Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and Copper Harbor Trails Club transition to a new phase of partnership

Copper Harbor, Michigan, May 4, 2023 — The 30th Anniversary Copper Harbor Trails Fest is fast approaching. The Copper Harbor Trails Club (CHTC) and the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge (KML) have mutually agreed to focus on each organization’s core competencies and joint future collaborative projects, and to move on from the title sponsorship of Trails Fest. The Copper Harbor Trails Club is excited to continue working with the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge to further develop and maintain its trail network. CHTC thanks the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge for their support as title sponsor the past two years. 

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge continues to support the Copper Harbor Trails Club in their mission to advocate for, develop, and maintain trails and land for human-powered activities in and connecting to Copper Harbor. The Lodge will continue to host Trails Fest’s signature Overflow downhill race and other events on the Copper Harbor Trails within the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge’s property for years to come. The two organizations have collaborated many times over the last five years to help make the Copper Harbor Trail System one of the top mountain bike destinations in the United States.

In 2018, the Lodge changed ownership and the new team immediately began a partnership with the Copper Harbor Trails Club. The KML, CHTC and Rock Solid Trail Contacting all worked together to expand the beginner trails in the Copper Harbor Trail system with the Back 9 Trails; this alliance also constructed the Cabin Life trail with funding assistance from the Portage Health Foundation. At that time the Lodge team began transitioning the Lodge to a four-season historic resort at the top of the Keweenaw, focused on outdoor activities, rustic worldly food, and education. The Back 9 trails have been a great stepping stone for new riders to the area and beginner mountain bikers of all ages.

In 2021 many of CHTC’s gravity trails on Brockway Mountain were closed by Keweenaw County for insurance concerns. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge completed the purchase of this adjacent land to ensure they would be open for generations to come. This 380 acres has over eleven miles of trails including all or parts of Woopidy Woo, Flying Squirrel, Danimal, Overflow and others. The KML, CHTC and the Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition (KORC) worked together to create trail easements and a conservation easement so that the property would retain its wilderness feel and continue access that silent sports enthusiasts have come to enjoy over the last two decades. The Copper Harbor Trails Club and the entire mountain bike community is grateful for the actions of Keweenaw Mountain Lodge to secure access to some of Copper Harbor’s most iconic trails. 

The Trails Fest title sponsorship started when the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge stepped up to take over late in the season in 2021. The title sponsorship continued into 2022 with the second largest event ever, featuring a variety of races, informative guided hikes with the Lodge’s in-house naturalist, evening parties, and more. The Copper Harbor Trails Club was excited to engage with so many trail lovers at the tail-end of the season and looks forward to continuing to grow the event over Labor Day weekend 2023 and beyond.

The Copper Harbor Trails Club and the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge are jointly excited to continue making mountain biking enjoyable and spectacular in the Keweenaw!  We look forward to seeing everyone during the Labor Day weekend. 

Register for the 30th Annual Copper Harbor Trails Fest at https://copperharbortrails.org/trails-fest

[ Print Version (PDF): PR 20230504 – Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and Copper Harbor Trails Club transition to a new phase of partnership

Note: This is a joint press release from both the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and the Copper Harbor Trails Club