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November 27, 2008

Mike Terrell: What's new around ski country

By MIKE TERRELL

The Great Lakes snowsports season is off to one of its earliest starts ever. Ski areas opened in both Minnesota and Wisconsin the last of October, and Ski Brule -- located along the Wisconsin border near the Upper Peninsula's Iron River -- opened for the season on Nov. 11. It was the first area to open in Michigan.

System snow, lake-effect snow and cold temperatures perfect for snowmaking, have combined early in the season to create almost the perfect environment for covering slopes and trails for downhill skiing. Even cross-country skiers have been cautiously getting out for some activity despite deer hunting still going full guns (pun intended).

It's just what we needed to kick start the winter season, and it comes on the heals of a good 2007/08 winter season. Two in a row would be a bonus, especially since we had three short fairly lousy winters prior to last winter.

Area ski resorts have been busy getting ready for the new season and most have made additions and improvements. Following is a look at what's new at ski areas around northern Michigan. Just about all will be opening over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, but many will close midweek following the holiday weekend to reopen for the season the first weekend of December.

Nubs Nob has added a new fixed-grip triple chair in its popular Pintail Peak area. Located just south of the existing four seater -- the only chair that was serving the area -- this new chair will increase the uphill capacity area by two-thirds in this back area, according to longtime GM Jim Bartlett.

"We really needed more lift capacity back in Pintail Peak. The popularity of

that area, since it opened just a few years ago, has increased ten-fold. It's the one area that we would get a backup on busy winter weekends and holidays, because we had only one lift choice back there. On the rest of our terrain you always had multiple choices to get back up to the top," he explained.

Nubs will be open over the holiday period with at least eight runs and three lifts.

Boyne Mountain celebrates its 60th birthday this season so watch for lots of specials all season long. The Mountain replaced the tired, old Meadows chair with a new higher speed, fixed grip, and conveyor

load lift. It's not a true high-speed lift, but the conveyor belt loading system -- a seamless transition from snow to chair -- allows it to operate at a higher speed than a conventional loading lift. The new lift also extends down the hill further making it more accessible to the visitor parking lot. There's also a brand new facility to house the Boyne Snowsports Academy children's programs at the base of Boyneland, and seven acres of additional glade skiing/riding terrain has been added north of the Disciples and Superbowl trail systems.

At Boyne Highlands nighttime skiing and riding terrain has been increased

with lights being added on both Kath's Run and Leprechaun. In addition there will also be two miles of lit cross-country trails now open on Friday and Saturday nights all season long and nightly through the holiday periods. On Saturday and Sundays you will always be able to find a bonfire and complimentary hot chocolate along the snowshoe trail throughout the season, and the resort's popular Aonach Mor moonlight dinners have been expanded.

The Mountain is now open for the season with at least four lifts and six runs open through the holiday weekend, and the Highlands will be open through Sunday with three lifts and nine runs available, close midweek and reopen for the season on Dec. 6.

Shanty Creek has opened its Schuss Mountain slopes for the season and will have at least five runs and two lifts open through the holiday period; possibly more runs if snowmaking cranks back up.

The Creek recently completed a $10 million renovation of its showcase Lakeview Hotel & Conference Center, which replaced the tired, old Summit Village Hotel, and if you thought the views were nice from the old structure, wait until you see the vista from the new hotel. The Summit's 12 slopes, closed last season during renovation, will reopen this season in early December with several terrain upgrades. Greenway, the Summit's most popular slope, has been expanded, widened, and all new snowmaking equipment has been added to cover all Summit slopes and trails.

The Schuss slopes will have a longer, wider halfpipe this season on Mellow Yellow, and the tubing park, relocated from the Summit slopes, has been moved to the backside of Schuss Mountain near Cedar Village. It will increase the length of the tubing run and more lanes have been added for this coming season.

Crystal will have at least four runs and Tuck's Terrain Park open over the Thanksgiving holidays.

Caberfae Peaks will be open Friday through Sunday with at a minimum six runs, two chair lifts and a surface tow. They hope to add more, and they may have a good chance. Occupying the highest base elevation in the Lower Peninsula, the Peaks has received close to two-feet of snow already this winter; and it's just begun.

Over the summer Caberfae widened one of their main runs, Smiling Irishman, and added two new jib terrain parks. The resort's popular NASTAR race program has been relocated onto Olympia, and a new demo center will be offering Volkl and Nordica ski equipment this season.

Traverse City's Mount Holiday, our community-run ski area, is planning on opening around Dec. 12. They have been busy completely renovating the old lodge building.

"It will be pretty much like a new lodge inside," said GM Rick VanTongeren. "We have a nice, new expanded learning center, a new kitchen and lounge area. Patrons will enjoy the newness. It was getting pretty worn and cramped inside."

In addition to the inside renovation, the ski area enlarged its beginner area and added more lighting on the slopes, which should greatly improve night vision.

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