Helping the Park

Helmets for Kids Project

Ski Helmets for Kids - Kurt Blake Helmet Fund
Helmet Fund The Friends encourages skiing safety by reimbursing a young person, age 18 or younger, 50% of the cost of a ski helmet, up to $50, purchased at the Winter Complex Ski Shop. Pick up and fill out a form at the Ski Shop. Over the years, we have funded the purchase of over 300 helmets for youth from the region. Kurt Blake’s family and the Friends of the Porkies established the Kurt Blake Helmet Fund in 2008 in memory of Kurt, an Ontonagon youngster who loved to ski and who died in March 2008, following a tragic skiing accident. A skier for all of his short life, Kurt played at the Porkies ski hill and worked at the Winter Complex Ski Shop. Over the years, the Portage Health foundation has sustained the Helmet Fund along with donations from people like you. To donate to the Kurt Blake Helmet Fund please send a check to:

Kurt Blake Helmet Fund
P.O. Box 221
Ontonagon, MI 49953

Or donate online and choose "Kurt Blake Helmet Fund" from the dropdown.

Trail Maintenance Committee

With over 90 miles of hiking trails which includes 26 miles cross-country ski trails to maintain, the Friends is recruiting trail clearing maintenance volunteers for the park. Every fall, volunteers will clear the trails.  We are looking for volunteers with chainsaw experience, swampers to remove the cut-up shrubs or tree lengths, and anybody that can wield a lopper to trim back vegetation.

Trail clean-up after windstorms and ice storms has been overwhelming in the past few years. The Friends is also looking for volunteers who can help in wind falling trails after weather events. If you have experience with a chainsaw or can help move cut up tree lengths, we are recruiting to create a list of trail helpers that can be contacted for emergency help. Volunteer today for future needs.

Sign Up to Volunteer

Special Programs

Supporting the Park Naturalist Programs

Over the years, the Friends has supported the Park’s interpretive program. Every year we fund the printing of 50,000 copies of the park newspaper “The Visitor”. But did you know the Friends also writes grants so the park can address other interpretive program needs? Using funds received from Copper Shores Community Health Foundation grant, the Friends purchased kerosene lanterns for the lantern lit ski and snowshoe hikes and adjustable snowshoe poles for the "Snowshoe Hike with a Ranger". Helping the Park provide high quality interpretation is an important goal of the Friends.

Special Days

The Friend’s Porcupine Mountain Folk School celebrates the Summer Solstice every June 21st with a traditional Scandinavian fire ceremony, local musicians perform around the campfire, and each year a new traditional cultural performance is the highlight of the evening. This event is free and includes refreshments around the campfire. Details for this year’s Solstice can be found on the events calendar and at Friends of the Porkies on Facebook.