Snow being made at Marquette Mountain after alleged vandalism
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MARQUETTE -- Snow is being created on Marquette Mountain for the upcoming ski and snowboard season, but it wasn't easy getting to that point.
General Manager Frank Malette said recent vandalism events at the ski hill, located off of M-553, set back operations for weeks.
He said there had been struggles with the water system on Marquette Mountain all summer because of its age. In October, the water system was going to be run up to pressure, which would allow guns to make snow.
During one night about three weeks ago, however, someone came on the property, went to the river pumphouse, broke the locks off the doors and messed with valves, he said.
"There's no way to prove who or what, or what they knew, but they opened a particular valve that caused our system to blow out," Malette said, with repairs delayed.
Those pressures hit a plate at the top of a pipe and blew it off.
"Had somebody been close by, it would have done significant harm to them," Malette said.
Staff was ready to add pressure on the ski hill on Friday, he said, but when the system turned on, it blew out several couplings and a section of pipe outside the pumphouse. He explained the couplings were loose and adjusted so that when pressure was added, damage would occur.
Malette said testing took place on Wednesday so the system could be fired up.
The vandalism was reported to the city of Marquette Police Department.
City police confirmed a report about the alleged vandalism had been filed, but couldn't comment on it since the investigation is continuing.
"We are convinced the perpetrators are familiar with Marquette Mountain," Malette said, stressing he doesn't believe employees were involved.
He also noted that someone was on Marquette Mountain property on Thursday, walking around on the snow with a dog.
Malette acknowledged he was reluctant to talk about the vandalism until now.
"If we said something about it, somebody would come and fuss with it," he said.
Malette said the system is up and running and making snow, and will be operating 24/7 for the next 35 or 40 days. Also, there always will be people at the ski hill as a precaution.
He speculated that some people haven't been comfortable with the transition to new management.
"Be that as it may, this was something that was done maliciously to cause us harm, and it did," Malette said.
He said expenses were incurred because of the necessary repairs and the ski hill not being in operation, but there is no way to determine an exact dollar amount.
Malette hopes Marquette Mountain will open on Saturday.
For more information, visit marquettemountain.com or its Facebook page, or call 906-225-1155.
Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250.