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Life in Houghton Michigan!

MTU is located within the city of Houghton, Michigan on the shores of the Portage Canal, which divides the Keweenaw Peninsula. Across the canal is the city of Hancock, and together the two cities form Michigan’s little version of the “twin cities.”

The Keweenaw Peninsula of Upper Michigan was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, and since this time has been referred to as the “Copper Country”. The town and University exist due to the fact this region was a major producer of copper from about 1865-1920. For this reason, the state established a college of mines and metallurgy in Houghton in 1885.

The Upper Peninsula is a heavily wooded area with a mix of rugged terrain and a population density of approximately 19 people per square mile. In contrast, Detroit has a population density of approximately 3100 people per square mile. Houghton averages around 220 inches of snow each winter due its close proximity to Lake Superior and lake effect snowfall enhancement. Lake Superior also moderates our temperatures, and we are typically 10-15 degrees warmer than Duluth, MN in the winter.

Typically, from December through March, 1 to 4 feet of snow is on the ground. This makes for excellent skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. Snowmobiling is a major tourist industry in the area, with hundreds of miles of some of the best snowmobile trails in the country. The University maintains the challenging and diverse Michigan Tech Ski Trails. During the summer, these trails double as challenging mountain bike trails. The University also operates a downhill ski resort that is a 5 minute drive from campus. The vertical drop does not rival Colorado, but it is steep and challenging, and is some of the best quality downhill skiing in the Midwest. There are many other ski areas within a few hours’ drive.

Summer in the "Copper Country" is usually fantastic, typically with high temperatures in the upper 70's, cool evenings, blue sky, and clean air and water. Excellent outdoor recreational activities are plentiful; most revolve around Lake Superior, the forests, inland lakes, and streams. Many residents enjoy hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, camping, mountain biking, or other outdoor activities. The area abounds with waterfalls and other excellent hiking and camping destinations.

Many outdoor activities are supported by student organizations that work closely with the local community to enhance the experience for students at Michigan Tech University. Please visit the student organizations website for more details on student organizations and their subsequent activities.

Here's a map showing our location.

Houghton is accessible by air via Northwest Airlink, which flies turboprops and jets to the Houghton/Hancock airport (CMX) from Minneapolis or Detroit and offers seamless connections with Northwest Airlines.

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