snow

The monthly snowfall records lists the November high in 1985. I am reminded of my drive back to campus that year after being home for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was “typically” a 3 hour drive from Menominee county. It was normal to leave Sunday afternoon after watching the first NFL game. Light snow was falling and my dad had advised me stay, but I was head strong about getting back. I later began to question this decision as I made the turn off US2 in Crystal Falls to take 141 north toward Covington. There was 6” on the road by then and visibility was becoming difficult with darkness falling. Conditions in L’Anse were whiteout. I had gotten close on the tail of an 18 wheeler as we crossed the lakeshore causeway into Baraga. The trailer lights on the van were only thing I could see. The NE wind had raised the level of the bay to the roadway and there were waves coming across. I found out the next day they highway
Bill Kuntze ’88
Thanksgiving break 1985. 15 hours and 440miles through a god-awful snow storm. We made but most didn't and classes were cancelled on Monday
Brian Pike ’90
It was an awesome experience for me and my family!
In August 2014, I moved from Iraq to the US to do my PhD degree in mechanical engineering at Michigan Tech. The adventure started with a big challenge represented by the extreme difference in the weather between the two regions. It was my first time to see the snow! Winter in Houghton is like living in a big freezer with more than a lot of snow! With time, I used to it and became a part of the
Hashim Naji Azooz Al Mahmud ’14
In the winter of 79 I got tired of cleaning off my car every day so I left it until finals ended in the spring. My car neended up bring under 10 feet of black snow. It took me 3 days to dig it out and get it started.
Scott Richey ’81
Tech was my 3rd and final university on my path to a BSCE in December 1969. I must have been a slow learner then! One great memory is finishing my final exams in December 1968 and then getting married a few days later at St. Albert's chapel. That was the year that they closed the Mackinac Bridge due to heavy snow and high winds, stranding some of my Detroit area friends heading to my wedding on the south side. They have their own special
Allie Nelson ’69
I remember the great snow ball fight we had between DHH & Wadsworth my freshman year with several hundred participants. US 41 got closed due to the exchange for a short time that night. Since DHH also had "the Pits" in the basement, we had artillary support during the snow ball fight. The guys took an empty half-barrel, added a barrel stuffed with a banana (or some other projectile), opened a basement window, & fired off a few rounds at the crowd across the street.
Later that winter, a beer truck took the curve between the dorms too fast one night & ended up on its side on the DHH lawn. The police was afraid to have the truck unloaded & the tow truck nearly tore the van body off the truck trying to get it back on its wheels. A number of guys finally helped unload it after a few hours (with only minor pilferage, as I recall), to get the truck upright & out of there.
Jeff Still \'69 ’69
I came to Tech from India in Spring'15. My flight couldn't land due to snow and was routed to Milwaukee. We attempted another trip after 6 hours and this time it landed. However, I go to the upper DH apartment I was assigned and sleep. I wake up in the morning to see nobody outside except a funky snowman with ice-cream cone in hands. I hated it and was alone there. But the two years that followed that day never had a dull moment. I loved every
Harsh Patel ’16
I was a student when we broke the record with 193". Also remember driving back to tech on January 1 with the Packers having a home game. It took us 13 hours and we almost ran out of gas within 60 miles of Green Bay, WI. (Downstate for me was Chicago, IL) In my three years at Tech Mother Nature always had a surprise for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Breaks. Either going or coming we would all be sliding and driving carefully. Thank
Sanna Messinger Roling ’67
The first year I was at Tech, 58/59, we had a total snowfall of I believe it was 244 inches. In March, several of us decided we should go out to a cabin we used for deer hunting and shovel the snow off the roof. It would be getting heavy. The cabin was on the back side of Lake Gerald, in the Twin Lakes area.We snowshoed in from the road. When we reached the lake, we started off to cross the lake because it was shorter. I headed out onto the
Andy Robinson \"61\" ’61
It is impossible to forget the great snowfall of 1978-79, my Sophomore year. The "Book" says 355", but there was over 400" up near Calumet. It seemed that we had a fresh 6-8" every morning....of soft powdery snow...a skiers dream. I also recall that I learned how to properly wrap a scarf around my face and neck that Winter. Exhilarating!
Chris Kallgren ’81
I started at tech in the fall of 1978. Yes, a special winter lay ahead for my freshman year. I came from Chicago, so quite familiar with what winter entails. However when we had our first snowfall the last week in September, I should have known somemething unusual was in store. When my Dad picked me up the 3rd week in May, there were noticeable snow piles at the edges of the woods and on the side of some back roads. The rest of my winters
Jim Niemczyk ’82
Leaving Tech on Christmas vacation for Grand Rapids on snow-covered roads, we were passed by a car load of fellow students heading for a closer destination near Champion. They honked their horn and waved at us, showing us how to drive on snow. A few miles down the road, there they were about 100 feet off the road in a field, very lucky to have missed some trees. We honked as we drove by laughing our heads off!
Merle C. Potter ’58
I spent 15 years there (between 1981 - 1996) and still miss the place. Winters down here are just not the same (I am near St. Charles, SW of Saginaw, NW of Flint). Jim's store had excellent pasties including a vegetarian version. The previous to the fire Library restaurant was one place I loved to visit with a friend and we always ordered a sauerkraut, Italian sausage and whole wheat crust pizza. The wait staff often being new didn't even
Stephan Rossi ’87
I remember Michigan Tech for the great opportunity and learning experience. I joined the Civil engineering program in 1962 and graduated in 1965. With the help of many great professors, I was able to make history at the school. Not only was I the first Civil Engineering student to graduate as the Valedictorian, but I made that in three years, with only one summer attendance which was mandatory for survey. Tech gave me the opportunity to watch
Amin Almuti ’65
Ahh, fond memories throughout reading these vignettes.. I recall dating Samiha El-Khadem (daughter of my organic chemistry prof) as well as Sue Reynolds?? another professor's daughter - this was somewhat unique as the ratio in those days was 11-1 males to females.

Also recall playing broomball in 70-71 against a team which had my grade school and high school friend, Mike Horan, and we both ended up in the penalty box for fighting - imagine two kids who knew each other since we were 6, ending up in the penalty box together for fighting..... Great wonders. Does anyone recall which year it was when the area recorded 320 inches of snowfall? was it 70-71 winter or 71-72? thanks
Rich Chvala ’73
Valentine's Day, 1969. It was a beautiful crystal clear day (probably about 5 degrees) after more than a foot of fresh snow overnight. Mont Ripley opened right after lunch and we were there, ready for some powder runs. We headed for the Plunge and then skied toward the old Ripley school house. The image is burned into my memory of floating through a field of diamonds - both the blanket of snow and the snow in the air kicked up by the other
Kerry Irons ’72
The spring 2014 version of the Tech Magazine had an account on page 39 about a Thanksgiving drive in 1985.

That reminded me of a little earlier drive, in early 1954 that possibly you might find of interest.

"Four of us from Iron Mountain and northeastern Wisconsin lived in Douglas Houghton Hall on the 2nd floor at the west end of the dorm. One of our group, Terrance Leigh, managed to get a 1937 or so car of a make I don't recall, returning to Houghton with it after the Christmas break. We joined him for a weekend trip home a few weeks later. But Terry, on leaving the west-end parking area from the dorm was trying to read a letter that he had just gotten from his girl. He pulled out onto College Avenue without seeing a car coming from his left, which resulted in a minor fender-bender. After making a police report and exchanging insurance information, we continued on our way down 41 to M95 with 3 of us to be dropped off in Iron
Edmund K. Miller ’57
Evie Dunlop and I got married in 1953. We moved into the married students housing on the hill, up from US 41. That winter it was so cold that we had to bring the car battery inside every night to keep it from freezing. Every morning the routine was similar... sweep the snow from the "living" room to the outside, clear a path to the 1936 studebaker, install the battery, and try starting the engine...usually, with no luck. The next step was to
Peter (Dave) Hanrahan ’54
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