WHEN THE WINTER CLOUDS COME from the northwest, they blow across Lake Michigan at its widest point, absorbing moisture along the way. Crossing the shoreline, those clouds encounter updrafts rising from the ridge of hills above the beaches. This causes the clouds to unload their moisture in a meteorological phenomenon that TV weathermen refer to as "lake-effect snow." Soon, snowplows buzz along the highways to clear the way for motorists--and skiers heading north. That is one of the reasons why Traverse City, Michigan offers some of the Midwest's best skiing: downhill, cross-country and most recently snowboarding.
Mother Nature sometimes can be fickle, however. And while most skiers need snow for their sport, they also enjoy sun reflected off that clean, white snow. That is why the operators of the half dozen ski areas around Traverse City provide state- of-the-art snow-making to supplement the lake-effect offerings of Mother Nature. The combination of snow from the sky and snow from machines insures fine skiing in the area around Grand Traverse Bay from November through April.
From Crystal Mountain to Sugar Creek to The Homestead to Mount Holiday to the Summit and Schuss slopes at Shanty Creek, the Traverse City area offers a variety of activities, guaranteed to please skiers regardless of ability level. You can cruise the easy slopes, or race the steep slopes, or test your ability as a telemark skier or snowboarder. Then in the evening, go cross-country skiing on a lighted trail.
The Traverse City resorts are close together, so you can stay at one and ski the rest. Or stay at one of the in-town motels and pick the resort of your choice from day to day. During a week's stay, you'll have to hustle if you want to ski every available trail within an hour's drive of Traverse City-- and you probably won't succeed.
What you will succeed in is having fun. Something for everybody is the motto of the Traverse City ski resorts. Following is a guide to those resorts and what they have to offer skiers of all interests and abilities:
Friendly service accompanies fine skiing at Crystal Mountain, the closest resort to skiers coming from downstate. Lift operators wipe snow off the seats, holding them for customers going up. Add to that skilled snowmaking (ten tons a minute) and grooming. Many who come to Crystal, even mid-week, are repeat skiers with their families, attracted by bargain packages and childrens' programs.
That doesn't mean Crystal skiers don't ski fast. During the 1993-94 season, the resort ranked 11th in the nation in NASTAR participants, first in the Midwest. The vertical drop is 375 feet. Crystal has 23 downhill slopes, evenly balanced between easiest, more difficult and most difficult. Skiers use five chairlifts: two of them double, two triple and one quad. There are also two surface tows.
Cross-country skiing has become an increasing part of Crystal's business, partly because of 30 kilometers of well- groomed trails, but also because of the variety of those trails. Screaming Eagle is Michigan's first double black diamond, guaranteed to test anyone's courage. Then there's Otter Run, arguably the finest novice trail in the Midwest: flat and lighted for night-skiing.
The Peak Sports Center features a lap pool and exercise equipment. Crystal also offers ice skating, sleigh rides, bonfires, wine and cheese parties and its Wildflower Dining Room, guaranteed to please the palate.
Ski School: Crystal Mountain offers a cadre of experienced PSIA-certified instructors, who teach everything from telemarking to snowboarding to bump skiing and downhill racing. One of the resort's specialties is teaching children, beginning with their "Mountain Midgets" program at age three.
Crystal Mountain Resort: 12500 Crystal Mountain Drive; Thompsonville, MI 49683-9742; (616) 378-2000; (800) 968-7686; Fax: (616) 378-2998; Email: info@crystalmtn.com.
With 500 feet vertical drop, ample lake-effect snow and a trail labeled "Awful Awful" (reportedly the Midwest's steepest), Sugar Loaf always has appealed to those who love to ski fast. The resort features an ambitious race program, everything from FIS events to the Michigan Special Olympics. You'll also see more Telemarkers practicing their graceful knee-drop turns on the Sugar Loaf slopes than at most other area resorts.
In recent years, Sugar Loaf Resort has begun to successfully expand its appeal, adding SKIwee, a national ski program geared toward the special needs of children--and their parents. Balancing "Awful Awful" among the Resort's 22 ski runs is mile-long "Sugar & Spice," with a tilt about what you'd expect from a trail so titled. There are 26 kilometers of groomed cross-country trails plus a new half pipe for snowboarders. The seven lifts include one triple plus a J-bar. Although the official lift opening time remains 10:00 AM, one or two lifts often start an hour early for those who want to sneak in extra skiing. You can use your lift ticket for night skiing, or watch the mogul action under the lights from the windows of Peggy Sue's, which features music and dancing.
Add to that a panoramic view of Lake Michigan from the trails on the backside of the mountain. Sugar Loaf offers 150 slopeside rooms and an indoor pool. Children stay and ski free midweek. "Just Kidding" weekends held in January and March are meant to attract families with young children.
Ski Schools: The Sugar Loaf Ski School offers Burton snowboard demos for all guests wanting to take snowboard lessons. There is also instruction in cross country skiing, telemark skiing and alpine ski racing.
Sugar Loaf Resort: 4500 Sugar Loaf Mountain Road; Cedar, MI 49621-9755; (616) 228-5461; (800) 968-0574; Fax: (616) 228- 6545.
You can't get much closer to Lake Michigan than The Homestead. Its back trails run practically down to the beach. The ridge that tops the ski runs and provides a view of the Manitou Islands was formed by the glaciers 15,000 years ago. Next door neighbor to The Homestead is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The Homestead offers a 375 feet vertical drop. Two triples and one double chairlift serve 14 runs. Recently, the resort regraded some of its runs to make them more accessible to the average skier. Because The Homestead limits lift tickets, lift lines are short and the slopes uncrowded. The resort opens only on weekends: skiing Friday, Saturday and Sunday; lodging Friday and Saturday nights.
The Village, located on the lee side of the dune ridge provides skier facilities, interesting shops and several eating places, including Nonna's Ristorante. ("Nonna" in Italian means "Grandma.")
For those interested in cross-country skiing, 36 kilometers of groomed trails weave through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. These trails are open mid-week while the downhill runs are closed.
Ski Schools: The Homestead's certified PSIA ski school divides students into nine skier ability levels. This rating method allows skiers to determine their current ability level, set goals and choose the best instructional program.
The Homestead: Wood Ridge Road; Glen Arbor, MI 49636; (616) 334-5000; Fax: 334-5120.
Traverse City's Mount Holiday is your friendly, neighborhood ski area. Not resort--area! No array of lodges and condominiums surround Mount Holiday. Next to its ski slopes are the houses of people who live and work in Traverse City. Many stop by after dinner for an hour or two of skiing before heading home to catch the evening news. Guests at local hotels and motels also ski at the area, because it is handy--and also low- cost.The ski area's motto is that skiers can spend more time on the slopes, less time driving to them.
Mount Holiday, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last season, is located on Holiday Hills Road, just off US 31 North, only three miles north of downtown Traverse City. Two chairlifts, two T-bars and four rope-tows serve its 12 runs featuring 200 feet vertical drop. Mount Holiday offers the best family skiing value in the Grand Traverse region. Daily lift tickets cost only $12 for adults, $20 on weekends.
That doesn't mean Mount Holiday skimps on services. The ski area recently upgraded its snowboarding program, adding the Pipe Dragon, a world-class half-pipe. There is also a groomed terrain park filled with the bumps and obstacles that free style snowboarders love.
Mount Holiday offers a kilometer-long lighted trail for cross-country skiing and is only a short distance from the "Vasa" trail, used for one of the nation's most prestigious cross-country ski races. "Upper Holiday" recently was transformed into a racing hill for skiers and snowboarders with steep drops and quick terrain changes. The Leelanau Ski Club offers young skiers a nine-week program of racing and instruction, three sessions a week.
Ski Schools: The Mount Holiday staff provides complete individual instruction for all levels. Particularly, Mount Holiday prides itself in its ability to create skiers among the local population. The ski school offers a Learn To Ski program that begins with elementary school students, offering lessons, rental equipment and lift tickets at reasonable prices. The area offers a Kids Academy every weekend for students aged 5- 15. Boy Scouts can earn a merit badge. A Friday-night program targets adults.
Mount Holiday: 3100 Holiday Road; Traverse City, MI 49686; (616) 938-2500.
When you choose Shanty Creek for your ski vacation, you get two ski areas and two diverse personalities. The ski resort by that name is divided into "Summit Village" and "Schuss Village." The pair of ski areas are several miles apart, connected by a shuttle bus as well as by a cross-country trail.
Summit is a glitzy hotel sitting atop a gentle ski hill, the ultimate destination for novices nervous about their skiing. Summit's Lakeview Restaurant offers a view over the ski slopes to Lake Bellaire in the valley plus a classic Sunday brunch. That plus a Wine of the Month.
Schuss appeals more to hard-core skiers with 450 feet vertical drop and an aptly named "Kingdom Come." (Although there's also "Chicken's Choice.") Lifts plus buildings are painted vibrant yellows, pinks and purples. The look is that of a European village.
The cross-country trail is site of the White Pine Stampede ski race in early February. This cross-country event begins in Mancelona with skiers racing 20 kilometers stopping at Schuss. Those going 50 kilometers continue on to Summit with the last stretch uphill!
Most downhill skiers prefer riding the shuttle bus. A Superticket allows up to 13 hours skiing a day on 29 trails at both areas. There are nine lifts, including five double, one triple and three surface. The 600 rooms offer a variety of accomodations. Snowboarders have a half pipe and snow park plus competitive races. Young children enroll in Snow Stars, a ski/play program. Gandy the Purple Goose, a character specially created for the resort, skis and snowboards in costume and talks to the children.
Ski School: Shanty Creek has 85 ski instructors between its two areas and switches instructors from Schuss to Summit depending on demand. Students also can switch between areas. Three times during the season, Shanty offers weekend-long teaching programs offering intense instruction, whether downhill, cross-country or even snowboarding, a growth area. Last year, 15 per cent of those taking snowboard lessons at Shanty Creek were adults over 30.
Shanty Creek: Bellaire, MI 49615; (616) 533-8621; (800) 678-4111; Fax: (616) 533-7050; Email: info@shantycreek.com
Copyright © 1995 by Hal Higdon. All rights reserved. Requests to reprint will be considered.
HAL HIGDON, a freelance writer from Michigan City, Indiana, was the 1995 winner of the North American Ski Journalist Association's Harold S. Hirsch Award for Excellence in Ski Writing. Hal can be reached by email at: higdon@adsnet.com