Michigan Home Movies: Skiing Caberfae in 1948 [Video]
Before everyone had a camera on their phone, movies were a big deal- especially in 1948. Check out this vintage footage of skiers enjoying a Michigan winter.
Grandma and Grandpa Herb aren't going to win any cinematography awards, but this home movie footage shot up north at two Michigan ski resorts is remarkable. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and travel back to 1948. First, note that these are quite well-dressed ski bums. Second, although the YouTube video description says Caberfae and Crystal Mountain, if it was truly shot in 1948, that's incorrect; Crystal Mountain didn't open until 1956. Michigan's Caberfae Peaks is one of the oldest ski resorts in the entire country, opening in 1938. They now have 34 runs, 5 ski lifts, and 485 vertical feet of mountain to ski. It all started with a single rope tow "powered by a Ford Model A car engine."
We will see the tow rope later in the video, but watch as our featured ski bunny opens the charming home movie clad in a nice hat and mittens to keep her warm and a big smile that will warm your heart. As "Baby, It's Cold Outside" plays, she snowplows her skis together to slow down on what may be the bunny hill. Next, we see a man in a fashionable sweater and goggles hurling at breakneck speed down the mountain. Soon, there are more skiers and the action picks up. The guys shred a couple of moguls, show off some slalom action, and we even almost get to see a wipeout at the 1:29 mark in the video. There is a daredevil that gets some air near the end, and you will see someone struggling to get up from a fall if you watch all of this vintage video of Michigan home movies.
One final thought: In 1948, the ski resorts up north weren't thought of as halfway to the Mackinac Bridge, because no one had even thought of building it yet.