Helping this midwest forum

[mikesathome]

First off, I like the new message board very cool, look at all those new smilies, flash and video inputs!
I should be driving some more traffic here for the midwest forms, as I found out mmba.org (Michighan Mountian Biking Assotaion) has a rather larage group of Midwest skiers/riders.
Just wanted to pop in here and post a little update, as some leaves in northern Michigan have started to change color, winter is not far away!!!

<~Love those LOL

[dank]

It would be nice to see some increased traffic to the Midwest area again this year. And I just got back from my week long vacation near Traverse City, there are some leaves starting to turn.

On a rainy day we took a short detour and drove through Crystal Mountain. I haven't been there in about 10-12 years. They have done a lot since then. Seems like they have added a lot of lodging and ammeneties. The ski in/ski out condos at the top look nice. I know they have added some trails since I have been there, but I don't know what those are like. Also, did some ski stuff shopping in TC one day. Boyne County sports there always has good deals on ski stuff during the summer, lots of 50% off and the like.

[lex]

I live near TC, over by Glen Arbor. The trees are really starting to change colors, always gets me a bit more excited. I know Caberfae Peaks is widening one of their runs. Crystal isn't doing anything more to the slopes, but they are going to be adding more runs in the coming years. Still waiting for Sugar Loaf to open, but that place has been a disaster & nothing ever seems to happen. Only thing I hear now is that the main lodge is probably going to be condemned, so the saga continues. I saw that Mt. Bohemia is looking for a new CEO (saminfo.com classifieds) so maybe they'll finally invest in a groomer &/or snowmaking, would make the 7 hour drive for that.

[dank]

We don't usually make it over to the Glen Arbor area when we are up there but we did this year. Heading for Lake Michigan and going around Lime Lake (i think) I saw what had to be a ski slope in the distance. I had to pull out the map to see that it was Sugar Loaf. Good thing the map is a few years old, it may not be on new maps. Looks like it's been closed since about 2000. I never skied there, anybody remember what the place is like? Vertical and/or # of trails?

[lex]

I moved here after it closed, but many of my friends & locals remember it quite well & speak of steep riding, long runs, riding fast, tree runs, etc. From the stats I found, 25 runs, 7 lifts(incl. 1 ropetow), close to 500' of vert & it says 180" a year. That snowfall isn't correct (more like 140" on avg), but it does get more snowfall than any other area in the mitt. The vert is actually about 500', most areas like fudge this, so really close to Boyne Highlands which is a hair over 500'. They have some steep runs that I have hiked/ridden that are the steepest I've seen in Michigan, to be honest, except for some cruisers, the place is pretty steep. But the owner wants $5.7mill, chairlifts need to be replaced, lodge is most likely going to be condemned, needs a new sewer/water for up to date snowmaking. You can search leelanua.com/blog for the most info about the place. It was auctioned off 3 years ago, but the woman who bought it got the loan from the original owner which is why nothing has happened. A local tried to buy it recently, but he ran into issues with the owners, the resort was in worst shape than he thought & they wanted too much money...so there it sits.

[dank]

That's too bad, sounds like it may turn into a 'lost' ski area. If it's that far gone it might cost too much to get it up and running again. I keep saying i want to live up in that area, it would be much nicer to have another ski area.

[mikesathome]

I skied Sugar Loaf long ago as a kid, hills were all big to me back then.
Might be a nice place to hike up and earn some turns after a good lake effect dump, of course that is if you can get up there with out the cops or security grabbing you.

[lex]

Cops are not such an issue, it's the snowmobilers, but there's room for everybody. Cops pretty much stay on the state roads & don't really venture off them. Last year was good for earnin turns, we had a natural base pretty much for about 4 months.