The ski season at Mont Ripley has begun! And for the first time, Ripley is rolling out tap-and-go access for HuskyCard at the lifts, replacing the old standalone Mont Ripley passes. Students who pay the Experience Tech Fee already have lift access loaded onto their ID cards; they just need to complete a waiver emailed to students. Old-style Ripley cards are still available for $20, but are no longer required.
The shift is part of a broader push for reliable data about Mont Ripley’s user base.
Every tap of a HuskyCard at a lift generates information administrators can actually use. Until now, Ripley has relied on broader information about their visitor numbers. “We can get closer and say X amount of people used their pass because they tapped, and X amount of people used each lift because they tapped,” explained Christopher Maxson, Mont Ripley’s manager.
Mont Ripley operates as an auxiliary of Michigan Tech, meaning it isn’t designed to generate profit and depends on the Experience Tech Fee and community ticket sales. When the hill encourages students to tap in, it’s building information that is being used and valued by Ripley management.
Maxson noted that Ripley issued about 1,700 community passes last year, excluding day tickets and visiting riders. On campus, student involvement is strong: three different ski and snowboard teams (alpine, snowboard, and a fast-growing freestyle crew), Ski Patrol, and a newly energized Ski & Snowboard Club all call the hill home.
For new students hoping to get involved, the Ski & Snowboard Club is a welcoming student organization. “We are planning group rides, park days, and setting up carpool networks,” said Spencer Cobb, Ski & Snowboard Club president. Students can sign up through the Involvement Link. With around 250 parking spots, carpooling or taking the shuttle is encouraged, and bringing a friend is even better.
As Maxson puts it, “It’s about skiing, kind of, but really it’s about escaping and being outside, and it’s more about wellness in the end.”
