Mount Bohemia Is Expanding, but Only for Ski Touring

“NO UPHILL ACCESS ALLOWED”—It’s a sign every backcountry skier has grown weary of, and some choose to blatantly ignore (illegally).

Most ski resorts have adapted to the dramatic rise in backcountry skiing and snowboarding by offering dedicated uphill routes, uphill passes, and even offering uphill lessons, but arguably, no ski area has embraced the backcountry movement more so than Mount Bohemia, Michigan.

Mount Bohemia is known for its nearly 300 inches of annual snowfall, refusal to groom or make snow, a rowdy hot-tub party scene, a world-class Nordic spa, and hundreds of acres of backcountry skiing access.

The ski resort’s “Little Boho” is a separate hill reserved exclusively for ski touring and splitboarding access. It’s open daily and frequented by locals and tourists who prefer to earn their turns rather than ride up one of Bohemia’s iconic neon-painted chairlifts.

Little Boho is great for a quick tour after work, but backcountry skiers will have an entirely new zone to explore at Mount Bohemia, according to a recent social post.

“Bohemia [will] open a new section this winter just beyond the Haunted Valley,” writes Mount Bohemia in an Instagram post announcing the expansion. “The Labyrinth will be about a quarter mile wide glade forest for ski touring, splitboarding, and hiking access.”

Mount Bohemia shared a new trail map for The Labyrinth. The terrain appears to be a mixture of cut and gladed ski runs. See below.

The Labyrinth can be accessed from Mount Bohemia’s existing in-bounds terrain, but it will require skiers to skin out or back up to exit. Conversely, backcountry skiers and snowboarders will be able to skin up from the bottom of the resort to reach The Labyrinth zone.

Ski touring is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, with an estimated 115% increase in participation over the last four years.

Mount Bohemia noted this in its social media post: “The sport of ski touring and split boarding is the fastest growing segment in the ski industry, and this new section will be a great place to go to find untracked powder even a few days after a storm.”

Backcountry skiers and snowboarders will need to purchase a daily lift ticket, or a season pass starting at just $99 to access The Labyrinth at Mount Bohemia.

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