Crystella Ski Hill

Home
United States
Crystal Falls, MI
Crystella Ski Hill

Through fund-raising efforts, local businesses, and volunteers we MADE the ski hill a thriving attraction once again!

We have two tow ropes serving a beginner hill with a vertical drop of 34 feet and a run length of approximately 300 feet and an expert terrain park with an approximate vertical drop of 96 feet and run length of 700 feet. Links for Season Pass Application and User Contract are posted on our FB page and available on our website: https://crystalfalls.org/parks-recreation-skiing.htm

For more informat

ion and if you'd like to volunteer your time, please message us! Donations can be made to
Crystella Recreation Association
PO Box 84
Crystal Falls, MI 49920

08/06/2026

Crystella History Series

November 1, 1940

If you had ankled down Forest avenue Sunday afternoon you perhaps would have cast a casual glance over toward the hill that is soon to become the city’s winter sports playground. If you aren't too nearsighted, you would have seen a lone worker over there bending his back over a short-handled shovel. If your curiosity was aroused, you would have walked through the wet grass to see who that lone worker was and to learn what he was trying to do with a little shovel on a big hill. Alter climbing the steep hill, you would probably have been surprised to learn that the shoveler was not a farmer digging a post hole, nor a WPA employee getting in some overtime, but that he was none other than Tony “Judge" Carlotto, whose interest in the development of a winter sports program for Crystal Falls is not confined to membership on an inactive committee nor a loud voice in a bull session.

08/05/2026

Crystella is looking for volunteers for tonight August 5th. We will be working on maintaining the trails. The hill is really developing and we can’t thank our volunteers enough that have helped this far!

🗓️ Wednesday evenings
⏰ 4:30-6:30 PM
📍Meet at Crystella Lodge
🦟 Dress appropriately for the weather

08/03/2026

Crystella History Series

September 20, 1940

Winter Sports Club Building Ski Slide

Members of the Crystal Falls Winter Sports
Club, headed by Tony Carlotto, president of the organization, are building an artificial ski slide on the southwestern outskirts of the city.

The members have been working on the slide for the past several weeks and report that it will be ready for use when the first snow falls.

Efforts will be made to secure the county's bulldozer to aid in removing some of the dirt on the hill where the slide is located.

It is estimated that jumps of 90 to 100 feet will be possible on the new slide.

07/22/2026

The hill is looking incredible! Thank you to our hard working volunteers. The grass is coming through nicely on the new glade runs. There is still much work to be done. The crew is out there now! Come join us to get Crystella ready for winter.

🗓️ Wednesday evenings
⏰ 4:30-6:30 PM
📍Meet at Crystella Lodge
🦟 Dress appropriately for the weather

07/17/2026

Crystella History Series

Hill Near Runkle Lake Considered as Winter Sports Site
February 23, 1940

The high hill on the northeast side of Runkle lake is being considered as a possible site for a winter sports center, by the members of the recently-formed Winter Sports club in the city.

Because the hill is near the municipal park, it is considered by many as the logical site. Ski, toboggan and bob-sied slides could be constructed on the hill and ski trails could be mapped over the area.

A skating rink could be cleared on the lake and the bulldings at the park, particularly the large shelter with its huge fireplace could be used by the winter sports enthusiasts.

At a meeting of the city commission Monday night, the officials pledged their support to the promotion of winter sports and in a response to a request from the Chamber of Commerce, the commissioners agreed to cooperate with the east side townships in conducting a survey of winter sports possibilities.

A study of the possibilities of securing the hill for winter sports referred to above will be made in the near future, the commissioners said.

06/29/2026

Crystella History Series

Nightly Crowds Join in Making Soderman's Hill a Popular Spot
February 16, 1940

The hill on Soderman's farm near the Falls location has become the recreation center of Crystal Falls, with increasing numbers of winter sports enthusiasts literally swarming to the hill with their toboggans, snow shoes and skis.

The city commission, the WPA recreational leaders and the members of the Winter Sports Club have cooperated in adding improvements to the hill which now includes a ski jump, a toboggan slide and many ski trails.

On Wednesday night of this week some 200 residents of the city enjoyed their favorite winter sports on the hill and last night, the Sport Club's weekly outing brought another record-breaking throng to the speedy slopes.

The hill will be the scene of much activity Sunday afternoon, when the winter carnival will be staged there and it is expected that tomorrow afternoon will see another bumper crop of enthusiasts skimming over the slides.

The ski scaffold, constructed under the direction of Elmer Soderberg, manual training instructor
at the Forest Park school, is one of the most popular improvements on the site.

A rapidly growing number of local people are learning to jump and some of the more experienced jumpers bave leaped distances of 40 feet or more.

06/24/2026

Our summer work continues! This week we will continue clearing the glade runs and dragging brush off of the trails and into the woods. We are looking for a couple of people to w**d eat around the buildings and tow ropes. W**d trimmers provided! Come join our crew tomorrow June 24th to keep Crystella looking sharp!

🗓️ Wednesday evenings
⏰ 4:30-6:30 PM
📍Meet at Crystella Lodge
🦟 Dress appropriately for the weather

06/17/2026

Crystella History Series
February 9, 1940

If you think there isn't a keen interest in winter sports in Crystal Falls, just take a look at the entry list for the first county ski tournament held at Caspian Sunday. Out ot 22 entries, 11 of them were from this city. And not only that, but a lion's share of the honors went to the Crystal Falls skiers.

Soderman's hill is rapidly becoming the town's most popular spot these days. A ski and toboggan slide have been constructed and crowds are literally swarming over the hill each night. The facilities at the hill are made available through the aid of “Vic" Soderman who "donated" his field and hill; to Mayor Pivatto who furnished lumber for the ski scaffold; to Elmer Soderberg, who supervised the construction of the ski slide; to the local WPA recreational directors and to many members of the Winter Sports Club who have worked tirelessly on the improvements that have made the hill a real spot for good clean fun.

CRYSTAL FALLS
SAVES THE DAY AT SKI TOURNEY
Half of Entries Are From This City; Cop Many Honors

A casual glimpse at the entry list in the ski tournament held as a part of the Iron County Winter Carnival on the county's west side last Sunday would indicate that Crystal Falls just about saved the day for the sponsors of the carnival.

In the ski jumping tournament there were 22 entries representing communities in the county and eleven of them were from Crystal Falls.

The cross-country race ended in a deadlock between Charles Kennedy, of this city, and Carl Ockerstrom, of Bates. They covered the two mile course in 39 minutes.

Angelo Albiero, jumping in the boys' division, took third place in a field of 17 with 108 points on jumps of 56 and 52 feet. Harry Peterson and Paul Lindwall, both of Stambaugh, placed first and second, respectively.

In the men's division, Bay Fabbri, of Crystal Falls, was tied for second place with jumps of 59 and 40 feet. He totaled 89 points with L. Johnson, of Casplan. Gilbert Omdahl, of Iron River was first among the men with 11 points. Steven Mindok, of Crystal Falls, placed fifth with jumps of 43 and 39 feet. An estimated crowd of more than 1,500 persons witnessed the ski tournament.

Results of all jumps follows:

06/09/2026

Here is a beautiful view from the Crystella hill. This shows some of the incredible progress that has been made these last few weeks. This week we will continue working on the glade runs. Come on out and support this expansion so we can give our kiddos the best winter yet!

🗓️ Wednesday evenings
⏰ 4:30-6:30 PM
📍Meet at Crystella Lodge
🦟 Dress appropriately for the weather

06/08/2026

Welcome to the Crystella History Series!

Going back to January 19, 1940 a meeting was conducted to begin the plans for a winter sports club here in Crystal Falls. Tony Carlotto was named temporary chairman and Robert Selmo was named secretary of the club. A membership committee was created including Byron Bauer, Robert Selmo, and Todd Webb Jr. Carlotto named Frank P Lee, Richard Schroeger, Elmer Soderberg, Steven Mindok, and Maurice Warshawsky to the program committee.

Growth of Crystal Falls Winter Sports
By BOB RICHARDS

Back in the year of 1939 a group of fellows in the City of Crystal Falls got together to create a winter sports center for the people of this community. They picked the most convenient spot in this city for a ski center and decided, Soderman hill. A medium sized ski slide was constructed for the pleasure of the children. A tournament day arrived when the furthest jump was 29 feet. A good crowd turned out on this cold day to witness something new. It was a treat to them.

That year passed and it was called a successful year. Then came 1940, a new year. Its subject was a bigger sports center. It was decided the Creamery hill would be an ideal spot. Plans for a slide were laid out in school and a lot of hard, tiresome labor was put into this slide. The best part of it was all good citizens of Crystal Falls donated help. Days and weeks passed when finally a day came we could open the slide. A tournament was held and it was a great success.

Then the subject was a shelter house so the club went into detail. A shelter was built with lumber and different articles donated. The project improved the sport of skiing. If the people of this city would pitch in and get out of doors and mix with the sports-minded people and wake up and see what the youth of Crystal Falls have done, they would enjoy a better life. Let's keep pitching and make 1943 and 1944 a better year than ever.

Address

927 Urban Avenue
Crystal Falls, MI
49920

Telephone

+17632453376

Website

https://crystalfalls.org/skiing

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Crystella Ski Hill posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Crystella Ski Hill:

Want your business to be the top-listed Gym/sports Facility in Crystal Falls?