.” Berg talked about a potential land swap, the mountain property for county tax-forfeited land elsewhere, and in 2010 a public meeting was called to see if there was any interest in the idea. “It was first set for the city council office. Then it was moved to the big conference room at M State,” Fritz said. “We had about 500 people there. It was really good to see the enthusiasm. We could clearly tell at that time there was interest; people missed having it in the backyard as a resource.” Social media played a role in generating enthusiasm, and initially, the group tried to work with Becker County. An ad-hoc feasibility study showed the community support was there, Fritz said, “but we didn’t know how to do it, we weren’t making any real progress with the county. Not that it came to a vote or anything.” Then Fritz and Staley had a lunch meeting with DL Newspapers Publisher Dennis Winskowski and Arlen Kangas, president of the Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corp. “I was really interested,” Fritz said. “They built the community center, and that idea had been around for decades.” Fritz asked their opinion on how to make the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area a reality. The answer? Start with an accurate feasibility study, looking at the cost to acquire the property and build a four-season recreational
area. Kangas told him the feasibility study should establish several things: Capital costs, feasibility of operations, and how to pay for it. The feasibility study was completed by Kangas and the MMCDC, with Stu Omberg and Tony Stoll doing the legwork. That’s when the supporters established their group as a nonprofit 501c3 group for tax purposes. Looking back, Fritz said, there was something kind of like serendipity at work as the campaign moved forward and support began to surge. “I’ve always loved this community, but never really realized that maybe it’s different than other communities. We see something and want to get it done and think we can do it.” As supporters were wondering how realistic it would be to expect a ski area to succeed, they got a visit from Dan Grider, past-president of the 65-member Midwest Ski Area Association. After Staley contacted him, “he drove up on his own dime and met with us,” Fritz said. “He said they are needed, they are sustainable and they are feasible. They’re a big job to build, but once built, they’re a great amenity that makes a community a great place to live.” He went through all the elements needed for a ski facility: The ability to make snow, grooming equipment, a great, warm, attractive lodge, and most important, a great user experience,” Fritz said. That’s what the DMRA board of directors is focused on, he added. Making sure people feel welcome, and that they are treated as guests and valued customers. “We wanted to build first-rate, instead of
my oldest son was 12, he received new skis from his grandmother. So I took my other kids out to the mountain; they were all fitted with boots, skis, ski poles - and off they went. The following weekend, I decided maybe I should learn, so I was then fitted. They had to teach me how to cross-country to the rope tow on the Bunny Hill, how to hang onto that rope, and be lifted to the top of the hill. Then, I had to have a lesson to ski down the hill. My instructor was Don Wagner. He was patient and good, and was teaching me how to snowplow. That’s when you have both skis turned - toes together - to stop, or to make a snowplow turn. Well, I think I was trying to turn to the left and guess what? I turned toward Don - and knocked him down! I don’t think you’re supposed to hit your instructor. That was back in about 1964. I did finally learn to ski - not well, but enough to have an absolutely fabulous fun time on many hills. Good luck to Detroit Mountain. I’m so excited for everyone. – Gerrie Rutledge
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 7
The job of selling the idea, with graphics, plans and diagrams , fell to Mark Fritz, who grew up skiing on the Mountain and whose enthusiasm for the new park was contagious. settling and setting the bar too low – that’s how you attract customers and keep them coming back,” he said. A big part of the enthusiasm behind the Mountain campaign was that people learned to ski there, had great memories and wanted young people to have that same opportunity again. “I grew up skiing there and I have a passion for the sport,” Fritz said. “I cut wood on Saturday and my dad would buy us lift tickets Sunday after church – so many people have similar stories,” he said. After the feasibility study, supporters visited a number of different ski resorts, and came back with the conclusion that the operation needed to start off on the right foot. “If we can open it debt-free, it will be a great thing for the community,” Fritz said. The city agreed to join the project if the group could raise the money through a state 8 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Legacy grant for regional parks. But the grant application was rejected. “When we met as a group at Dana Tomlinson’s house after learning that we didn’t get the Legacy Grant, it was Dana, Steve Daggett, and Mike Hutchinson that really thought we could do this,” Fritz said. “We decided to raise the money ourselves,” he added, “and use New Market Tax Credits (from MMCDC) to finance it.” So the fundraising effort began. Kangas suggested asking the bigger donors first. “You’ll be 85 percent of the way there if you line up the big donors first,” Fritz said. “We had a super dedicated large donor fundraising committee – Dana Tomlinson, Steve Daggett, Scott and Judy Green, Mike Hutchinson, Tom Hanson, Jon Pratt and myself,” he added. “They had a lot of passion and enthusiasm for the project and opened a lot of doors.”
Hanson, owner of the Zorbaz chain, laid out the case: The community center supporters raised millions of dollars. Can we raise $6 million? They decided to go for it. “Now we’re at $7 million,” Fritz said. Daggett pointed out that the group should not look at it as a local project, but a regional campaign. Potential donors were anyone in the region who grew up skiing on the mountain and wanted to give the experience back to today’s kids. “We had some local businesses in from the very beginning,” Fritz said. “But before we began to fundraise in earnest locally, we decided to really see if Fargo-Moorhead and Perham were interested.” Their first meeting was with Ron Offutt and Keith McGovern. “They liked the project,” Fritz said, “and Keith and Rondi McGovern offered to host a party. We had over 300 people attend and raised $200,000 at that event.”
Investing in the Future, Revitalizing the Past Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation is a proud provider of
$6,000,000 in low-cost project financing to DMRA MMCDC is pleased to support renewal and expansion of the Detroit Mountain ski area into a year-round, full-service recreation area. Congratulations and Best Wishes to the DMRA team.
www.mmcdc.com 218-847-3191 MMCDC is an equal opportunity provider and lender 1162536
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 9
Mark Vierkant of Mark’s Electric talks to Mike Hutchinson, Mark Fritz and Tony Schmitz about installing more electric boxes on the property for future use.
The next meeting was with Steve Scheel, owner of the Scheels sporting goods chain. He talked about how he grew up skiing there in the 1960s, and how he had a special spot in his heart for Detroit Mountain. “Both he and his wife Eileen have been super supportive, not only financially, but through words of encouragement throughout,” Fritz said. “Part of the reason businesses are successful is because they invest in the community,” he added. “Around here, they give a lot back.” He pointed to BTD, Arvig, Midwest Bank, Zorbaz, Central Market, Team Industries, and many others, including Foltz Trucking, and Ken and Frank Foltz – or “St. Francis” as Fritz calls him, who is known for giving back to the community. Lakeshirts itself realized it had to step up and lead the campaign, and Fritz and Hutchinson did so with a $500,000 pledge. 10 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
“But we knew it could happen when Fargo came in,” Fritz said. Scheels ended up contributing a major amount, and the Offutt Family Foundation came through with a substantial donation as well, he said. The Otto Bremer Foundation and others also stepped up. “Later we had a great group of individuals help with the general campaign,” Fritz said. “There were a few dozen that really worked hard. Several Jaycees and other community members, Mitch and Deb Wimmer, Amy Jacobson, and Teri Lynne Nelson led a charge. Ron Paskey must have asked 75 or so individuals himself.” But the list of businesses and individuals who contributed is long. “They saw the need and they saw the value in reopening this place,” Fritz said. “Probably to me, that’s the most rewarding thing, having these guys want to contribute to building a
community that’s dynamic.” The city of Detroit Lakes has been very helpful, Fritz said. “We needed it to be a public-private partnership, and the city will be the eventual owner.” Former city engineer Gary Nansen stepped up to serve as project manager for the Mountain project. “Nansen, along with the help of Hutchinson and Lloyd Feldt (were instrumental),” Fritz said. “Really without the three of them we would never have been able to open this fall.” In the end, Fritz said, he is most excited for the little kids who will get to learn to ski and snowboard at the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area. “So many people say ‘you couldn’t do this in Duluth, you couldn’t do this in Little Falls, you couldn’t do this in Park Rapids,’” he said. “Maybe, maybe not, but it sure makes you proud to be part of this area.”
1160593
A Home for Every Season
1265 Highway 10 West, Suite 8 • Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Office: 218-844-8008 Fax: 218-844-8010 www.trecdl.com THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 11
The large white pine timbers, at left, seen looming up at the front entrance were saved from an area near Park Rapids. The trees were heavily damaged in a storm. Now, at right, they are stunning.
REACHING LOFTY HEIGHTS
New ski lodge is heart of Detroit Mountain Recreation Area
STORY BY PAULA QUAM
P
eople going up to the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area may be going up to enjoy the trails, either by bike, walking or skiing. But those beautiful trails are much like veins that lead straight to the heart — and at this mountain, that heart is the lodge. THE LODGE It looms up from the ground at the foot of the ski hills — all 10,000 square feet of the deep, rich woody architecture. “The vision was always to have something more Western-inspired, rather than the traditional Minnesota chalet,” said Detroit 12 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Mountain General Manager Jeff Staley. “So we really wanted something that was a little bit richer, with big timbers, dark-stained colors and stone work to give it that real rustic, Western Colorado, Wyoming, Montana-type look to it.” In fact, the lodge was designed by BHH Architecture of Perham, which also happens to have an office in Breckenridge, Colo., where popular ski resorts sport a similar look. “The contractor was Tomlinson & Sons,
“DETROIT MOUNTAIN ‘HAD HER BACK” A trip to Steamboat Springs planted the skibug in our family. Going home, we talked about how great it would be to have a place to ski in Minnesota. One of the kids exclaimed, How about Detroit Mountain? Even Grandma Westie was on board with this suggestion. (To watch, not to ski, of course, she said.) Kelly asked if she could wear her new, RED NYLON snowsuit. We headed out with Granny. Whoopee! Detroit Mountain. Three kids on the slopes and Grandma settled in the solid, old log building where aromas of hot chocolate, burgers and dogs filled the air. Late afternoon the kids clumped into the lodge, rosy-cheeked and ready for food. Kelly headed right for the old stove blasting out HOT air. She stood with her back to the heater, At one point, I remember seeing some steam or something rising behind her. Hot and cold make steam, right? No problem. But, as we left the old lodge, (Kelly in the lead) we noticed she appeared to be dressed in white! The backside of her new, red snowsuit had melted as she warmed herself by the stove. Whew! Close call! I thought, “God bless the mountain for “having her back”! I never knew what that phrase meant before. – Janet Pratt
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 13
and they always incorporate a lot of this style into the residential homes they build,” added Staley, who says the nearly $2 million lodge took just over one year to build, breaking ground in August of 2013 and finishing up in September of 2014. But unlike the human heart that has four chambers, this lodge has three large ones all with their own, distinct functions.
The bar area (top) will be open to visitors during the Mountain’s normal hours of ski operations. A cafe within that area will also offer customers a variety of healthier food, including soups and salads. The rental area (above) leads out onto the ski slopes, which is considered a luxury among most ski places where rental spaces are often times dingy, off-the-beaten path rooms.
14 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
RENTALS A lot of ski areas have a reputation for having dingy rental departments that are squeezed in the back of chalets or basements, but not here. One third of the lodge is home to the wide-open, airy rental department with vaulted ceilings and the capability of handling an entire bus full of people. “You could bring 75 kids into the space, and it would accommodate them as they’re getting their boots and skis on,” said Staley, who says from there, skiers have direct access to the slopes. “So once you get your skis or board, you head right out the door, and the lift is right there,” said Staley. “We tried to make that real
Dana and Rita Tomlinson would like to thank their entire team for the exceptional work on the Detroit Mountain Lodge. Tomlinson and Sons wishes all the best for our community & visitors as they enjoy the Detroit Mountain Recreational Area for generations to come.
, I NC. PO Box 1763 • Detroit Lakes, MN Phone: 218.847.3092 • Fax: 218.847.5143 info@tomlinsonandsonsinc.com • www.tomlinsonandsonsinc.com
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 15
friendly and inviting.” The new concrete floor that was laid in lieu of carpet was for a purpose — mountain bikes will also be rented out of that spot, which means people will be bringing bikes and in out. THE MAIN FOYER It’s a grand entrance that greets visitors at the door. “We wanted to make an impression when people walked in,” said Staley, pointing out the giant, white pine timbers that shoot up from the middle of the room. These beautiful pines weren’t harvested and sacrificed just for the project though; rather they were saved and preserved for many to enjoy. “The tops of these trees blew off in a wind storm in 2012 near Park Rapids,” said Staley, who says the trees would have rotted and died. The fireplace in the foyer features a portion of one of the tops of the trees, which came
16 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
from Blueberry Log and Timber. The Park Rapids company also provided the material for woodwork featured throughout the lodge. The grand entrance also features a history area with wall panels that tell the story of Detroit Mountain. There is a ski school meeting area located in that section of the lodge as well, and a small retail shop. “That’s mainly branded merchandise — Detroit Mountain hats, sweatshirts, t-shirts, gift items and then some of those things that you can easily lose or forget, like goggles, glasses, Chapstick, facemasks, all those things,” said Staley. DRINKS & EATS On the east end of the lodge is where visitors will either be fueling up or winding down. The bar and café area seats about 200 people looking to quench their thirst or fill their bellies. “We intentionally focused our kitchen on
having a little bit lighter menu items,” said Staley. “So we elected not to have a grill or fryer but to instead focus on soups and chilies, made-fresh sandwiches, salads, pizza, hotdogs, brats, things like that.” The layout is set up cafeteria-style, where customers go up, order what they need and sit down with it. “And then we’ve got a beer and wine license for adult beverages on the other side of the area,” Staley said, pointing to a beautiful, large wooden bar near the tall windows that overlook the slopes. HOURS The lodge will mostly mirror the hours of ski operation, with the cafeteria opening up about an hour before the lifts start running and closing about an hour after the lifts shut down. It will be open five days a week; Tuesdays and Wednesdays it will be closed. On those days, however, the lodge is available for rent.
The lodge is 10,000 square feet of beautiful accommodations, including a rental wing, a stunning grand entrance featuring history panels and retail shop, as well as a bar and cafe area for skiers, tubers, hikers and bikers.
Free Design & Delivery From Framing to Finishing
Business on the Level Since 1889 STENERSON LUMBER IS PROUD TO BE A KEY SUPPLIER OF THE DETROIT MOUNTAIN PROJECT 555 HWY 59 N, DETROIT LAKES – 218.847.2188 – WWW.STENERSONLUMBER.COM 1160555
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 17
THE FUN NEVER ENDS From ski lessons to tubing fun, there’s lots for kids to do on the Mountain
STORY BY PAULA QUAM
M
any kids around the region don’t yet realize what they have to be excited about, as they hear the whispers of anticipation from adults more than ready to ski again. Detroit Mountain hasn’t been in operation since 2003, meaning skiing has not yet been a significant part of their lives the way it was for many adults who grew up here. That’s about to change, and when mountain management began creating the master plan to re-open, they did so with the smallest skiers in mind. “For kids, we have quite an extensive learn-
18 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
HOW CAN I HAVE A FAVORITE MEMORY OF DETROIT MOUNTAIN?
Kids are important visitors to the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area, as a variety of programs and activities are available for just them. Not only is there a tubing hill (right) that will be open for birthday parties, but also a “magic carpet ride” conveyor belt that they can hop on to get up the hill. Instructors will also be available every weekend for ski school.
to-ski program,” said Shelly Stowman, who is heading up the Ski School programs. Stowman says children are the best students and tend to catch on quickly because they often lack the one thing that holds adults back. “They don’t have the fear factor,” said Stowman. “They’re up for anything.” On the mountain is a designated learning area, where ski instructors are continually holding lessons. “All day Saturday and Sunday they will be holding hour-and-a-half lessons that you can sign up for,” said Stowman, “or we’ll be having some ski sessions where students will come out the same day every week for five weeks to be with the same instructor every time.” Stowman says instruction up on the mountain should be quite effective, as the instructor-student ratio will be held at one to four, giving children more interaction with the instructors. It doesn’t matter if the kids have skied before, in fact, instructors up on Detroit Mountain expect that. “In ski lessons you do a lot of fun games where kids don’t know necessarily that they’re learning how to ski,” said Stowman, who says the kids will start just by learning how to pick up their feet in skis. Children in these classes will all start on the bunny hill. “We’ll let them start to feel what it’s like to walk on skis, and then we’ll have them jump on the magic carpet ride,” said Stowman of the
conveyor belt designed for human transportation up the hill. “And then we’ll have instructors guide them down,” she added. “Once they’re comfortable with things, they jump on the lifts when their parents think they’re ready — and the instructor will talk to the parent, too, to let them know that they think they’ve gotten to the level where they can probably do that.” But the fun doesn’t stop at skiing. A big tubing hill up in the recreation area is also going to be “totally tubular,” and is expected to be the “hot spot” for tubing birthday parties, which are already being planned. Hot Cocoa Clubs for three to five-year olds will also be available for little tykes just wanting to get used to the feeling of being on skies and having some fun outside. And because mountain staff knows how quickly these little skiers grow, there is a plethora of ski equipment of all sizes available for rent. “We rent skis, boards all the boots, helmets, and will eventually be holding swaps so that kids can swap for bigger equipment as they grow or upgrade if they want,” said Stowman, who says everybody up on the mountain is most excited to get the kids up there. “Getting them started young and showing them what great exercise and how fun the sport is, is key,” said Stowman, who says it can also give them a healthy pastime they can enjoy for a lifetime.
Our every trip was great and all credit goes to growing up in Detroit Lakes and having a ski area so close. “Think snow” a favorite motto! We loved winter because of skiing, skating and playing outdoors. Winter goes fast when you enjoy it! Keeps you healthy and happy! Detroit Lakes is the greatest community to live in. We have all the lakes, the recreation, DLCCC and now the mountain returns. How can you have it any better! I am so proud of the entire community and surrounding area for bringing back Detroit Mountain. It is a class act for everyone to enjoy. Think snow and congratulations! – MaryAnn Evans
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 19
MOUNTAIN MEMORIES
Brothers-in-law Maurice Seter Jr., left, and Gordon Bekkerus purchased the mountain in 1958. The poster they are standing next to now happens to be in the collection of Becker County memorabilia belonging to Detroit Lakes resident Clifford Oftelie. 20 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP GUARANTEED EVEN THOUGH SHE’S STILL THINKING ABOUT THE BUNNY HILL
The Ice House Restaurant
• Fine dining at affordable prices • Daily lunch and dinner specials • The biggest and best salad bar in the area! • Beautiful view of Big Detroit Lake
Holiday Beach Bar
FREE SHUTTLE TO AND FROM DETROIT MOUNTAIN
• The entertainment and sports HQ in the Lakes area! • 10 big screen TVs • Daily happy hour and drink specials • Karaoke every Friday night • Check out our for our live entertainment schedule
1155 Hwy. 10 East, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 | 218-847-2121 | 1-877-251-9348 | www.dlinn.com THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 21
SMOOTH SAILING FOR SKIERS With Mountain higher and lodge lower, you can now ski right up to the building
STORY BY PIPPI MAYFIELD
M
any people have heard that Detroit Mountain’s peak has been raised. But ever wonder why?
It wasn’t just to make a taller hill. It was more about lowering the elevation of the lodge and parking lot, and leveling the land they sit on. That created lots of excess dirt to work with. “I had met with a couple people familiar with ski resorts and when we looked at the site, the common complaint was that when you came down the hill, unless you had a lot of speed, you couldn’t get up to the old ski lodge,” Project Manager Gary Nansen said. “If you didn’t have enough speed, you’d have to take the skis off and walk up the slope.” He said that not only had he heard that complaint from others, he knew it firsthand as well. “It was a fairly expensive move because of the grading involved, but I think it has worked out,” Nansen added. The elevation of the lodge dropped 12 feet. “That then required a tremendous amount of work on the parking lot to match with the ski lodge,” he said. So the extra fill that was taken from where the old lodge sat was used to reshape the peak of the hill. Nansen said the top of the hill had been fair-
22 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
ly pointed and not very user-friendly for skiers to move around and access the various runs. “So if you got up on the chairlift, you had to figure out how you were going to get over to a different area,” he said. “By flattening it out, with two chairlifts on top, I think we made a nice pad so it’s skier-friendly for people to get off the lifts and access the runs they want to go on,” he said. Trail Boss and Rental Shop Manager Tony Schmitz said that with fill from the lodge area and having to do work on the parking lot, the peak of the mountain was raised about 23 feet. The parking lot was intended to be two tiers but instead, they took the fill from that and “distributed it around the mountain to increase the size and height of the hill,” he said. Fill was also used to create the terrain park. Old Mellow Hill, which will be renamed, was “enhanced and we gave it a full skiable run and (made it) skiable back to the lift,” Schmitz said. With no lip up to the lodge now, it should be smooth sailing for skiers to access the facility, he added.
When work began on the lodge, a common concern was the hill up to the facility and that unless skiers had some speed, they had to take off their skis and walk it. So the lodge has now been dropped 12 feet and the peak of the mountain was raised 23 feet with fill from below the old lodge and a redesign of the parking lot.
NIGHT SKIING WAS THE BEST! We could ski under the lights on Chipmunk until our choppers were too iced up to hang onto the tow rope anymore . Then if you could get your elbow pushing down on the rope against your hip you could still get a couple more runs in! We never gave up. – Carol Lynn Cherry Russell
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 23
Becker County history collectors Clifford Oftelie and Wilbur Joy hold several historic postcards in their collections of the Detroit Mountain. Some include an old observation tower, woodand some include the view from the mountain. The wood en observation tower was built by Harry Frank circa 1930s.
POSTCARDS FROM THE PAST 24 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
There’s snow place like home
The BEST connection to all the lakes area properties
1102 Washington Avenue ❖ Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218.847.1658 ❖ 1.800.726.1664 ❖ www.ActionRealtyDL.com
OPAL ROGSTAD
OWNER/GRI REALTOR 218.847.1658
LIEF ROGSTAD
BROKER/OWNER 218.841.8707
BOB JERNBERG GRI/AGENT 218.847.6626
GERRY ANDERSON AGENT 218.841.2446
RENEE KLUENENBERG AGENT 218.849.6877
LUCY CARLSON
REAL ESTATE AGENT 701.799.1785
ALI ZITO
AGENT 218.234.5334
NICHOLE BRISTLIN AGENT 218.396.0068
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 25
FLYING DOWNHILL Mountain to feature variety of bike trails
STORY BY PIPPI MAYFIELD
W
hile the initial focus was on the skiing portion of Detroit Mountain, the addition of mountain bike trails has quickly made it a hot destination year-round.
“There will be a lot more opportunities coming because of this,” Trail Boss Tony Schmitz said. “Everything started with skiing, but we wanted to make it four seasons so we added the bike trails.” A few members of the DMRA group toured various parks that had mountain bike systems — like Duluth and Cuyuna — and decided that was the missing addition to the Detroit Mountain project. They talked to multiple people and it “made the decision pretty clear,” especially if they wanted business in the summer, Schmitz added. They did research on what type of trails they wanted and ended up hiring Progressive Trail Designs — which has offices in Arkansas and Colorado — to design the track. “Word must be getting out already,” Schmitz said, because people are already stopping by this fall and wanting to check out the trails. Though they were never intended to be opened until spring 2015, people have stopped by wanting to test out the trails. “It needs time to set up and the dirt to get hard,” he said. There will be a variety of trails available at the mountain – from beginner to advanced skill level. There will be six gravity-fed trails built, and potentially, there will be four flow trails total. Definitions of the various types of trails in26 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
clude: Contour Flow Trail: A natural surface trail consisting of berm, rollers and constant undulation to create a “roller coaster-like” experience. Beginner Downhill Flow Trail: This trail will drop down the east side of the mountain. It will be a very gradual downhill trail that contours across the mountain, taking advantage of the wooded areas. There will be a short, gradual climb in the middle and will consist of nine berms, multiple rollers and few ramp features. Skills Course: The Skills Course is a playground-like facility comprised of a variety of elevated features, such as ladder bridges, designed to teach balance and technical handling skills. Schmitz said that the crew keeps expanding the cross country and multi-classic hand cut trails. “It was always in my head,” he said of having the trails. “I knew it would add something totally new to the area.” Trails connect to Mountain View Park and will eventually connect to the Heartland Trail, for which funding was approved between Frazee and Detroit Lakes. “The future vision is to have little skill sections throughout town, neighborhood parks, all along paved paths,” Schmitz said. Detroit Mountain wants to help make Detroit Lakes a biking city.
There will be a total of five miles of cross country flow bike trails and four to six downhill trails that are about half a mile each. “I’m really excited about the bike part. Every week we’re excited about something else,” he said. For those who either don’t own a bike or who just want to test out the trails before investing, there will be bikes available for rent at the mountain. There are also plans for an official bike club, which will host weekly events, provide trail care and offer weekly rides. Schmitz said the high school will possibly have a cycle league also, though it will not be sanctioned through the school. Like other recreational bike areas, there will be a trail pass for biking, and people can buy a daily or seasonal pass to ride the trails.
The crew from Progressive Trail Designs tests out the mountain bike trails at Detroit Mountain that they designed.
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 27
ON SUMMER DAYS BACK IN THE 1930S, ...my sisters Leatrice and Eileen and me and our cousins June and Glenn Kohler, would hike 2-1/2 miles out to explore the top of the mountain. What is now Roosevelt Avenue back at that time was just a trail without a name. This was the eastern edge of the city limits. Every thing to the east was farm land. The old mountain trail a narrow two-tire track road started at this point. To the south was the Olaf Nass farm and to the north was the Ed Anderson farm. About 1/2 mile east we would cross the Pelican River. Here we would spend time wading in the water and trying to catch minnows. A mile and a half farther east, the trail would circle around the north end of the Petchke Lakes. These lakes were named after our great-grandfather Fred Petchke who homesteaded on the west side of these lakes in the 1880s. Hiking another 1/2 mile east, we would reach the northwest side of the mountain. About 100 feet to the south is where the old path, very rocky and well worn, would start winding back and forth up the side of the mountain to the top. This old path had been used for hundreds of years. At that time it was referred to as an old Indian trail. Reaching the top the path would divide, one part going east along the north edge and the other part going towards the south. We were told there was a bears’ den half way down the north side of the mountain so we always avoided exploring in that direction. At one spot there were some old concrete blocks partly covered by earth. Our father told us that was the remains of an old fire tower which stood on top of the mountain in earlier years. Sometime in the early 1930s Harry Frank buildt a wooden observation tower about 50 feet high on top of the mountain. Inside the tower was a winding stairway going up to the top. I remember this tower still standing in the early 1940s and maybe into the 1950s.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
Make Your American Dream Come True
No matter what the home of your dreams looks like, we can help make it a reality. Options, options, options! American National Bank can help you with your home ownership needs. We offer fixed or variable rate longterm mortgages and refinance options. Residential, vacation, and investment real estate mortgages are all available at American National Bank! We also provide special mortgages for individuals buying a home for the first time, and take the time to help you every step of the way.
American National Mortgage Lenders Welcome Detroit Mountain! Raising The Standard! 325 Highway 10 West Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 Phone: 218.847.1383 Main Fax: 218.847.1384 Lobby & Bank Hours Monday - Friday: 8 AM to 5 PM 1160659
28 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Cheers to the Mountain!
The City of Detroit Lakes and Lakes Liquor salute the community for their support of Detroit Mountain.
As a city-owned establishment, proceeds from Lakes Liquor funnel directly back into the Detroit Lakes community and projects like Detroit Mountain.
Lakes Liquor 200 Holmes Street East Detroit Lakes 218-846-1180
City of Detroit Lakes Administration Building 1025 Roosevelt Ave. Detroit Lakes 218-847-5658 THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 29
NEVER FEAR, THE SKI PATROL IS HERE! Lots of medical, ski training go into the volunteer job
W
hen ski skills are as shaky as the legs giving it a try, there is something reassuring about seeing somebody else whiz by wearing a red jacket with a white cross on it. It means there is a trained professional there to help in case something goes wrong.
As excited skiers ascend upon Detroit Mountain this winter anticipating the thrill of the white powder, 25 ski patrol volunteers will also be there, with a job of anticipating a crisis. They hope they’re not needed, but they train extensively in case they are. “It was important for us to be a part of the National Ski Patrol,” said Stacy Salvevold, who is heading up the group. Salvevold says it isn’t required to have ski patrollers at a ski area, but it’s a service local volunteers are stepping forward to provide. “The standard of care is nationally set, so there’s a level of training expected of each 30 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
patroller,” said Salvevold. “It’s reassuring to the mountain that they’ll have a high level of care they can provide to customers.” Long before the first snowflake of the season began generating in the clouds above the Detroit Mountain, those 25 volunteers were studying and training. “The training is pretty intense,” said Jeff Staley, general manager for the mountain. Staley is among the first wave of people being trained, and although he already has a leg up in terms of his ski skills, he admits the rest of the class can be overwhelming at first. “You have to successfully pass the Outdoor
STORY BY PAULA QUAM Emergency Care training, which is a book about that thick,” he said, stretching his fingers out wide. “It’s 80 to 100 hours plus of instruction and prep time for Stacy Salvevold it, and then the practical testing comes in.” Staley says that part of it is “nerve-wrecking,” as the volunteers are put in real-life scenarios, mock injury setups, and students are required to address and treat each situation the way they would on the mountain. “But after the first test and after some practice testing, you start to feel a lot better about it,” said Staley. At the end of the course, if the students pass to become certified ski patrollers, they
Cutline
Ski Patrol volunteers out of Detroit Lakes (above) have been working all year on getting their initial qualifications for the job. This not only includes a tremendous amount of studying and training for the medical side of things, but will also include training on toboggan handling.
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 31
Real-live medical situations are practiced during the Ski Patrol training, which ranges in a variety of medical situations. Each volunteer has to go through roughly 100 hours of training before they are certified by the National Ski Patrol.
are essentially EMT’s. In fact, most of the training is done at the Essentia Health St. Mary’s EMT department in Detroit Lakes. “They have been so awesome in letting us use their training facility and equipment,” said Salvevold, who says that relationship will continue as St. Mary’s will be the responding medical facility in the event of an injury. Nineteen certified ski patrol instructors from around the state were in Detroit Lakes this fall to test 13 new volunteers. A handful of ski patrollers have already 32 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
been through the training, even acquiring the toboggan training in Bemidji last winter. Others finishing up their medical qualifications will do the toboggan training this winter on Detroit Mountain. “They’ll learn toboggan handling,” said Staley, “…how to load a patient into a toboggan and how to ski it safely down the hill.” So far the all-volunteer group is made up of a variety of local professionals, from a few physicians, to a police officer and the county emergency manager. Salvevold says it doesn’t matter what
somebody does for a living, as long as they can learn the ropes and endure the training. “It’s not a small commitment,” she said. “These people aren’t doing it because they get free lift tickets out of the deal; it’s all about giving back to the community.” Salvevold says because ski patrollers will be first responder-qualified, they will also be an asset to the community off the mountain as well. “They can respond to accidents and provide assistance when it’s needed; they can help out at 5-K runs and things like that,” she said. Salvevold says not everyone will stick with program, as it is demanding, but she hopes to get at least 10 to 15 new people in every year to maintain a good, strong group. Joining that group, she says, will be a bit like joining a family. “I wasn’t the best skier going into this, but I enjoy the excitement and the community around this,” said Salvevold. “You get to be a pretty tight knit group, and it’s just fun to be a part of something with so many fun, interesting people with diverse backgrounds.” Salvevold says many ski areas around the Midwest have closed because of liability issues over the years, so having one open back up in Detroit Lakes has been like breath of fresh air to those in the skiing community. “There’s a ton of energy and excitement to have a new ski patrol come around because it’s not a typical way of the ski business throughout the Midwest, so we’re in a pretty unique position,” said Salvevold.
1160349
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 33
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28
On one of our trips to the mountain in 1936, after spending part of the day exploring, we looked back to the west towards town and noticed a building on fire. Our young minds thinking it was our cousins house, we ran most of the way back to town, but we were relieved to find out it wasn’t their house but a large warehouse, a block to the west (between the State Highway Department and the Northern Pacific Railroad) where soda pop was stored. While the fire was still burning, some of the local boys would run in and grab full bottles of pop. The firemen, not wanting the boys to get hurt, put an end to this by turning their water hoses and breaking the rest of the bottles.
THE OLD MOUNTAIN
– Wilbur Joy (Oct. 24, 2014)
Detroit Mountain’s first tow rope (above) began hauling skiers up to the top of the slopes in 1951, using a towing mechanism constructed from the engine of a 1935 Studebaker. People who used the mountain for skiing before the days of the Winter Holiday Ski Club had to hike up the mountain and ski back down. 34 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Bethany Community
Ecumen Ecumen Detroit Lakes Detroit Lakes
Heritage Community
Pelican Valley Health Center
Sunnyside Care Center
320-762-1567
218-847-4486
218-732-3329
218-863-2991
218-238-5944 218-439-3831
of Park Rapids
of Pelican Rapids
of Lake Park
1160389
of Alexandria
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 35
MOUNTAIN JOBS
The management team includes (from left) Shelly Stowman, Tony Schmitz, Jeff Staley and Dave Sontag.
Meet the management team
A
s the cooler weather sets into the touristy town of Detroit Lakes and the town begins to thin out, there tends to be a little bit of economic loneliness, as seasonal jobs begin to dry up.
Now, however, job seekers in search of cold-weather opportunity can climb mountains. The opening of the Detroit Mountain Recreational Area is expected to be the winter ying to the summer yang in Detroit Lakes, with a projection of 75-plus jobs being created. Most of those will be seasonal, full and part-time jobs ranging in a variety of departments and skills. “We’ll have food and beverage servers, cashiers, bartenders, people busing tables, making pizzas, people working the ticket window and working guest services…” said Detroit 36 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Mountain Recreation Area General Manager Jeff Staley, who would be sitting there quite a while if he were to list off all of the positions being created. “We need people to fit boots and skis, snow groomers, lift operators, lift mechanics, snow makers, ski school instructors…” he added, pointing out that the variety of jobs being created means they’re looking for a diverse group of employees that can work from November through mid-March or so. “We’ve had a number of farmers come through who don’t have a lot to do in the winter, but they’re great, mechanically-mind-
STORY BY PAULA QUAM ed equipment operators who would be great individuals to run the groomers,” said Staley, who says they’re also looking for the best and brightest high school students whose smiles naturally show the excitement of the mountain. “When they’re that age and they’re in an environment like this, they’re just excited to be here and not working at some fast food place,” said Staley. “They get a ski pass out of it, they make a little extra money, they’re just tickled pink to be here, and the benefit for us is that we get that youthful energy.” Right now it’s expected that the jobs will be roughly split into thirds — 25 in guest service positions, 25 in mountain maintenance and 25 in ski instructor-helper positions. “We’ve got a few experienced instructors that have instructed at other areas but live in the community now and want to get back into it,” said Staley. “We’ve got a number of folks
that are avid snow boarders and skiers that have never instructed but want to learn now that there’s an area here.” Instructors with the Professional Ski Instructors Association will be on the mountain holding clinics with those new instructors. Meanwhile, Mike Berg from the Detroit Lakes Country Club will be the food and beverages manager during the winter. And while the majority of these jobs being created will be scaled way back during the summer months, there are a handful of employees that will be operating full speed all year round — the management team, some of which also doubles as the founding members of the non-profit group that launched the effort to bring back the mountain. JEFF STALEY Named the mountain’s general manager, Staley has his degree in parks and recreation administration from Colorado State University. The Rochester, New York native and ski enthusiast moved to Colorado to attend college, after which time he worked at Winter Park Ski Resort in the Rocky Mountains. As it turns out, not only did Staley meet his wife, Karen there (a Detroit Lakes native), but also Shelly Stowman and Tony Schmitz, who would one day join Staley in bringing back Detroit Mountain. Staley went on to work for the city of Fort Collins Parks and Recreation Department before becoming a manager at REI (a national recreational equipment store) both in Colorado and Minnesota. When the road brought him to Detroit Lakes, Staley worked at Lakeshirts as the human resources and operations manager. But when Staley realized his goal of “bringing back the mountain” was going to come to fruition, he couldn’t remove himself as a strong candidate for the general manager position, and he made an appeal to the board, bringing with him a lifetime of pertinent experience, education and a desire to see this thing succeed. “You’ve been a part of it for so many years, and now you want to make sure it’s going to be the best it can be,” said Staley. “It’s rewarding; you feel like everything is aligned and has fallen into place.” DAVE SONTAG Detroit Mountain Recreation Area Operations Manager Dave Sontag is the man
in charge when it comes to lift maintenance, snow-making operations, and construction of ski trails and the terrain park. In fact, the Detroit Lakes native learned the ropes on Detroit Mountain. “I started in 1987 working in the rental shop and working the lifts,” said Sontag, who left the area after graduating college to help manage Lutsen Ski Group in Lutsen, Minn. and Granite Peak in Wausau, Wis. He spent 20 years fine-tuning his knowledge on ski equipment, until word was out that Detroit Mountain was coming back. That’s when Sontag decided he’d come back too — this time as operations manager. TONY SCHMITZ Known as rentals and trails boss, Tony Schmitz is managing the rental shop and all of its ski and biking equipment. Schmitz is a Detroit Lakes native who grew up learning how to ski on Detroit Mountain. “I picked up my first snowboard in 1989,” he said, adding that even after the mountain shut down, he continued work with the Minnesota Youth Ski League. An avid mountain biker as well, Schmitz is in charge of the many miles of beautiful
trails that encompass the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area. SHELLY STOWMAN Marketing, Events and Snow Sports Director Shelly Stowman is the go-to person for special events, marketing and the ski school. Stowman, who grew up in Topeka, Kansas, also grew up taking family ski trips to Winter Park in Colorado, where she not only worked after college, but also met her husband, Jeff, a Detroit Lakes native. Stowman ultimately earned her Ph.D. in communications, while moving to Detroit Lakes and starting a family. She worked within various non-profit organizations, as well as Sprint, NDSU, MSUM and the DLCCC. Stowman works as an adjunct professor for M State, but as she begins her career up on Detroit Mountain, she says she finds herself going back to a true passion. “Admittedly, my true passion is tied to skiing,” said Stowman. “Growing up with the sport, falling in love in the mountains, teaching my children, and now providing a wonderful opportunity for Detroit Lakes and the surrounding community.”
Shelly Stowman
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 37
LIGHTING A SPARK
Former county administrator Brian Berg provided push to get Mountain project rolling STORY BY PIPPI MAYFIELD
W
hile he may not have stake in the Detroit Mountain project anymore, former Becker County administrator Brian Berg is happy to see the project he pushed for becoming a reality.
“I am so pleased to see that develop. I just think it’s such a wonderful thing for Detroit Lakes,” he said. While those who started the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area group say Berg had a sizable role in getting the ball rolling, Berg tends to brush off the credit. “I’m not going to say we got the thing going, but we had a little discussion,” said Berg, who is now the Clay County administrator in Moorhead. Berg said it all started when Tom Mench saw Berg in the hallway a few years ago and said if Becker County wants to do something for the community, economic development wise, it should get Detroit Mountain going again. “I started thinking about that a bit,” Berg said. So he contacted Bob Bekkerus, who owned the property, and started talking about possibilities. The county board at the time en38 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Former Becker County administrator Brian Berg helped get the ball rolling on the mountain project. couraged Berg to continue thinking of ideas and options for the land. “We really put a fair amount of effort into it,” he said. There was about 200 acres at the mountain site, and Berg started looking at Becker County’s tax forfeited land out there. When that land is sold or traded, the revenue is divided among the county, township and school district, depending on where the land lies. “So we started going down the road of making a trade for that land. We spent quite
a bit of time,” Berg said of the mountain land acquisition. “Bob (Bekkerus) spent a lot of time looking at property out there he would be willing to trade off for the Detroit Mountain.” They also looked at selling off some of the 70,000 acres the county has in tax forfeited land to purchase other land close to the city for a recreation area. “The people would have a greater use for a facility closer to a populated area,” Berg said. As he continued to look, the board and the limited number in the public that knew about a potential project started to get excited. “Frankly, it kind of generated some steam.” He said former sheriff Tim Gordon was interested in the project because he had served on the mountain’s Ski Patrol back in the day, and Cyndi Anderson was enthused about sharing her skills of setting up non-profit organizations. So they started meeting with Mark Fritz and Jeff Staley “because we were going forward with the idea that this would be publicly owned, but operated through a non-profit.” They did research on other publicly-owned, multi-use properties. “The county, at that time, was pretty darn interested in it,” Berg said. “I really thought we’d make this public ownership of the property happen and then it would be very possible to raise funds. “Yeah, I guess I had a little part to play in moving it forward, but I can’t say enough about Mark (Fritz) and his crew. They grabbed ahold of it and made it happen.”
Granted some things changed within the county board and the county decided to no longer put money toward the purchase of the land, but the city “ponied up” and invested in the land, making it publicly owned despite the county board changing its mind. Berg said the board’s vision a few years ago was that the park may be the center focus of Detroit Lakes one day. It could be 50-100 years from now, but with development continuing around the lakes area, it would be great to have a public-private park for everyone to enjoy right in the center of town, he added. Berg went so far as to dream about using the Becker County Transit system on the weekends to go out to smaller communities and bus kids to the mountain, something to get them off the couch in front of the TV and get them out skiing and tubing. “I know they had interest in it long before the county started looking at that,” he said of Fritz, “but we were really generating a thought process from a public-private partnership and making use of this tax forfeited land that lies idle out there. In the fall, some hunters walk the land, but you talk about public land use for the best bang for the buck, that’s the road we went down.” Private ownership wouldn’t have worked as well for the public, he said, because the sale of tickets would have needed to meet the expenses or the mountain would close. This way ticket prices can be held down a bit, and more of the public can enjoy the slopes. “It gained a lot of enthusiasm from a lot of people,” Berg said. “I hate to even say I played a part in it, what little bit I did. I maybe helped get the idea going.” While Berg hasn’t been back to see the new lodge yet, he said he’s looking forward to it opening and will likely come back for a visit — maybe this winter. “There’s a lot of things to do around Detroit Lakes in the summer, but what they need to sustain the motels and the restaurants and things is activities in the winter,” he said. “It’s really going to be a magnet in the wintertime. “It was a fantastic dream.”
1979 Cherry family: (from left) Colleen, Curt, Carol Lynn, Judie and Cynthia
CHERRY FAMILY LOVES DETROIT MOUNTAIN Curt and Judie had a group of friends who skied every Wednesday afternoon and many weekends at the mountain. When the children reached three or four, they started as well. The girls had rubber boots (not warm) and Northland Ski Free bindings, (just a toe release). Years later both Colleen and Carol Lynn were on the ski patrol and Cynthia worked in the kitchen. One of the proudest days of my life was driving into the mountain and seeing a ski patrol person shoveling snow into the ruts at the bottom of Chipmunk. No one ever did that! It turned out to be Colleen Cherry. Wow! – Judie Cherry
THE GUYS IN THE RENTAL SHOP... ...used to let me and a friend alphabetize all the rental receipts for the day, and then give us a lift ticket in exchange for the next day. When we were finally old enough, we joined the Ski Patrol so we could ski free. – Carol Lynn Cherry Russell
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 39
I STARTED SKIING AT THE MOUNTAIN AT AGE FOUR... “I quickly graduated to Chipmunk because the Bunny Hill was too far from the bathroom. At Chipmunk you could shush right down the hill and up to the lodge and then shush right down to the tow for the next ride up.” “Working in the kitchen for Rosie Bekkerus allowed me to get lift tickets. She made rice krispy bars with chocolate frosting that were so popular the kitchen crew never got any, they went too fast.”
We find great buys, you will too!
1160575
– Cynthia Cherry Myogeto
SKIING DEFINITIONS:
Yard Sale — a good wipe-out when all the skis, poles, glasses, hats, and gloves would scatter down the mountain. Death Cookies – big chunks of ice that caused painful wipe-outs and broken equipment.
– Colleen (Cherry) Hoffman, Thief River Falls
Outlet Recreation Welcomes Detroit Mountain! Outlet Rec provides friendly straight forward sales, exceptional service, parts and rentals on new and pre-owned recreational vehicles. Our rapidly changing inventory consists of new and pre-owned motorhomes, mini homes, class B’s, toy-haulers, 5th wheels, park trailers, travel trailers, hybrid trailers, tent trailers, truck campers, ice castle fish houses and golf cars. If we do not have what you are looking for, we will find it! Located Just south of the Intersection of Hwy 10 and 59, in beautiful Detroit Lakes.
218-844-6969 1015 Hwy 59 S • Detroit Lakes
www.OutletRecreation.com
Locations also in Fargo and Clearwater 40 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Make new memories today that will last forever!
Price’s Fine Jewelry est. 1943
218-847-5309 805 Washington Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 www.prices-finejewelry.com THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 41
ENGINEERING A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT Gary Nansen went all-out to make construction work come together in time
W
hen engineer Gary Nansen first got involved with the Detroit Mountain project, he figured he would help out here and there as needed. Little did he know just how much time he would be investing into the project.
“I got a call from Mark Fritz one day a year ago last spring and he said, ‘We’ve got the money and somehow we need to implement this… Would you be interested in helping us out?’ Nansen gave it some thought and decided he could dedicate some time to it. He teaches engineering at M State and has some other roles in the community and then there’s his personal life as well. “I just felt I had some time, but I am trying to work towards retirement,” he said with a laugh. Nansen got on board with the project, thinking it would be in more of a supervisory role, but “it turned out to be much, much more 42 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
STORY BY PIPPI MAYFIIELD
than that. “I became the construction project manager, and there were certainly weeks I put in 40-plus hours, which was kind of not what I was seeking, but Gary Nansen that’s what the role entailed,” he said. Those hours were filled with anything from doing design work to preparing contracts to preparing information for Becker County relative to the rezoning of the property back to agriculture, with a variance for recreational use. Make no mistake though, Nansen stressed, the ideas were not his. The ideas for the mountain were already there, and he simply supervised the project and helped it come to completion. “There were people always involved; these weren’t my ideas,” he said. “I was more of ‘give me an idea, give me what you think and I’ll refine it and blend it down and we’ll figure out where we go from here.’ “I’m not the originator of the ideas by any means. What it looks like is a combination of a lot of people, not me saying, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do.’”
He said one of the most interesting things for him along the way was asking people he knew to help out with the project and having everyone step up to partake. “It’s gratifying to see people that would recognize this project as significant and want to get involved.” Since the lodge was already laid out by the time Nansen came on board – and that wasn’t his expertise anyway – he focused more on the site grading, other building placements and contracts for ski lift equipment. “One of the first things was a question of where do you place the lodge, and it turned out that we dropped the grade about 12 feet and lowered the whole thing,” he said. So much of Nansen’s work at the mountain was planning ahead, too. “From my perspective, this is totally a unique animal, nothing I had been familiar with and the timeline it takes to do these things.” For instance, the ski lift contracts were drawn up about a year and a half in advance. “We went in the summer of last year and started negotiating contracts, had a contract in place by August of last year, and they’re still working out there,” he said. “It’s taken them
The lodge was lowered and the parking lot was revamped so everything flowed better at the Mountain. Engineer Gary Nansen oversaw the project.
well over a year since when those contracts were signed.” Workers spent the winter building the lifts, and mountain crews had to build the foundations. “We had to do a lot of work on the site and make sure the foundations were accurate,” Nansen said. “We did surveyor work to make sure that the placement was going to work when they came out to throw those towers up and the lifts, that they’re going to fit. “That’s when you cross your fingers and hope you know what you’re doing.” Another major project was the snow making pumps and the piping and the uniqueness of the system. Trying to figure out how big of a basin to build, what pump size and other various mechanics had to be worked through, he said.
“Again, that was done last fall, with a sixmonth delivery on the pumps,” Nansen said. “So, a few weeks ago, we just did a pump startup to verify that it works.” As project manager, obviously getting everything scheduled was a major portion of Nansen’s work. He said he sent out weekly schedules and kept projects on task. “It’s certainly exciting and gratifying to see that we’re going to make it,” he said of opening this fall. “Until we pull that final lever and people get on the lifts, there’s always a question in my mind, because this is something I haven’t done before. “From my personal opinion, there’s also the relief that we’re at this point. There were a lot of sleepless nights, timelines and surprises along the way. So for me, it’s gratifying to see it opening, and at the same time,
I’m happy it’s about open and we can wrap it up.” And when it opens, Nansen will be out there to see the finished product and maybe check out the slopes himself. More importantly, he’ll be able to see his family utilize it as well. “My children live quite a ways away,” he said. “They’re spread across the country and we see them in the summer months, but they see no reason to come back in the winter. “They all skied at the mountain so they’re all very familiar with it, and so they have all scheduled flights for a week in December so they can come back and enjoy it. That’s kind of gratifying.”
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 43
BRINGING THE MOUNTAIN BACK A view from the top of the mountain.
The City of DL stepped up to the plate to make DMRA a reality
STORY BY PIPPI MAYFIELD
T
hough the county first started the discussion on getting Detroit Mountain back up and running, it is the city of Detroit Lakes that actually took the project on, donated time and money and has taken ownership of the entity. As of mid-November, a donation agreement was executed naming the city as owner of Detroit Mountain — the land, equipment, buildings, everything. The DMRA group has a seven-year management agreement with the city to run the operation. “DMRA will hold nothing at that point, we will simply be a management entity,” General Manager Jeff Staley said of the agreement. Detroit Lakes Mayor Matt Brenk, a supporter of the project from the beginning, said there were several reasons the city took on the project. “We were approached by DMRA group to 44 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
own the mountain because in order for the financial projections to work, they needed to No. 1, not have any debt — that’s why they’ve gone out and raised all the money through donations and grants and tax credits — and then the second part of it, if it’s owned by a public entity, like the city, they will be exempt from paying real estate taxes,” Brenk said. Benefits of the city-owned property are multiple, from tax exemption to lower lift tickets. “We’re operating for the sole purpose to achieve our mission statement, which is to improve the overall health and wellness of
our community through outdoor recreation, spe- Mayor Matt Brenk cifically winter sports, hiking and biking,” Staley said. With that, the DMRA group can simply get people outdoors and being active, not worrying about making a profit. If it were a group of private investors, lift tickets would be much higher priced. “We certainly don’t want to get into a situation where we need to charge $75 for a lift ticket. It becomes unaffordable to so many,” he said. “It is truly a community resource and as-
set.” Not only does the city own the entity, the council also agreed to spend a substantial amount of money on the project. “I think all told with the donation we made and then the funds from the food and beverage tax for the parking lot and the public utilities contribution, it’s around $1 million the city has invested,” Brenk said. Staley said it’s just like any other city park, just with some extra equipment. “It’s an asset that essentially any community members can utilize,” he added. There is also the benefit of exemption from property taxes, assistance in insurance coverage and partnership in grant assistance. For example, the DMRA group, the city and the county are working together to create a corridor linking the mountain with the county-owned Mountain View Park and the future Heartland Trail extension. “We’d love to see the city do additional bike trails, whether it be out to Dunton Locks, to City Park or Peoples Park, creating more of a network of trails and biking areas,” Staley said. DMRA has purchased the corridor between the mountain property and South Tower Road, opening in the spring for biking and hiking, to hopefully link the mountain property with Mountain View Park in the future. Staley said there would need to be more easements in place to say it’s linked, but peo-
ple can access them using the gravel road and ditches. Linking the two is in a grant request the county and city are working on. While the county hasn’t contributed financially to the mountain, it is trying to make other neighborhood improvements. For instance, it paved Otto Zeck Road, which is obviously a benefit to the residents, but Staley said it will be nice for some people to use the paved road to access the mountain from Highway 34.. “But our visitors would drive down gravel or whatever they needed to get to us,” he added. The county is also making improvements to Mountain View Park, which is county-owned. It is paving the parking lot, along with putting in vault toilets and a picnic shelter. “If they make more improvements there to attract people, it will just naturally bring more people to our site as well,” Staley said. And the more people use the property, the better for Detroit Lakes and its people. “With the no debt and no real estate taxes, it makes the numbers work so it can sustain itself and support itself without any subsidy from the taxpayers,” Brenk said. “The city decided it made sense because it’s going to become an asset to us, bringing people to town and providing recreational facilities to our citizens and children.”
WHEN I WAS ABOUT 3, MY MOM TAUGHT ME TO SKI ON BUNNY HILL AT DETROIT MOUNTAIN... I would ride the tow rope up the hill between her knees because I was too short to grab the rope. After countless days/years of going up and down and up and down Bunny, and finally getting tall enough to grab the tow rope myself, graduation day came. Jim Evans snuck me over to the Chipmunk Hill, and I followed him up the tow. It was so exciting to stand at the top and pick my line down, and then ski it! The last run of the day I was sooo tired, and I crashed hard. I broke the top of my ski off, (wood skis) and was certain I had broken some part of me. In the end I picked myself up and dusted myself off and walked back to the lodge. When my mom saw what happened, she was a bit cross with Mr. Evans, but decided that if I could take a crash like that and get myself up, I had officially graduated to Chipmunk. – Carol Lynn Cherry Russell
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 45
THE MOUNTAIN A great place to learn to ski and snowboard
A
t the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area, guests will find all levels of skiing and snowboarding lessons to choose from.
DMRA is teaming up with Snow Operating, can control their speed, gain balance and conLLC to offer Terrain-Based Learning ski and fidence, reduce falls, minimize fear and have fun while they learn. snowboard lessons this season. Adjacent to the area designed for first-time Terrain Based Learning, which was first tested at Mountain Creek Resort in New Jersey downhill skiers and boarders is a longer and in 2012, is a new form of instruction that in- steeper slope, with slightly more difficult feacorporates shaping the snow terrain to assist tures, to help these intermediate-level skiers guests in learning skiing or snowboarding and boarders practice their skills before trying techniques, without the fear factor of speed- the primary slopes. “The emphasis will be on having fun while ing down a slope. “Gone are the days of putting a first timer learning to ski or snowboard,” said DMRA on skis or boards and letting them just hit the slopes,” said Shelly Stowman, director of marketing, events and snow sports for DMRA. “It’s all about having fun in a ‘fear-free’ zone,” she added. “Terrain-Based Learning removes the fear of sliding with the fun and empowerment of gliding down the hill. Skiing and boarding becomes less intimidating and more intuitive for guests of all ages.” Detroit Mountain’s expanded A ‘magic carpet’ conveyor system will transport learning area, located just outskiers and snowboarders to the top side the lodge to the northeast, of the beginners’ skiing slopes, the area is named Potential Park. It’s bethat has been dubbed Prospect Park. ing shaped with fun and learning at the forefront, she added, and includes two areas for skiers and boarders to General Manager Jeff Staley. “Seventy percent or more of people who practice the sport. A specific portion of Potential Park will learn to ski learn at a ski area with less than 600 be designated for first-time skiers and board- feet of vertical slope,” he added. Along with these specially-designed feaers, with a gentle grade serviced by a “magic carpet” conveyor lift that will allow skiers and tures, Terrain Based Learning also incorporates snowboarders to step onto it, either carrying progressive teaching principles, with Snow their skis/boards, or with them strapped on, Operating, Inc., providing the on-the-snow training for Detroit Mountain instructors as and convey them to the top of the hill. Features such as rollers, mini-pipes and well as snow groomers, who are taught to bank turns allow a first-time guest to explore shape the snow for the best results. “We are developing lessons for age three various sensations of sliding on snow. Guests 46 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
STORY BY VICKI GERDES
and up,” Stowman said. Skiing and snowboarding lessons will be offered in either half-day or full-day sessions, and skiers can choose between private and group lessons as well, she added. For the group sessions, the skier-to-instructor ratio will be “one instructor for every four skiers,” Stowman said. “Terrain Based Learning is going to help Detroit Mountain emphasize our commitment to offering a top notch experience for the whole family,” she said. BURTON LEARN-TO-RIDE CENTER “Detroit Mountain will be an official Burton Learn-to-Ride Center,” says Tony Schmitz, DMRA’s rental shop manager and trails boss. Burton, a major snowboard manufacturing company, became the only snowboard company in the industry to focus on snowboard instruction methods and beginner-specific equipment in 1998. Now, in 2014, Burton offers a full range of snowboarding programs and Learn-To-Ride Centers at resorts worldwide, making learning to snow-board as fun and easy as possible, Schmitz added. Detroit Mountain’s rental shop will feature Burton snowboards and Head skis, though they will be available for rental only. “We will not sell skis or snowboards, only rent them,” Schmitz said. “We will be renting Head skis, boots and helmets. The skis will be fitted with Tyrolia bindings and Goode ski poles. Our snowboards are Burton, matched up with Burton boots and bindings.” “Burton’s goal is to introduce snowboarding to more people,” Stowman said. “They have specific products (skis, boots and bindings) and training techniques designed to help new riders as well as help current riders to improve.”
Beautiful view. Beautiful home. 525 Roosevelt Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN
www.dynamichomes.com
1162576
1-800-492-4833
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 47
A BUMPY RIDE THEY’LL LOVE Terrain park will give snowboarders a chance to show off their tricks
T
he Scheels Terrain Park is an area of Detroit Mountain that allows both skiers and snowboarders the chance to perform various tricks, jumps, and other aerial skills. Professionally designed by Geoff Bostwick of Terrain Park Consulting in Boulder, Colo., Scheels Terrain Park will have a variety of features such as rails and pipes, jib boxes, table tops and other specially-designed jumps. “He (Bostwick) designed this with the proper distance between each feature to ensure safety and control,” said Detroit Mountain Recreation Area General Manager Jeff Staley. “There will be a lot of different features to ride on and over,” Staley added. A high-speed tow rope — “12 feet per sec48 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
ond,” says Tony Schmitz, DMRA’s rental shop manager and trails boss — will pull skiers and boarders up the hill for as many trips down as they want. “Some people might hit (a feature) for an hour or more just to perfect one technique,” Schmitz added. The various features were also designed so they can be rotated from one part of the terrain park to another, in order to keep the course challenging for regular users, Staley said.
STORY BY VICKI GERDES
“The terrain park will also incorporate features for all riding and skiing levels, from beginner to expert,” he added. And of course, there will also be three chairlifts in operation on the mountain, to serve both skiers and snowboarders. Responsibility for maintaining the ski lifts, as well as snow making and trail grooming duties have been assigned to Dave Sontag, DMRA’s mountain operations manager. Sontag, a Detroit Lakes native, worked at the Detroit Mountain Ski Lodge from 1987 to 1995, as a rental shop technician and snowmaker. “I also assisted them with lift maintenance, and manned the lifts occasionally,” Sontag said. After graduating from Moorhead State University, he branched out to work at Lutsen
Resort near Lake Superior, and later at Granite Peak, a downhill and cross country skiing operation located at Rib Mountain State Park outside Wausau, Wis., before returning to Lutsen in 2006. He also worked as mountain manager at Giant’s Ridge Recreation Area near Biwabik, Minn., prior to moving back to Detroit Lakes this past spring to begin working with DMRA. “Somehow I always seem to end up back where I started,” Sontag said, adding that his return to his hometown has been a case of “so far, so good.” The Scheels name is attached to the terrain park through the company’s “major financial contribution” to the project, according to Scheels marketing leader Marcus Thornton. “It all started with a phone call from Mark Fritz to Steve Scheel,” Thornton said. “The Scheels organization is very invested in skiing, it’s in their blood. It was a natural fit.” The terrain park was chosen to bear the company’s name because “it’s really the most visible aspect of the Mountain as you drive in
there,” Thornton said. The Scheels name will be prominently featured on the archway leading to the terrain park. “It’s really exciting for us to be a part of that,” Thornton said. “It’s something this region doesn’t have a lot of (terrain parks).” Scheels will also continue to be involved in providing advice from a marketing and technical standpoint, he added — including the mountain biking facilities, due to the fact that Steve Scheel and several others in the company are “active riders who are very passionate about the sport.” “We’ve offered up our marketing resources to provide the crew with some help and technical assistance so they can get up and running,” Thornton said. He also noted that a large contingent of Scheels employees would be regular visitors to the Mountain. “We already have quite a few people who have purchased season passes,” he said. “It’s not just something for the adults, it’s very much a family experience.”
IN THE LATE 70S WE USED TO TAKE THE FAMILY TRUCK TO THE MOUNTAIN ROAD, ...and wait for people to slide into the ditch after a big snow. The road was very twisty and you could pull different cars out of the same ditch on the same day - for a fee. Then we could afford lift tickets to go skiing -for the day. – Carol Lynn Cherry Russell
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 49
It gives me great pleasure
1966: Judie Cherry with Colleen Cherry new skis and rubber boots.
to congratulate all of those who have made the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area a reality here in Detroit Lakes. Stewardship, volunteerism and philanthropy continue to be a hallmark of this great city and this new state of the art facility has taken that community spirit to a new level!
I GREW UP SKIING ON DETROIT MOUNTAIN SINCE THE AGE OF 3 AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST SKI PATROL BACK IN THE ’70S. My fondest memory is night skiing to Karen Carpenter singing “On Top of The World Looking Down on Creation…” when I was a teenager, standing on the top of Chipmunk feeling like I owned the mountain! Being a ski patrol was a fun job and huge responsibility – helping scared little kids navigate down the hill, assisting on the lifts, picking up the pieces of someone’s yard sale, giving little skiing lessons, disciplining terroristic kids, and being on the look-out for death cookies. We did a sweep at the end of each day to make sure everyone was safely off the mountain. Seldom, but sometimes, we had to haul people down in the basket, but we had all been through the training and everyone survived. In the later years, we got the ski patrol “shack” and we took turns putting wood in the stove to keep it warm. It was our gathering place and we ate our lunch there. Also, we had a schedule of who was working. We bought matching ski-patrol jackets to wear and someone stole mine the first week. Mom sewed all of us little yellow fannypack belts with red crosses on them so we could carry our bandages, safety pins and ski wax. By then, being on the ski patrol had become more popular, and I was off to college so only came back on weekends and holidays. – Colleen (Cherry) Hoffman, Thief River Falls 50 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
The addition of this four season recreational area will compliment our already extensive park and rec facilities, our mile long city beach, our community and cultural center and our expanding multi-use trail systems to name a few. These and other community amenities help make Detroit Lakes a progressive and dynamic place to live, work and visit. I’m extremely proud to serve as Mayor of Detroit Lakes and look forward to seeing you soon at Detroit Mountain. Matt Brenk, Mayor City of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota (Paid for by Matt Brenk)
CONTRIBUTING TO THE DL COMMUNITY SINCE 1935 g g g g g g g g
Detroit Mountain Detroit Mountain Tubing Chalet Tamarac Discovery Center Gifts for Kids Proud organizers of 80 Senior Dinner years of the Northwest Dollars for Scholars Water Carnival Math Counts Send us an email if you’d like more information on the Boys & Girls Club Detroit Lakes Jaycees dljaycees@yahoo.com
water | transportation | municipal | facilities
We believe in the big dreams. We believe perseverance makes anything possible. We believe the last one down is a rotten egg.
Congratulations to the visionaries, the volunteers and the believers. We’re proud to have helped make it real. And now, we believe we’ll go for another run.
ApexEngGroup.com 1160628r1
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 51
DOWNHILL ALL THE WAY
Tubing hill will be fun for everyone in the family
F
or Detroit Mountain Recreation Area visitors who want to experience the thrill of hurtling downhill, but aren’t quite ready to strap on a snowboard or a pair of skis, the snow sports facility also offers a dedicated tubing park with a 600-foot slope. “There will be five lanes of tubing,” said Shelly Stowman, director of marketing, events and snow sports for DMRA. “We will rent the tubes, and offer lift tickets just like for skiing and snowboarding.” “The tubes will be traditional inner tubes with nylon coverings, much like those used to pull the tubes behind boats,” said DMRA General Manager Jeff Staley. And just like the beginner hill, the tubing hill will be serviced by a “magic carpet” conveyor system where people can carry their tubes on and enjoy an easy trip back up the 52 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
hill for another run, he added. At the bottom of the hill is a warming house that was constructed this summer, with both funding and volunteer labor provided by the Detroit Lakes Jaycees. “It wasn’t in their (DMRA’s) capital budget to have a warming house at the tubing hill — so we donated the funds from the 78th Northwest Water Carnival to build one,” said Jaycees member Matt Boeke, who also served as admiral for the 78th Northwest Water Carnival, held in 2013. Since tubing is such a family-oriented
STORY BY VICKI GERDES activity, and the tubing hill is “quite a walk” from the main lodge, the Jaycees decided the warming house would be an appropriate use of water carnival funds, which are typically used for various community improvement projects in and around Detroit Lakes. “That basically paid for all the building materials, and we brought in a general contractor, Garrett Johnson, who donated his time to build it,” Boeke said. “We (the Jaycees) also contributed a lot of volunteer hours to help him get it done.” The chalet-style warming house, 24-foot by 36-foot in size, will be equipped with a large picture window overlooking the tubing hill, so people can come in, warm up, enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or coffee, and watch their family and friends hurtle down the hill to their hearts’ content, said Staley. “It’ll have bathrooms and a comfortable, warm place for people to sit and take in the tubing activities,” Boeke added.
Community
MINDED. TM
…Just Like you “Your Community Bank”
When it comes to buying or refinancing, don’t settle for less.
PERHAM
LORI D. MATTFELD
You deserve: United Community Bank • more financial planning resources Supports andsolutions • more creative • more localBack branches Welcomes • more investment in the community Detroit Mountain! • more commitment to your financial goals • and the MOST lenders “Your experienced Community Bank”
lorim@ucbankmn.com | 218.346.9735 | NMLS
RYAN A. RUSTAD
ryanr@ucbankmn.com | 218.346.9749 | NMLS 1160460
TESSA FORMANEK
tessaf@ucbankmn.com | 218.346.9752 | NMLS FRAZEE
ASHLEY RENOLLET
ashleyr@ucbankmn.com | 218.346.9725 | NML
Home Equity Loans with NO Closing Cost*
* Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 4.5% effective as of 09/25/14 an subject to change. APR shown assumes excellent borrower credit history and a loan-to-value (LTV) of 80% or less. The APR is variable and can change each month, but will never be higher than 8.0%. The APR is based on Well Fargo Prime Rate plus a margin of .50%. The term of the loan is 5 years. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Must have automatic payment from a UCB deposit account. Homeowners property insurance is required.
“Your Community Bank”
When it comes to buying or refinancing, don’t settle for less. You deserve: • more financial planning resources • more creative solutions • more local branches • more investment in the community • more commitment to your financial goals • and the MOST experienced lenders
“Your Commun
PERHAM
LORI D. MATTFELD
lorim@ucbankmn.com | 218.346.9735 | NMLS ID# 480590
RYAN A. RUSTAD ryanr@ucbankmn.com | 218.346.9749 | NMLS ID# 460590
TESSA FORMANEK
tessaf@ucbankmn.com | 218.346.9752 | NMLS ID# 480585 FRAZEE
ASHLEY RENOLLET
ashleyr@ucbankmn.com | 218.346.9725 | NMLS ID# 1065553
Home Equity Loans with NO Closing Cost*
* Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 4.5% effective as of 09/25/14 an subject to change. APR shown assumes excellent borrower credit history and a loan-to-value (LTV) of 80% or less. The APR is variable and can change each month, but will never be higher than 8.0%. The APR is based on Well Fargo Prime Rate plus a margin of .50%. The term of the loan is 5 years. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Must have automatic payment from a UCB deposit account. Homeowners property insurance is required.
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 53
Congratulations and Welcome Back
Detroit Mountain! Congratulations...proud to be a part of this!
Congratulations from:
ELSNER WELL DRILLING INC LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED BY KELLY ELSNER • SERVING THE AREA FOR OVER 28 YEARS Geo-Thermal Heating Experts
FARM • HOME • CABIN • GOLF COURSE RESIDENTIAL • MUNICIPAL • COMMERCIAL
1330 Hwy 10 East ◆ Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 (218) 847-2000 ◆ (218) 847-5806 (fax)
“ Where Elsner Goes, Water Flows” Complete Well Systems • Geo-Thermal Drilling • Horizontal Directional Drilling Year-Round Drilling • Irrigation • Well-Abandonment • Pump Repair • Water Dowsing www.elsnerwelldrilling.com
218-844-8400
We look forward to enjoying the new Detroit Mountain!
Complete Insurance Services FARGO 1425 41st Street N Fargo, ND 58102 701-282-9255 www.BrockWhite.com
Don Guida with
Brent Gerber
proudly provided Timbers, Stump Logs, Timber Tables and Timber Planking.
With dozens of companies to choose from, let us do the shopping for you. Let us find the company that best matches your specific needs! Give us a call soon!
Community Development Insurance Services, LLC Ogema 218-983-3008 • Detroit Lakes 218-844-7311
CONGRATULATIONS!
Blueberry Log Homes
218-255-0878 www.blueberryloghomes.com
Be ready!
Accidents happen …
Congratulations!
“Something Better... at a Budget Rate”
• Mini Golf • Wi-Fi • New Flat Screen TV’s • Continental Breakfast • In-Room Coffee Brewer, Microwave, Refrigerator • At Door Parking
895 Hwy. 10 E., Detroit Lakes
(218) 847-4454 1-800-888-2124
NAT. 1-800-BUD-HOST • DETROIT LAKES.COM/BUDGETHOST 1160671
54 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Better than ever s n o s a e s r u o Open f ! r a e y e h t of ONE CONTRACTOR START TO FINISH
“Quality At A Discount” SINCE 1959
of Detroit Lakes Commercial • Residential • Industrial Painting • Drywall • Steel Stud Framing Insulation: Blow in, Fiberglass Batts, Spray Foam Comfort Foam Qualified Contractor
PH: 218-847-3329
Open 7 Days A Week • 14 Departments • Shop On Line
www.landmsupply.com
• Other L&M Locations: Grand Rapids, Hibbing , Mt. Iron/Virginia, Cloquet, Bemidji, Park Rapids, Hayward 100% Employee Owned 100% 100% Employee 100% Employee Owned Employee Owned Owned
For All
For All Your Land Surveying Needs Your Land
Surveying The Lakes Country Since 1946 www.meadowlandsurveying.com
meadowland@lakesnet.net Scott Walz, PLS
1118 Hwy 59 S • Detroit Lakes, MN
218.847.4289
Surveying Needs
Surveying The Lakes Country Since 1946
HOWARD’S DRIVEWAY, INC. is happy to be a part of this!
218.564.4483
www.howardsdriveway.com Seal Coating • Hot Patching • Striping • Crack Filling - FREE ESTIMATES Jeremy Howard - Owner Menahga, MN Serving Central Minnesota along with the Fargo/Moorhead Area
More than just a pharmacy... More than just a pharmacy... More than just a We offer a variety of pharmacy services with More than just a pharmacy... pharmacy...
highest level of of pharmacy service andservices support. Wethe offer a variety with We offer a variety of pharmacy services with Wethe offer a variety of pharmacy services with highest level of service and support. the highest level of service and support. the highest level of service and support. 808 Washington Ave. • Detroit Lakes, MN • 218-847-9248 • 1-800-510-7497 808 Washington Ave. • Detroit Lakes, MN• Sat.: • 218-847-9248 • 1-800-510-7497 STORE HOURS: Monday-Friday: 9am - 8pm 9am - 5:30pm • Sun.: 12pm - 5pm 808 Washington Ave. Detroit MN •• 218-847-9248 • 1-800-510-7497 808 PHARMACY Washington Ave. ••Monday-Friday: Detroit Lakes, Lakes, 1-800-510-7497 HOURS: 9amMN - 7pm 218-847-9248 • Sat.: 9am - 5pm • •Sun.: 12pm - 4pm STORE HOURS: Monday-Friday: 9am - 8pm • Sat.: 9am - 5:30pm • Sun.: 12pm - 5pm STORE HOURS: Monday-Friday: 9am - 8pm • Sat.: 9am - 5:30pm • Sun.: 12pm - 5pm STORE HOURS: Monday-Friday: 9am9am - 8pm • Sat.: 9am9am - 5:30pm PHARMACY HOURS: Monday-Friday: - 7pm • Sat.: - 5pm• •Sun.: Sun.:12pm 12pm- -5pm 4pm PHARMACY HOURS: Monday-Friday: 9am - 7pm • Sat.: 9am - 5pm • Sun.: 12pm - 4pm TM PHARMACY HOURS: Monday-Friday: 9am - 7pm • Sat.: 9am - 5pm • Sun.: 12pm - 4pm STAY HOME! We offer Prescription Mail Out Service
STAY HOME! STAY HOME!
WePrescription offer Prescription Mailin Out Service Town STAYDelivery HOME! We offer Prescription Mail Out Service Participation in Most Mail 3rd Party Plans We offer Prescription Out Service
Prescription Delivery in Town Competitive Prices Prescription Delivery in Town Participation Most 3rd Party Plans Prescription Delivery in Town 30 Dayin Charge Accounts Participation in Most 3rd Party Plans Competitive Prices Participation in Most 3rd Party Plans Automated Prescription Phone Line Competitive Prices 30 Competitive Day Charge Accounts Prices Savings onCharge 350 Generic Drugs 30 Day Accounts Automated Prescription Phone Line 30 Day Charge Accounts Automated Prescription Phone Line Automated Prescription Phone DrugsLine Savings on 350 Generic Savings on 350 Generic Drugs Savings on 350 Generic Drugs
HealthyPack H Pack Healthy ealthy ealthyPack ack Multi-Dose Packaging
TM TM TM
Immunization Provider Pressure Checks Immunization Provider Immunization Provider Free Daily Blood Pressure Checks Immunization Provider We accept the Express Free Daily Blood PressureScript Checks Free Daily Blood Pressure Checks
Multi-Dose Packaging Multi-Dose Packaging Free Daily Blood Multi-Dose Packaging
Insurance Plan We accept the Express Script We accept the Express Script We accept the Express Insurance Plan Script Insurance Plan Insurance Plan
Helping to make the world brighter Med Sync
one smile atSynchronized a time!Sync Prescription Med Med Sync Refill Service Synchronized Prescription Kristine M. Riewer, DDS • Donald L. Steinmetz, DDS • Ryan R. Manke, DDS Synchronized Prescription Automated Prescription Refill Service
Nursing Home Division Synchronized Prescription Refill Service
Automated Prescription Refill Service Pet Medications Refill Service 701 Hwy. Prescription 10 EastRefill • Detroit Lakes,Nursing MN •Home 218-847-9214 Automated Service Refill Service Automated Prescription Refill Service Division
Kodak Picture Maker Nursing Home Division Pet Medications Nursing Home Division Pharmaceutical Care/Counseling 1160673 Pet Medications Kodak Picture Maker Pet Medications Kodak Picture Maker Pharmaceutical Care/Counseling Kodak Picture Maker THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 55 Pharmaceutical Care/Counseling Pharmaceutical Care/Counseling
IT ALL STARTED WITH A STUDEBAKER History of skiing on Detroit Mountain
A
1935 Studebaker was literally the driving force behind the beginnings of the Detroit Mountain Ski Area. It was the engine of that Studebaker that propelled the mountain’s first tow rope, back in the early 1950s. A group of seven skiing enthusiasts from the Moorhead area — Dale Anderson, Dave Armstrong, Jerry Bueide, Bob Engelstad, Dave Herringer, Jim Marquart and Chuck Thompson — pooled their resources to buy the car,
56 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Winter Holiday Ski Club members (from left) Chuck Thompson, Dave Armstrong, Jim Marquardt (behind car), Dale Anderson and Bob Engelstad with the old 1935 Studebaker that was used to power Detroit Mountain’s first tow rope back in the 1950s.
knowing that they would need a gas engine to supply the towing power. In 1951, there was no immediate supply of electricity to the site. “We were childhood friends who’d grown up together, and we all loved to ski,” said Anderson. The seven young men discovered the mountain when they were scoping out potential skiing sites in the lakes area, as an alternative to driving for hours to enjoy other ski slopes in the region. “We didn’t like driving all the way to Walker or Brainerd to ski — we were too tired to drive back, and we couldn’t afford to stay over,” explained Marquart. “One day the decision was that there had to be some hills around Detroit Lakes that we
STORY BY VICKI GERDES could use, so we started looking at places, and we found the mountain,” Anderson said. The site already had a couple of ski runs that had been cleared sometime in the 1930s, though there were no tow ropes or chair lifts, so people had to walk up and ski down. “We thought we could work that into a ski area, so we found out who owned the property and after several trips to visit with him, we got permission to lease the place,” said Anderson. The owner at that time, Harry Hibbing, agreed to xlease the property to the Winter Holiday Ski Club, as they had decided to call themselves, for just $1 per year — though it did take some persuading. “He didn’t want to lease it to us in the beginning,” Marquart admitted.
Above, Detroit Mountain staff, circa 1965 (left to right): Owner Maurice Seter Jr., ski instructors Merlyn Valan, Dave Reitan and Ray Ely, and owner Gordon Bekkerus. At right, four of the original members of the original Winter Holiday Ski Club reunited at the Detroit Mountain Ski Area for its 50th anniversary in 2002. From left to right, Dale Anderson, Jerry Bueide, Chuck Thompson and Bob Engelstad posed for this picture with 2002 co-owner Gary Bekkerus (center).
But Hibbing finally agreed, and from that point it was an all-out race for the seven young men to get the slopes ready for skiing before the snow started to fly. “We were out here just about every weekend, clearing trees and setting things up for the tow rope,� said Marquart as he looked up at the mountain during a tour of the new facilities late this past summer. That tow rope was an inspired bit of creative engineering; the young men used the engine and frame of that 1935 Studebaker to power the towing mechanism. Besides the car, the young men scraped THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 57
Detroit Mountain continued under the ownership of the Bekkerus family for several decades, bringing in as many as 1,000 skiers a day during its heyday; but the owners didn’t forget the ski area’s beginnings, as the plaque shown at right hung in the lobby of the lodge for many years. up enough cash to buy the tow rope, pulleys, lumber for the towing shack and warming house, and other related materials. “We built the (towing) engine in Moorhead and then hauled it out to the mountain,” said Anderson. Marquart — who was a mechanical engineering student at NDSU at the time — also noted that they built the trailer for hauling their equipment out to the mountain using the wheels and axle from that old Studebaker. They were also able to splice together about 1,200 feet of rope to haul skiers all the way up the hill — with a little help. “Dale and I, being Eagle Scouts, thought we’d try to splice together these pieces of one-inch rope, but we couldn’t quite nail it,” Marquart said. “So we talked to Otto (Zeck, a former museum curator and taxidermist who lived nearby), and he ended up splicing it for us.” Trivia note: Visitors to the mountain might also recognize the name Otto Zeck, as it is the name of the road that leads south from Highway 34 to the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area. 58 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Zeck also loaned them the buzz saw used to clear trees for the ski slope, and would even give their cars a jump start whenever they needed it —even if it was in the middle of the night, according to Engelstad. “He just loved having a place to come (to ski),” Anderson said. One of the main problems encountered during those early years on the mountain was keeping engine motors running in the bitter cold of a winter night in northwest Minnesota. “Many a day we would get here on a Sunday morning and have to carry those five gallon gas cans and (car) batteries up to the top of the hill to get the motor running for the tows,” said Anderson, adding jokingly, “We were young then.” Those gas cans, while obviously heavy, were also highly flammable — as the boys discovered during one particularly cold winter morning. “One day, when we were starting up the engine for the tow, it backfired,” Anderson recalled. “I don’t know what happened, but a spark from the gas engine lit the gas cans, so I
pulled them out and threw them down the hill. “We hated to do it, but there was no other choice. We had lots of interesting experiences like that out here.” Even with all the inherent hazards, however, having their own tow machine was a major coup for the young entrepreneurs. In a 1951 Moorhead News article announcing the opening of Detroit Mountain, Engelstad had declared that the installation of the tow machine would make the DL-area ski run “as easy as Sun Valley (Idaho).” The small warming house at the foot of what was, at the time, the mountain’s only ski run, was a place where visitors could come and purchase lift tickets for 75 cents, which
YOUR LAKES AREA STORAGE, SERVICE & PONTOON LEADER
CARRYING ON THE TRADITION
s sg at g at NEW MODELS ALWAYS ON DISPLAY IN OUR LARGE SHOWROOM ON HWY 10 ACROSS FROM WALMART.
Off Hwy 10 E • Detroit Lakes, MN • 218.847.0324
WHERE YOU NEED US WHEN YOU NEED US
Off Hwy 10 E • Detroit Lakes, MN • 218.847.0324
MARINA ON LITTLE DETROIT
121 West Lake Drive Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 Located on Detroit Lakes City Beach 218-847-7291
VERGAS
1149 East Frazee Avenue Vergas, MN 56587 Just down from the Loon on the corner of 228 and County Rd. 4 218-342-2148
WALKER
6913 Hwy. 371 • Walker, MN 56484 Located on Hwy 200 East one mile west of the Casino 218-547-2800
CORMORANT
11774 West Lake Ida Lane • Lake Park, MN 56554 Located one mile west of the Road House near Cormorant Village 218-532-2628
DETROIT LAKES
24147 Wine Lake Road • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 Located West of Detroit Lakes on Hwy. 10. Entrance across from Walmart 218-847-0324 • Fax 218-532-2628
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 59
were good for a full day’s use of the facilities. They could also warm up in front of one of the two small Coleman stoves that were set up for that purpose. “We’d put up some coffee and hot chocolate for them too,” Marquart added. Concessions were also sold to help pay the cost of plowing the driveway every Sunday, and the gas to power the towing machine. “The ladies didn’t want to ski all day long like we did, so they melted snow and made cocoa and boiled hot dogs and stayed warm,” Marquart noted. The Detroit Mountain Ski Area often drew as many as 20-30 skiers, which the group described as “a pretty good Sunday.” Fifty was the record for the largest group of skiers under the ski club’s tenure, which lasted until 1958. “The most we ever took in was $80 — and that was by selling hot dogs, pop and other concessions,” Engelstad said. “We figured we had a very good day if we took in that much — it was usually about $50.” A typical Sunday’s take was usually just enough to pay for the snowplow to come through. “It was a labor of love,” Engelstad added. But by the late 1950s, the young men had all graduated from college, and several of them had moved away.
The 1,200 foot tow rope used for the original towing machine at Detroit Mountain Ski Area (shown at top) was spliced together with the help of local resident Otto Zeck; the Ski Club members also constructed a warming house (above) that served hot beverages and was heated with the power of two Coleman stoves, where visitors could warm their hands before heading back out onto the slopes.
60 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
NEW OWNERS FOR MOUNTAIN In 1958, the Detroit Mountain property was acquired by two of the ski club’s former patrons, Gordon Bekkerus and Maurice Seter, whose wives — Rosalynn and Elizabeth, respectively — were sisters. “They both farmed around the Glyndon area, and they both loved to ski,” explained Gordon Bekkerus’s granddaughter, Sara Kiedrowski, adding with a laugh, “They thought that if they were able to start their own ski area, they would be able to ski more.” Of course, that’s not quite the way it happened: The two men ended up spending a great deal more time maintaining the facilities than they did skiing the slopes, Kiedrowski said. “They had looked at this area, and also Toad Mountain, as possible options,” Kiedrowski added. “But they decided to go with Detroit Mountain because one, it was closer to town, and two, it had some runs already cleared from when the ski club ran the place.” The first ski chalet was built at the foot of
NOT JUST FOR SUMMER ANYMORE! www.LisaPiche.com
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF UNITS AVAILABLE FOR SALE
Breezy Shores is Still Committed to Your Vacation Time... Enjoy Snowmobiling, Skiing, Boating, Swimming, Sauna, Skating, Fishing, Biking, Kayak, Bowling, Hiking, Dining, Shopping, Flea Market, Wine Tours, and So Much More Detroit Lakes has to Offer.
All Condos Have One Master Bedroom, Two Twin Beds in the Second Bedroom, Fireplace in the Living Room, Kitchen & Dining and Private Laundry. Shared Swimming Pool, Sauna, Hot Tub, Sandy Shoreline, and Game Areas. Member Owners Are Allowed to Rent Additional Units. (Sorry, not for public rental.)
CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE FOR A LIST OF UNITS AVAILABLE.
realty 512 Washington Avenue, Detroit Lakes
218.841.9242 fax: 218.844.5558
Lisa Piche 218.841.9242 ABR, Notary LLPiche@yahoo.com
1164 84 4 r1
If needed, e-mail me at llpiche@yahoo.com to get on a waiting list for the week that works best for you.
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 61
Above, the original members of the Winter Holiday Ski Club, circa 1952: Dave Herringer, Dave Armstrong, Dale Anderson, Bob Engelstad and Chuck Thompson. At right is a photo of the ski club’s original tow rope hauling some skiers up the mountain.
Detroit Mountain in the fall of 1958, with the help of friends and family. However, due to a lack of cooperation from Mother Nature, they were unable to open in time for the Christmas season as originally planned. “There was no snow-making equipment at that time, so they had to rely on the weather,” Kiedrowski said. “The Mountain reopened in early January, 1959.” Of course, even though the ski chalet itself was fully wired for electricity, they were still unable to get that power up to the top of the mountain, so much like their predecessors from the ski club, Bekkerus and Seter relied on the drive trains in a pair of farm tractors to power the towing mechanism. “After the harvest was done they hauled the tractors out there on a flatbed trailer and used them to power a couple of tow ropes,” Kiedrowski said. “They had to haul gasoline to the top of the mountain to refill the tractors.” 62 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
In 1962, the family finally managed to get electricity up to the top of the mountain, eliminating the need for gas engines to run the tow ropes. In 1964, they added lights and snowmaking equipment, “so they could have night skiing, and not rely so much on Mother Nature,” Kiedrowski said. In 1965, the Bekkeruses purchased the Seters’ half of the operation, and that same
year, they moved from Glyndon to Detroit Lakes, purchasing a home in town. Also in 1965, the family purchased a snowmobile to keep the trails ship-shape; a year later, they acquired their first groomer. “Before we had groomers, people would strap on their skis and go side-stepping up the hill to pack the snow,” Kiedrowski said. “Their reward was getting to ski back down, so it was
SERVING MINNESOTA MINNESOTA SERVING ANDTHE THE DAKOTAS SERVING MINNESOTA AND DAKOTAS FOR OVER OVERDAKOTAS 35YEARS YEARS AND THE FOR 35 FOR OVER 35 YEARS
800-255-9981 800-255-9981 800-255-9981
F FF
or more than 35 years, Foltz Buildings of or more than 35 years, Foltz Buildings of Lakes, been the orDetroit more than 35Minnesota years, Foltzhas Buildings ofleader Detroit Lakes, Minnesota has been the leader in Detroit custom Lakes, built post frame buildings. Minnesota has beenOur the leader in custom built post frame buildings. Our are experienced professionals inconstruction custom built crews post frame buildings. Our construction crews are experienced professionals who build year-round. have constructed construction crews are We experienced professionals who build year-round. We have constructed thousands of buildings throughout the years and who build year-round. We have constructed thousands of buildings throughout the years and have thousands of satisfied customers. Foltzand thousands of buildings throughout the years have thousands of satisfied customers. Foltz Buildings has aofreputation for quality and have thousands satisfied customers. Foltzservice. Buildings has a reputation for quality and service. Buildings has a reputation for quality and service.
The finest in exquisite stonework. Specializing in fireplaces, flagstone, fieldstone exteriors, cultured stone and artistic stone creations.
Engineered Engineered Engineered Designed Designed Designed Buildings Buildings Buildings
We have the experience and equipment to handle even the most challenging projects. FOR A FREE ESTIMATE FOR A FREE ESTIMATE CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE CALL 218-847-3281 CALL
Quality people. Quality work.
218-847-3281 1-800-255-9981 218-847-3281 1-800-255-9981 1-800-255-9981
(218) 732-5229 Park Rapids, MN • www.guidamasonry.com 1160550
Ski LOCAL
hwy 10 west • DetROIt LAKes hwy 10 west • DetROIt LAKes hwy 10 west • DetROIt LAKes w w w.fo ltz building s.co m
w w w. fol tz b u i l d i n gs . com w w w. fol tz b u i l d i n gs . com
MODeL’s OPeN 7 DAYS A OPeN WEEK MODeL’s 7 DAYS A OPeN WEEK MODeL’s 7 DAYS A WEEK 1164831
SHOP LOCAL
dmra x NORBY’S @detroitmountain
@norbysdeptstore
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 63
Sara Bekkerus Kiedrowski collected the photos and wrote the text for the history panels that are on display at the Detroit Mountain Lodge. The panels tell the story of the mountain from the time of the Anishinaabe and early European settlers until the present day.
a little work and a little play at the same time.” In 1969, the original chalet was enlarged to include a fireplace and larger bathrooms. “Before the expansion, Clem TeVogt would haul his marina office out here and they would use it as a rental shop,” Kiedrowski said. THE WHOLE FAMILY WORKED While the men were busy keeping the slopes cleared, running the rental shop and keeping the tow ropes going, sisters Rosalynn Bekkerus and Elizabeth Seter ran the food counter back in the chalet. “Everything was homemade,” Kiedrowski said. “They would bake pies the night before the start of every weekend. My grandmother (Rosalynn) made the fruit pies, and Elizabeth made the cream pies. “One of them would haul the pies out to the chalet and open it up, while the other took 64 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
the kids to Sunday school before bringing them up to the Mountain.” The two women also made fresh barbecue sandwiches in the chalet’s small kitchen. “Some people would just come out there for the food, and stay to watch the skiers,” Kiedrowski said. That was true right up until the Bekkeruses closed up shop in 2003, she added. In fact, “My grandmother continued to help out in the kitchen, making cookies and bars, right up until the 1990s. It was right around 2000 that she stopped working out here. “She did that for over 40 years, and she expected all of us to work out here, too.” Gordon and Rosalynn Bekkerus had six children, all of whom assisted with the ski operations to varying degrees during its early years— as did several spouses and children, in turn.
“The girls would work in the kitchen, while the boys were in the rental shop or out on the hill,” Kiedrowski said. “It was just a part of growing up. It was a lot of fun growing up out here, but you also had to put your time in. “It was a great place to grow up, around all my aunts and uncles and cousins.” Some of Kiedrowski’s adventures on the mountain included riding around on the chair lifts and dropping different things from the chairs to see where they’d land, and getting lost on the cross country ski trails. “One time we got scared because we thought we’d seen a bear,” she recalled. “We finally found our way back to the driveway.” The first chair lift was added to the mountain in the fall of 1972, and five years later, in 1977, a new, larger lodge was added — though the original chalet was also kept as part of the operation for many years, and was
A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN 24 HOURS...
Proud Supporter & Sponsor
9:00 a.m.
Stopped at Walmart on the way to Detroit Mountain to buy a new snowboard.
10:00 a.m. Headed to Detroit Mountain for a fun-filled day with friends.
Dan Baker 218-849-4744 Todd Young 218-849-1878
CLASSIC CONCRETE CONTRACTORS LLP
Over 40 Years Experience
CommerCial • residential “Specializing In Decorative Concrete” Driveways • Garages • Patios Sidewalks • Footings • Walls • Foundations Curbs • Gutters • Colored & Stamped Concrete • Concrete Resurfacing • Stenciling 1160545
12:30 p.m. Lost my hat. Headed back to
WE
Walmart to buy a new one.
TAKE THIS
1:00 p.m.
N M NICE
10:00 p.m. Exhausted and have a serious case of the munchies. Cruised back to Walmart, grabbed some snacks, then off to the hotel!
10:30 p.m. Uploaded the photos taken
throughout the day to Walmart’s Photo center online
SERIOUSLY. marconet.com
Checked in to the hotel, then went back to Detroit Mountain
9:00 a.m.
At Marco, we think giving is nice. And, since we can’t bring everyone a tuna noodle hotdish, we donate up to 5% of our profits to the community every year. We believe it’s not enough for a company to do well. We must also do good... no matter where you live. 1160718
Checked out of the hotel and stopped by Walmart to pick up my photos on the way back home...
A FUNFILLED 24 HOURS 1583 HigHway 10 west • Detroit Lakes
218-847-1126 • www.walmart.com THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 65
still standing right up until the day the Mountain closed in 2003. “The old chalet was used for the Ski Patrol and a few other things, including a saloon my uncle ran for a while,” Kiedrowski said. The new lodge was actually designed by Kiedrowski’s father, Gary Bekkerus, who led the construction as well. The first floor of the facility was in use for the 1977-78 ski season, though the rest of the building wasn’t completed until the following fall. When Gordon Bekkerus passed away in 1984, the family briefly sold the Detroit Mountain Ski Area to Herb and Dan Sprague, but by 1987, they had reacquired the property. In 1992, the first half-pipe was added to accommodate the burgeoning sport of snowboarding, and in 1993, a triple chair lift was added on the Chipmunk run to replace the original tow rope. “That was probably the last big change we made,” Kiedrowski said. During the ski operation’s heyday in the 1960s and 70s, Detroit Mountain was drawing in as many as 1,000 skiers a day, but by the early 2000s, that number had dwindled to 400-500 daily. “We had a couple of rough seasons, and the lodge closed in 2003,” said Kiedrowski. “Nobody knew what would happen, and the property just sat here for a few years. As it became clear that we weren’t going to reopen, we started selling off the equipment.” Kiedrowski’s uncle, Bob Bekkerus, eventually took over the property, with plans to make it into a residential development — but when the economy took a sharp downturn in 2007-08, causing the bottom to fall out of the housing market, “those plans came to a halt.” A few years later, the Bekkeruses were approached by Mark Fritz about the possibility of redeveloping the property as a yearround recreational facility —which would eventually become the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area. Kiedrowski is excited to see the property getting ready to reopen in a few weeks. “It will be a real asset to the community,” she said.
Winter Holiday Ski Club members had an opportunity to tour the new Detroit Mountain Recreation Area facilities this summer. Upper left: Bob Engelstad and Dale Anderson pose for a shot in front of Detroit Mountain. Lower left: Lois Thompson (wife of Chuck Thompson), Audrey Bueide (wife of Jerry Bueide), Bob Engelstad, Dale and Margaret Anderson all toured the facility together, while Jim Marquart (above, with DMRA General Manager Jeff Staley) got a private peek a week later, having flown in from Texas for a visit.
66 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Keeping you on the road to fun!
We call this Home... You Could Too!!!
-4 7- 900
134 w 10 West Detroit Lakes, MN 01
www AtT eLakes com
Excellence In Auto Care & Repair 120 Washington Ave • Detroit Lakes
218.847.4252
1164827
1160978
218-844- 900 • 8
1160626
We’re Always Moving
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 67
ALWAYS A THRILL
Scenes from the early years of Detroit Mountain Ski Area. Above, skiers used to park their skis and poles outside the lodge before going inside to relax and get a bite to eat. At left, one of the Mountain’s early Thiokol Spryte groomers, with a colorful sign created by Norm Selberg. Below, snowmaking equipment was first added in 1964.
DOWN THE HILL 68 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
GreenLeaders Silver
GreenLeaders Silver
SILVER
BEST WESTERN PREMIER The Lodge on Lake Detroit
GreenLeaders Silver
New
Welcome Fitness Back Room DM 2015 !
New in 2015! Elevator, fitness r& room, new deco ast kf ea expanded br g in at se room
Stay at The Lodge & Holland House while experiencing Detroit Mountain’s 4 season recreation area! Holland Hospitality – Providing Award Winning Hospitality in D.L. for 4 generations; since 1953.
1162588
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 69
LET IT SNOW! No need to wait for Mother Nature, Mountain can make its own snow
I
f snow is needed on Detroit Mountain, Dave Sontag is ready to bring out the big guns.
Snow guns, that is. Sontag, who is mountain manager, has command over 10 brand new TechnoAlpine Italian-made snow guns capable of turning 100 gallons of water a minute into fresh snow for skiers. The yellow and black guns cost $19,500 apiece, have adjustable barrels, and are mounted on three-wheeled trailers — though Sontag plans to use big Snow Cat groomers to lift them up, trailer and all, and move them to where they are needed around the mountain. Not surprisingly, Mother Nature still plays a big role when humans make snow. “It’s all based on temperature and humidity,” Sontag said. The snow guns work best at temperatures between zero and 15 degrees above zero. From 15 above to 32 above, making snow is “possible, but not ideal,” he said. “It tends to 70 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
be wet.” On the other hand, “below zero, you lose a lot to evaporation,” he added. In the old days on Detroit Mountain, when snow was being made in below-zero temperatures, “you could see the cloud from town,” Sontag said. “It was like a power plant.” The wind also plays a role in snow-making operations. “The wind dictates how you set up the guns and shift the snow,” he said. “They’re generally set up for the prevailing northwestern winds.” That’s why, when all the conditions are ripe for making snow, “it’s all hands on deck,” to operate the guns, after ski operations are shut down for the day, he said. Operators will spread as much snow out as possible as it’s being made, but they will also make piles as much as 30 feet high to be spread out later by the groomers, Sontag said. Drier snow can result by waiting awhile before moving the snow pile, since excess water will leach out of the pile, he said. The new electric-powered snow guns are “very energy-efficient, compared to their competitors, and the amount of water you input is
STORY BY NATHAN BOWE
less than their competitors,” he said. Small stations with water hydrants, next to 480-volt three-phase power hookups for the guns, are located along the edges of the slopes. One gun can produce about one acre-foot of snow over a 12-hour period, he said. “We will build three feet of snow all over everything,” he said. The snow guns are fed by 6,800 feet of pressurized pipe infrastructure installed on the mountain. The water is drawn from a pumpfed storage lagoon that holds eight million gallons of near-freezing water. The system is set up to pump up to 425 gallons a minute from a well into the lagoon. That water can be drawn at up to 1,000 gallons a minute into a nearby pump house, then sent up the mountain in a 10-inch diameter pipe, which is reduced to 6-inch diameter, then 4-inch, then 3-inch as the water branches through the system to the hydrants. “We try to keep at least 300 PSI (pounds per square inch) water in the guns,” he said. “High pressure water is part of the magic, and we want to get the full 100 gallons-per-minute out of those guns.”
Mountain Manager Dave Sontag, above, shows off one of the new snow guns. The Mountain bought 10 of the Italian-made snow guns, which feature a large fan on one end, upper right, and a big barrel on the other that the newly-created snow shoots out of, bottom. The lagoon at right holds up to 8 million gallons of water that will feed the pipes that ultimately feed the snow-making equipment.
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 71
A close look at the barrel of one of those guns shows a ring of bulk water nozzles paired with brass “nuclator” nozzles. “We’re helping all the bulk nozzles with these brass nozzles, they’re atomizing the water molecules, so it acts like a supercharger,” he said. Snow can still be made without the nuclator option, but it tends to be very wet snow, he said. The fan guns shoot compressed air (at 120 PSI) and water out of the barrel through the ring of nozzles and then the wind from the large fan blows this into a mist in the air to achieve a hang time needed to make snow. “It’s going to be good snow with these new high-tech snow guns,” Sontag said. “Very, very good snow — it will be a lot different than it was with that old equipment.”
Twin nozzles, above, allow jets of water to mix with compressed air to supercharge the snowmaking process. Large fans in the back of the gun give the charged particles enough lift to come down as snow. At right, the electric snow guns are mounted on wheels, but will more often be moved around with the big groomers There are plug-in areas around the Mountain. 72 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
THE MOUNTAIN IS BACK
We know it’s hard to leave
heaven on earth.
Detroit Lakes city lodging proudly offering Stay and Ski packages
paradise But if
visitdetroitlakes.com
1164842
is calling...
Then it’s time to kick your boots off and slip into some sandals. We can help get you there...
T OI TR ES E K D A L
1161081
11605 5 8
808 Washington ave. • suite 22a • Washington square Mall, Detroit lakes, Mn • 218-847-9231 • 800-542-5000 THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 73
OPEN FOR BUSINESS Directly or indirectly, merchants hope to benefit from the Mountain
STORY BY PIPPI MAYFIELD
F
rom hotels to restaurants, bike rentals to ski equipment purchases, the businesses of Detroit Lakes are going to be impacted by the re-opening of Detroit Mountain.
“It’s not just the mountain itself but everyone in town,” DMRA Trails Boss Tony Schmitz said of those that will benefit from the mountain. “Of course I think it’s going to have a good economic impact on Detroit Lakes and the region,” Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce President Carrie Johnston said. “It’s going to extend our tourism season, not only for winter skiing and snow sports but also, thinking of mountain biking and the year74 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
round facilities. “It’s going to be one more added draw and something to do in the shoulder season. Spring and fall are going to be beautiful times to be out there,” she added. There’s skiing, tubing, cross country skiing, mountain biking, hiking, leaf peeping and more, all in one location. The lodge is also being booked for weddings and other celebrations. Regardless of the event and reasons that
people use the mountain, other businesses in town are going to benefit as well. “A person in town is going to spend money,” Schmitz said. And not just the service industries either. Businesses trying to entice new and retain employees will have a better opportunity with something as appealing as the mountain, he added. “It is a great place to live or recreate,” Schmitz said of Detroit Lakes, adding that the mountain will make it an even better place to live. Even before the mountain construction got underway though, it started with community enthusiasm. “At ground level, just the excitement that it has created with the community, that unified cause, similar to creating the community cen-
ter, I think that is important,” General Manager Jeff Staley said. “The fabric of the community in general speaks to the cooperative effort to get something done.” The mountain is an additional resource that will be available for people to get out and recreate. Everyone wants to take claim in the outdoor beauty, he said, “but the reality is people tend not to get out and enjoy that natural environment unless there are supportive amenities. “It creates such convenient access to an active muscle powered type of recreation,” Staley added — a recreation that people from all over the region will utilize. “I think it’s going to be one more thing we can hang our hat on as a statewide attraction,” Johnston said. “We’re known as the lakes area and the resorts and cabins, and WE Fest gives us another pull, and I think the mountain is going to be one more thing that people think of when you hear Detroit Lakes.” And all those people coming to town – whether it’s a day trip or a weekend excursion – will contribute to the community’s econo-
my. The restaurants and hotels are a given, but for other businesses, time will tell. “As we all get a feel for what people need when they are coming, whether it’s that they’re here to stay overnight and use the restaurants and retail, but are they looking at specific things now,” Johnston said. “Are they looking for more outdoor recreation (items) like ski jackets and new skis, or are they looking for more mountain bikes and equipment? “I think Detroit Lakes is going to put their thinking caps on in the next couple of months.” She said she knows that some hotels are gearing up with Play and Stay packages, with reduced lift tickets for hotel guests. “I know they’re thinking ahead.” And people are ready to finally get out on those slopes. Johnston said the Chamber has been getting calls for the last year or more about the mountain, anticipating its opening. “It’s been more than just this year even,” she said of the inquiries. “As they were talking
about it last year and doing fundraising, people were calling and saying, ‘We want to drive out there, when can we go out there?’ A lot of eager people. “The mountain is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, so we can see how many hits (there are) from people who are interested in looking.” Economically, it’s a huge impact, Staley said. The whole project cost close to $8.5 million, and the majority of it was spent right here in Detroit Lakes. Even the higher dollar items, like the chair lifts, while they were manufactured out of state, there was a crew of four people who installed them, living in Detroit Lakes all summer, Staley said. “So that money is coming back.” Once true operations begin, others in the city will see the benefits as well. “We feel the mountain biking is ultimately going to draw as many visitors in the non-winter season. There could be a potential for additional lodging, additional campgrounds to support that summer use,” he said.
After a great day
on the mountain...
...there’s MORE FUN awaiting you!
We have a lot to offer you, your family and friends. A state-of-the-art complete fitness center, large pool, sauna, hot tub, racquetball and basketball courts, the Backyard- one of the largest indoor playgrounds in the state of Minnesota and a theatre with regularly sheduled shows.
826 Summit Ave., Detroit Lakes, MN • 218•844•4221 • www.dlccc.org
1160377
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 75
IT’S NOT ALL DOWNHILL
Some skiing is horizontal: Cross country skiers excited about new trails STORY BY VICKI GERDES
B
esides all the snowboarding, skiing and tubing activities offered on Detroit Mountain itself, the recreation area will also incorporate seven kilometers (about 4.5 miles) of groomed cross country ski trails — trails that will be used not only by the public, but by the members of the Detroit Lakes High School Nordic ski teams as they train for the 2014-15 winter sports season.
“We used to ski at Mountain View Park (which is adjacent to the DMRA property),” said Dan Josephson, who has served as head coach of the Laker cross country skiing program since the 2004-05 season, and was in the ninth grade at DLHS when the team was formed in 1993-94. At Mountain View, the only facilities available for the skiers were “a port-a-potty and a
bus that sat and idled (to keep it warm),” he added. “I spent many hours this summer helping to take down trees and widening the (existing) trails on the east side of the mountain, to make them more conducive to (cross country) skiing,” Josephson said. One of the reasons the trails needed to be widened, he explained, is that competitive
Dan Josephson
cross country skiing typically has two tracks running alongside each other, one for skatestyle skiing, and the other for classic-style (traditional) skiing. Skate-style cross country skiing involves pushing alternating skis out and away from one another at an angle, in a manner similar to ice skating, while classic-style cross country utilizes the more traditional, straight forward
Detroit Mountain’s 7 kilometers of groomed cross country trails will be used by members of the Laker Nordic ski team for their practice sessions. 76 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Nordic skiers at Detroit Mountain will have access to nearby trails as well, such as those offered at the county-owned Mountain View Park. stride-and-glide technique. Josephson said the team was “very excited” to be moving its practices out to a facility that offers a heated ski lodge with indoor bathrooms for the team to gather in between practice sessions. He’s also excited by the prospect of being able to ski at a facility “where we don’t have to rely on Mother Nature 100 percent” for snow cover. “On the days when there isn’t any (natural) snow, we can move to the base areas of the Mountain, where they can make snow for us to practice on,” Josephson explained. While it isn’t ideal, it’s certainly better than the situation that existed a couple of years ago, when he and other ski team volunteers had to go out and collect snow piles from parking lots and other areas of the city, then dump the snow onto the Laker football field and spread it out to create a 200-foot practice loop for the skiers. “It was mid-December and we were sick of running (to get in shape),” Josephson said. “It
was time to get on the snow.” Hopefully that kind of improvised practice track will be a thing of the past with the team’s move out to Detroit Mountain. In other years, “the team’s first time on actual snow was at the first meet in Grand Rapids, where they have their own snowmaking equipment,” Josephson said. Though the team will continue to hold its home meets at Maplelag Resort during the regular ski season, DMRA may be used as an alternate venue for conference meets, which move between the different communities in the conference from year to year. “It may also be used for some secondary meets during the year,” Josephson said. “It’s going to be a very nice facility. I’ve been very happy to be involved with this project. It’s great to see it finally happening.” Future development plans for the cross country trails at Detroit Mountain will also include expanding them to hook up with other existing cross country trails in the area, such as Mountain View, said DMRA General Manager
Jeff Staley. “They (Mountain View) have five kilometers of groomed trails at that site,” he said. “Our property also adjoins a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Waterfowl Production Area that has some classic skiing trails we could hook up with,” he added. The problem in that area, Staley noted, is that “there are no motorized vehicles allowed in there, so they can’t be groomed. It’s a more traditional cross country ski experience in there.” “We’d also like to get some snow making equipment out on the cross country trails,” Josephson said. Future development plans also include the addition of lighting on some of the cross country trails as well, to allow for night skiing, he added. For those who prefer strapping on a pair of snow shoes as opposed to cross country skis, Staley said DMRA will also be offering between 6-8 miles of snow shoe trails, and eventually, some winter “fat bike” trails as well. THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 77
HITTING THE SLOPES In front of the warming house at the bottom of West Run in 1975: Rick Larsen, Mike and Karen Lavelle, Mike Flore, Mark Nelson, Duie Millette and Chris Smith. (Photo provided by Karen Selberg). At the top of West Run in 1984 (bottom right) are Sonia Santwire, Dennis Priem, Herb Floan, Pat Sauer and Tom Muench. Below, a view of Detroit Mountain’s ski chalet from the top of Chipmunk Run in the early 1970s. The original chalet was enlarged in 1969 to include a fireplace, expanded rental shop and larger restrooms.
78 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Before Detroit Mountain
FUN HAD BOUNDARIES
No more boundaries
LET THE FUN BEGIN!
Congratulations to Detroit Mountain!
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 79
BIKING & HIKING Mountain won’t close when snow goes away
S
ure, skiing is the sport getting a lot of attention on Detroit Mountain, but the world does not stop turning up there when the ski season ends.
BIKING AND HIKING When the snow melts and the leaves are once again filling the trees, the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area is peaceful and beautiful. Trail construction up on the mountain has been rolling right along, providing miles of biking and hiking opportunities that whittle their way through the high, forested land. “Right now we currently have five miles of cross country flow mountain bike trails,” said Trails Boss Tony Schmitz, who is also heading up the rental department. 80 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
“But by summer of 2015, we’re planning to open four to five gravity trails as well,” he added. Gravity trails are those that have lift accesses for bikes so that bikers can be lifted up the mountain for those fast, downward trails. They’re being designed as half to three-quarter mile long trails of down-hill thrills, and will be used only for biking, as to avoid biker-hiker accidents. “And then for Nordic cross country skiing, for our first season we’ll have about 7K in trails,” said Schmitz, “…and probably about three
STORY BY PAULA QUAM
miles of snow-shoeing and winter biking.” Schmitz says the plan is to continue expansion of all Nordic and bike trails in the summer of 2015. Summertime hikers will be able to take in the sights and sounds of the Nordic ski trails that will serve as sort of “multi-purpose trails.” “Those are wider, so they can be used for either hiking or biking,” said Schmitz, who says the rental department featuring bikes and helmets will be open during the “off” season. There will be trail passes available for purchase, ranging from season passes, to full season trail passes that include winter and summer, all the way down to daily passes available for students, adults and families.
THE LODGE To be up at the lodge is to know its beauty, its functionality and its potential for some incredible special events. Available for rent when the ski operations aren’t running, the lodge is already booked for several weddings in 2015, as well as a high school reunion. Weddings, banquets, meetings — they can all be held up on the scenic mountain, and staff is preparing the property for all of it. “We’re talking about having a Mongolian
yurt, which a circular tent with a heater and windows that has a lathe-type of roof and is 30-feet in diameter for overflow,” said Schmitz. “We’ll have a bonfire pit, so on the weekends people can grill burgers and stuff outside — a place that can be utilized for a unique little meeting spot,” said Schmitz, who says the more services they provide, the better chance the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area will have of becoming an international mountain bike ride center. “For providing a wide variety of trails and
opportunities, having rentals, food and opportunities on site,” said Schmitz, who says the recreation area will also be a prime location for events such as open-air concerts and small music festivals. Mountain managers are working with the Holmes Theatre in Detroit Lakes to possibly generate summer attractions like “Thursday night music on the mountain” events. For more information on booking an event at the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area, call 218-844-SNOW (7669).
Downhill biking trails (left) will be available during the summer, as will multi-use hiking and biking trails. The rental facility will be open during the summer to accommodate the off-peak season.
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 81
HELP IS ON THE WAY
The Ski Patrol was a big part of the activity on the old Detroit Mountain ski area, helping skiiers who were injured, lost, scared or just over their head. Then, as now, medical training and tobaggon training was a must for the Ski Patrol.
82 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Will you be ready?
Success Starts Here! BIRTH TO 5 PROGRAMMING FOCUSING ON Educational & School Readiness • Family Support Health, Nutrition and Mental Health • Self Sufficiency and Self Esteem Children with Special Needs • Transportation May Be Available
MAHUBE-OTWA
Our Mission...
To empower people to achieve self-sufficiency Serving Mahnomen • Hubbard • Becker • Otter Tail • Wadena Counties www.mahube.org
1164 829 r1
Community Action Partnership
1121 Hwy 10 E, Detroit Lakes 218-844-5320 Facebook/DLBikeShop
Live Secure. Bank Secure. Proud Supporter of Detroit Mountain. ■ Commercial Loans ■ Consumer Loans ■ Agriculture Loans ■ Personal Banking ■ Online Services ■ Business Banking ■ Mortgage Loans
Seniors & Parents: Contact us for further information regarding the LA Amundson Scholarships given away each spring. *Parents must maintain primary checking account at FSB for student to be eligible.
Rod Einerson President
Debbie Haugen Vice President Real Estate
Jay Larsen
Vice President
First Security Bank 611 Summit Avenue Kelsey Struble
Asst. Vice President
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
218-847-3041 THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 83
MOUNTAIN HAS BIG CUSTOMER BASE TO DRAW ON No ongoing city subsidy should be needed
STORY BY NATHAN BOWE
T
he Detroit Mountain Recreation Area plans to draw on a customer base of about 360,000 people that live within a 60-mile radius of Detroit Lakes. Jeff Staley “Obviously the biggest population center is the Fargo-Moorhead area, that’s what we planned to drive our core customers,” said DMRA General Manager Jeff Staley. But the Mountain’s customer base will also extend to Alexandria, Fergus Falls, Park Rapids, and other cities within 90 to 100 miles of Detroit Lakes, he said. The DMRA has a partnership with the Fargo-based Scheels All Sports sporting goods chain, and hopes to benefit in combined marketing with Scheels in social media and other areas. “Anytime we post something on our 84 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Facebook site, they’re kicking it out to their Facebook group,” Staley said. While the customer base remains the same as when Detroit Mountain ski area was in private hands, the population of the FargoMoorhead metro area has increased, and the new Detroit Mountain Recreation Area has other advantages. It will be owned by the City of Detroit Lakes, so the 200-acre park will not have to pay property taxes, and its operations will be covered under the city’s liability insurance. Because of the successful private fundraising effort, which raised about $7 million, the
MARY ANN EVANS OF DETROIT LAKES SUBMITTED THIS NEWSPAPER CLIPPING CIRCA 1948-49, WRITING “WHAT A HOOT!” WITH IT: “Mrs. Jim Evans Slightly Hurt In Skiing Mishap The mild weather which engulfed this locality Sunday, probably meant more to Mrs. Jim Evans of Detroit Lakes than it did to any other persons of this area. Mrs. Evans, while skiing with her husband at Winter Holiday on Detroit Mountain, took off on a slide by herself and moments later was literally wrapped around a tree. Her leg had been twisted and she was unable to arise from the snow. Mr. Evans, who had skied off in a different direction, became worried when she didn’t return and took out looking for her. About 45 minutes later the search ended at the foot of a tree — Mrs. Evans still lying there. Badly shaken up, she was uprighted to walk off smilingly in the beautiful, warm sunshine.”
The beauty of the campaign to bring back Detroit Mountain is that it brought together a community, and the community will benefit from the new park. Thanks to a tremendous fundraising effort, the new park will start life free of long-term debt, which will help make it self-sufficient. THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 85
The Fargo-Moorhead metro area is expected to provide many of the 25,000 skier visits a year needed to make the Mountain a success.
DMRA has been able to invest in new equipment, buildings, lifts and other infrastructure without taking on steep long-term debt obligations. That means the operation will pay for itself through ongoing revenue generated from customers, without any ongoing city subsidies.
$21.56 per skier visit, a number that is drawn from comparable ski facilities in a three-state area. The highest operating cost is expected to be for labor, which generally accounts for about 50 percent of costs for a ski area. As with all other areas, the DMRA’s feasibility study takes a conservative estimate, figuring that labor will make up 60 percent of operating costs the first year. The cost of energy, supplies, saving to replace worn-out equipment on a regular basis, and other costs have been compared to similar facilities, and the feasibility study concludes that no ongoing city subsidy will be needed. In fact, if you look at the benefits to the public, the new park will generate more than $675,000 a year in “social benefits,” based in part on how much users from around the region pay for a trip to the Mountain.
To accomplish that, the new recreation area must get 25,000 skier visits a year. That should be a realistic, even conservative, goal, since the nearest ski operation now attracts 40,000 skier visits a year with a population base that is considerably smaller. Revenue is estimated at an average of
Growing together.
Detroit Lakes and Bremer Bank. At Bremer Bank we’re dedicated to strengthening communities. We’re committed to helping individuals and families thrive, businesses grow, and giving back through employee volunteerism and local bank donations. So let’s keep Detroit Lakes growing. Together.
Detroit Lakes • 847-9292 800-908-BANK (2265) Bremer.com Member FDIC. © 2014 Bremer Financial Corporation. All rights reserved. 1160380
86DetroitMountain.indd | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN 1
10/30/14 9:32 AM
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME BACK!
At Foltz Trucking...
114 West Grant
Detroit Lakes
commercial • industrial residential
Our People Make The Difference.
licensed • Bonded • insured
electrical contractors Serving the area for over 45 years
HOPPER SPECIALISTS
TRUCKING
If it’s electrical, we can do it!
DETROIT LAKES, MN • 218-847-4451
11603 88r1
Why just play here…
Live Here! 512 Washington Avenue Detroit Lakes
218.844.5557
Fax: 218.844.5558
LISA MIKE DAVE ERIC RING SCHILLER LUNDMARK PICHE 218.234.9734 218.849.5478 218.849.0383 218.841.9242 ABR, CRS, GRI
MikeRing@ arvig.net
dschiller@ arvig.net
EricL@ arvig.net
ABR, Notary
LLPiche@ yahoo.com
DAVE JOHN STACY TRACY GREGG MONICA NELSON SWANSON KAISER ANDERSON PALMER-SCOTT GUNDERSON 218.841.3355 701.520.1196 218.234.9089 218.849.4520 970.904.0113 218.791.0546 nelmedserv@ netscape.net
gswan@ loretel.net
monicakaiser@ janderson_167@ me.com hotmail.com
palmer@ vail.net
tracygunderson@ arvig.net 1160974
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 87
City of Frazee is Happy to have the Mountain Back!
VISIT FRAZEE
218-334-4991 www.frazeecity.com
FRAZEE LIQUOR STORE & BAR
For all your events choose the
Frazee Event Center
OFF SALE
10am-10pm Mon-Sat Weekly Beer Specials
ON SALE
100 North Lake Street • Frazee, MN
218-334-7940
s n o i t a l u t Congra from
&
Spacious Call today for details.
1162559
Looking good: A skier shows off classic style on the slopes of the old Detroit Mountain ski area.
10am-11pm Mon-Thurs 10am-1am Fri & Sat Daily Drink Specials
Affordable
Frazee, MN 218-334-7940
MALSTROM E LECTRIC I NC.
Residential Commercial Industrial Emergency Services Available 24 hours/7 days a week
Fax: 218-847-2407
218-847-3132
12375 Cty Hwy 17 Detroit Lakes, MN
info@malstromelectricinc.com www.malstromelectricinc.com Licensed • Insured • Bonded
1160637
88 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Thanks to all who helped bring DM back!
2015 800 SWITCHBACK PRO S AXYS
Enjoyride! the 24360 CTY RD 113 Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218-847-9304
COME JOIN THE PARTY
1160635
Meet you at the Bottom...
JUST SOUTH OF EXPECTED
25275 S. Melissa Drive Detroit Lakes, MN
Your craft beer,wine & spirits headquarters
(Just Minutes south of Detroit Lakes on Highway 59) Open Mon-Sat 8am-10pm
Polaris recommends that all snowmobile riders take a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride. ©2014 Polaris Industries Inc.
1160629
218.847.BEER (2337) • 218.846.WINE (9463)
Proud Supporter of Detroit Mountain
Two locations in Detroit Lakes Main Office 218-847-4771 Walmart location 218-847-9700 www.midwestbank.net DETROIT LAKES I BARNESVILLE I CALLAWAY I DALTON I PARKERS PRAIRIE I WAUBUN
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 89
READY TO SKI
Cookin’ up memories!
Split Personality Ruud® high efficiency heat pump systems keep your home the most comfortable at any outdoor temperature.
1802 1st Ave. S. • Fargo, ND 58103 800-437-4076 • www.GoCulinex.com
“For Your Family’s Comfort” 1040 Randolph Road, Detroit Lakes, MN
www.modernheatingandplumbing.com 90 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
1162553
218-847-7459 Proudly Supplies Commercial Kitchen Solutions throughout the Upper Midwest. 116063 1
All lined up, and no place to go but down the mountain: Skiing with a group of friends made good times on Detroit Mountain all the better. The Mountain was open in one form or another from the early 1950s until 2003.
Residential
Commercial
Municipal
Industrial
Agricultural
Control Solution Specialists Our Products We provide smart solutions to today’s growing environmental challenges by combining 40 years of expertise with the latest technology to deliver a variety of control products, including floats, septic tank alarms, printed circuit boards and membranes.
From Boiler Treatment to Ice Control, WE HAVE SOLUTIONS
Our People
SO YOU CAN GET OUT AND
PLAY!
SJE-Rhombus is 100% employee-owned. We have over 350 dedicated employees delivering the best products and service in the industry.
Our Company With corporate headquarters in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, we do business world-wide from six locations.
Team Lab’s strength lies not only in its personnel, but also its outstanding customers. We look forward to working closely with you, developing innovative solutions to meet your needs and surpass your expectations.
E m a i l Us s j e @ s j e rh o m b u s . c o m
Ca l l Us 888- D I A L - S J E
V i s i t Us w w w . s j e rh o m b u s . c o m
11603 5 1
1160452
BUILDING STRENGTH, BUILDING COMMUNITY
P.O. Box 1467, Detroit Lakes, MN 56502 • www.teamlab.net • Toll Free 1-800-522-8326 THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 91
THE MIRACLE SNOW When snow was made on the Mountain in the old days, everybody in town knew it, especially if the temperature was below zero. “It looked like a power plant,” said Dave Sontag, who worked at the old ski area and is now mountain operations manager of the new park.
Call the Company You Know and Trust!
Congratulations!
From Your Friends at Laney's
PLUMBING - HEATING - AIR CONDITIONING 1034 Highway 59 South in Detroit Lakes
218-847-1309 92 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
1160599
Available 7 Days a Week - 24 Hours a Day!
1162544
NEVER AN OVERTIME CHARGE!
MAKING MACHINE H.I.R.E. HOME IMPROVEMENT & REPAIR ENTERPRISE LLC Garret Johnson
218.849.3707
THANK YOU
Built to H.I.R.E. Standards
proudly supporting Recognizing the women our outstanding team! theonmountain for all you contribute to the success of our bank.
Anything from new homes to basic home improvements Specializing in complete house renovations
bellbanks.com | 920 Lake Avenue, Detroit Lakes | 218.844.3000 | Member FDIC 5985
1165040
Lic. #BC428191 THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 93
Chair lifts have long been used to move skiers to the top of the slopes. Learning to use a chairlift involves allowing the moving chair to swoop you up, and then gliding off at the top, since the lift is designed to keep moving.
LEARNING clothing for every season
Your local hometown hero . . .
1161075
As your local independent agent, we’re Your local hometown hero . . . your neighbor - someone you can trust and someone who’s here for you 24/7! As your local independent agent, we’re your neighbor - someone you can trust and someone who’s here for you 24/7! Call or visit us
AGENCY NAME
lakegirl.com 94 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
AGENCY NAME
218-847-5696 • www.schillerinsurance.com
Piph K[g_ 222*222*2222 website
1160651
We’re independent agents proudly representing
Call or visit us Insurance. Auto-Owners Piph K[g_ 222*222*2222 817 Washington Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 website
THE ROPES
Learning to use the rope tow was a rite of passage at the old Detroit Mountain ski area. You had to learn to hold on without falling down. The new terrain park will have a fast-moving rope tow.
THE ROAD TO EXCITEMENT
ISN’T PAVED.
SHOP, DINE, and STAY in the Perham Area
www.seabergpowersport.com Monday-Friday 8:30aM-5:30pM • Saturday 8:30aM-12:00PM
. 5 Nort • D T O T L
, MN • 218-847- 264
1162548
1162682
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 95
•
ou ons •
alendar • Ma s
700 Summit Ave. Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
1-800-542-3992 218-847-9202
1160647
Lod in
Congratulations from Alliance Pest Protection
We are proud to be a supporter of Detroit Mountain and the positive impact it will have on our community!
Unique Shopping
s
ice v r e S
Downtown Detroit Lakes • M-F 10-8 • Sat 9:30-5:30 • Sun 12-5 • 218.847.1679
at Casual Dining e r G Mall Hours: M-F 10AM-8PM SAT. 9:30AM-5:30PM • SUN. Noon-5PM
1160639
www.VisitDetroitLakes.com
Fun Entertainment
BIRDS EYE VIEW 808 Washington Avenue Downtown Detroit Lakes 218-847-1679 Email: wsm@arving.net
ON WITH THE SNOW!
Live and work in the best little city in Minnesota At BTD, we are committed to helping our employees learn and grow. If you possess the desire to learn the metal fabrication trade, we will guide and train you to work both safely and smartly. Our dynamic and fast-paced environment encourages innovation and job ownership while rewarding those who succeed with future opportunities.
(218) 234-6557 www.alliancepp.net
Apply on-line or forward your resume and application in strict confidence to: Human Resources Department • 1111 13th Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN • Fax: 218-846-4448
1160454
Alliance is ready, in every season, to protect your home, farm and business from pests. We provide expert service in Minnesota and North Dakota.
96 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
www.btdmfg.com 1160571
After a day on the slopes
find yourself at
M State! What can you expect from the Detroit Lakes campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College? Choices. Check out our programs below. Find your own dream job like Betsy Haldorson Steffl, ‘94 graduate of the PowerSports Technology program and a mechanic who travels the world with Chris�an Brothers Racing.
Programs of study
• • • • • • •
Recharge with us!
• • • • • • • • • •
777 Hwy 10 E • Detroit Lakes, MN www.americinn.com
Accoun�ng Architectural Technology Associate in Arts (AA) Auto Body Collision Technology Automo�ve Service Technology Business Entrepreneurship Business Management Marke�ng and Sales Child Care and Educa�on Cisco Networking Civil Engineering Technology Early Childhood and Paraprofessional Educa�on Entrepreneurship General Educa�on Individualized Studies Informa�on Technology Liberal Arts and Sciences Marine Engine Technology
• Network Administra�on and Security • Nursing • Paralegal • PowerSports Technology • Radiologic Technology • Social Science • University Transfer • Virtual Office Professional • Web Development
Clean, Comfortable and Spacious Rooms, Vaulted Lobby with Fireplace, Home-Style AmericInn Breakfast, Free Wi-Fi
For Reservations: Call: 800-634-3444 or 218-847-8795
Sign up today to visit the edu. ota .edu sota Det roit Lakes Campus at minnes ything ever you We look forward to showing er! we have to off minnesota.edu 87 7.45 0. 3322 1160589
Detroit Lakes
eCampus
Fergus Falls
Moorhead
Wadena
A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universi�es System. An Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer. Un Educador/Empleador de Oportunidad Igual.
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 97
it’s a little spicier in town! Take the chill off and warm up with one of the hot items Miguel’s has to offer!
129 VETERAN MEMORIAL PARKWAY DETROIT LAKES, MN
847-1276
98 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Cenex Proudly Supports the Detroit Mountain Recreational Area When you go out to Play, Cenex is on the Way!
We are the ONE
STOP for all your needs.
Cenex Community Coops
1160710
14583 Highway 10 West • Lake Park, MN 56554 • 218-238-5911 911 Hwy. 34 E • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 • 218-847-3190 Pump 24 • Mahnomen, MN • 218-935-2258 Twin Valley • 218-584-5171 Flom • 218-567-8538
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 99
ITALIAN • STEAKS • SEAFOOD • PIZZA
SPEAK EASY — family owned and operated —
You know where to go after a day at the Mountain
The area’s
BEST
Happy Hour
2-4-1’s 11am-7pm
1/2 PRICE APPETIZERS until 6pm
1100 North Shore
r e•
etro t Lake N• eakea o
1
1 11603 7 1
100 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
YOUR BURGER & GRINDER HEADQUARTERS GHT ~ I N Y DA 8pm ~ SUNBurgers 52-4-1 HT ~ G I N SDAY 1/2 Price R U H ~ T Wings & rs 50¢
ize
Appet
CH N U L Y DAIL LS A I C E P S aily
BONEL TRADIT ESS & IO WINGSNAL 10 SAU CES
ade D ) M s p u So nally (Seaso
JOIN OU
R TEX
T CLUB REC SPECIA EIVE VIP LS B BLEAC Y TEXTING HERS 30549 TO
Lake Access to Deadshot Bay
218-844-6820 • 25807 Cty Hwy 22, Detroit Lakes
CONTACT US FOR ALL YOUR LIQUOR CATERING NEEDS!
• CATERING •
Weddings • Anniversaries Holiday Parties • Private Parties
218.929.0824
11604 5 6
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 101
Let us make your Sunset as memorable as the Sunrise The joy of life comes from our adventures with new experiences. We look forward to serving you distinctive dinners to create lasting impressions. Recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2014
Inviting you to dine, Wednesday to Sunday at 5:00 p.m. 34785 Co. Hwy. 4 Vergas, MN On Beautiful Rose Lake
218.334.3555
www.spankysstonehearth.com 11604 4 9
102 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
Worked up an
APPETITE?
Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner
Check out our fantastic
DAILY SPECIALS MON Half Price Mocha TUES Burger Specials WED Senior Day 20% Off THURS Kids Eat Free
with adult entree & beverage purchase
FRI All You Can Eat Shrimp
SAT Chicken Alfredo
with Homemade Bruschetta
SUN 10% Off w/Church Bulletin Take Out Available !
Dine-in only
705 Hwy. 10 East • DEtroit LakEs, MN
218.847.0472
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 103
Breakfast Served all day!
Lunch & Dinner Bakery
Great with a slice of pie!
Join MyPerkins™ at perkinsrestaurants.com
MENTION THIS AD AND RECEIVE 10% OFF
990 U.S. 10 • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 (218) 847-1666 104 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
1160698
The special treats you deserve.
Enjoy The Cactus ‌
Making other memories jealous
I would like to welcome you to The Cactus. We strive to provide an unmatched dining and entertainment experience. We open daily at 11 AM and feature our Lunch Buffet. Dinner offerings include our hand-cut choice steaks prepared to your liking over charcoal, world famous BBQ Pork Ribs, fresh seafood, pastas, and gourmet entreĂŠ salads, all offered with our signature house recipes. The Cactus boasts its newly remodeled event center with seating for up to 400 guests; which is perfect for wedding receptions, company parties or a get together. We invite you to experience our off-site catering. Also enjoy our newly added patio for your outdoor seating option.
1162564
~ Owner/Chef | Blake Minge ~ Owner | Brenda Minge ~ Executive Chef | Robert Banta ~
Follow us on Facebook | 43521 Fort Thunder Road | Perham, MN | (218) 346-2554 THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 105
106 | THE MOUNTAIN REBORN
•
•
•
•
We know it takes an entire team to produce quality results. Detroit Mountain is the pride of our community and is yet another example of the results of a committed team.
DETROIT MOUNTAIN REBORN
All of us at Detroit Lakes Newspapers are extremely proud and honored to have worked on this historical book
WITH HONOR & PRIDE
sanfordhealth.org
You Grow. We Grow. Proudly supporting and serving our community. Sanford Health Detroit Lakes Clinic & Same Day Surgery Center (218) 846-2000
1500-51220-0080 10/14
THE MOUNTAIN REBORN | 107
PUBLISHED BY DETROIT LAKES NEWSPAPERS 511 WASHINGTON AVENUE, DETROIT LAKES, MN 56501 • WWW.DL-ONLINE.COM • 218.847.3151