Northern Michigan University is the only Midwest representative on the 30 Most Beautiful Ski Town Colleges listing released by Online College Plan. NMU ranks 15th.
The description of NMU references the university's Nordic and Alpine ski teams, the ski area business management degree program and the student Board & Ski Club. It also states that "the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is one of the snowiest regions in the continental U.S. While Marquette (home to Northern Michigan University) is not known for its towering mountains, the average annual snowfall of 149” makes skiing inevitable."
In 2018, NMU appeared among the top five in "POWDER" magazine's Best East Coast Colleges for Skiers. The editors acknowledged the geographical conundrum of including NMU in the same category as colleges in eastern states such as Vermont and New Hampshire.
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