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IRON MOUNTAIN -- Dickinson County Sheriff Scott Rutter will begin talks with the Kiwanis Ski Club about security needs for the annual Pine Mountain ski jumping tournament after telling the county board Monday it's outgrowing the means of his department.
The Feb. 4-6 Continental Cup tournament was "a great event," Rutter said, but more planning will be needed going forward.
"It's not going to get smaller," he said, pointing to the likely return of World Cup competitions. "There's only so much we can do with the resources we have."
The sheriff's office, which patrols the tournament grounds, has eight to 10 people available for a crowd estimated as large as 10,000 or more at its peak.
"We end up policing a lot of smaller events after the main event," Rutter added. "The most important thing is safety."
The sheriff said he wants to see the "family atmosphere" retained at the site, but changes may be needed.
Commissioner Joe Stevens, who chairs the county's parks committee, agreed that a meeting with the ski club should be arranged.
The 2022 Marshfield Clinic-Dickinson Continental Cup tournament drew 36 jumpers from seven nations. This year marked the debut of the non-profit ski club's $3 million renovation to raise the Pine Mountain facility to current International Ski Federation, or FIS, standards. The 2021 tournament was canceled due to pandemic restrictions.
Commissioners, in general, praised the event and the dedication of ski club members. Commissioner Ann Martin said she'd heard "only positives" after attending this year's tournament.
Pine Mountain has been the site of world-class ski jumping since 1939 after the county assisted the federal Works Progress Administration in building a giant scaffold and landing hill. The facility is on county property, but the tournament is conducted under the direction of the ski club, which leases the ski jump area for a nominal fee.
Pine Mountain last hosted men's World Cup events in 1996 and 2000 and the FIS has suggested a combined men's and women's tournament.