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Lower Peninsula Ski Resorts

Caberfae Peaks, Cadillac

The folks at Caberfae had a busy summer: they added 11 snowmaking towers and enough guns to bring their total to nearly 100. They expanded the elbowroom on the Mid-Canyon run and Upper Easy Street. A beginner’s terrain park is now part of the original Cammy Potter terrain park, so features like flat rails and boxes now come in every shape and size—perfect for novice snowboarders and seasoned pros alike. Mackenzie Lodge is also new and improved, with full-service dining, a spiffed-up front desk and reception area, and 36 spankin’ fresh guest rooms. Finally, the punch pass ticket from last year continues in all its glory: four open-to-close lift tickets for only $49 total, each completely transferable—day-to-day and person-to-person. Find other sweet deals at ski shops all over Michigan, like the $9 Sunday skiing coupon available at Brick Wheels in Traverse City.

Signature Event

Spring arrives early at Caberfae—during the third weekend in March. Celebrate the eventual springtime thaw with a bikini parade, special contests, music and prizes at the resort’s annual Spring Carnival.

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Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville

Fresh off last year’s 50th anniversary, Crystal Mountain is only getting better. This season brings a 30-percent increase in snowmaking capabilities, the start of the second Trailside neighborhood of cabins—a short swoosh from Crystal’s cross-country trails—and the reliably classy, cozy, fun-for-all vibe that’s kept this resort humming along through the decades. Nearly 30 runs are lit up at night, but if you can scoot over here during the weekdays, Crystal will make it worth your while: the $139 Day Break Season Pass gets you unlimited skiing Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays) all winter long.

Signature Events

Mardi Gras on the Mountain and the famed Cardboard Classic happen February 9; Women’s Winter Tour Weekend on February Feb. 8-10; Boarding for Breast Cancer on March 1; Spring Fling (Slush Cup and Kayak Race are must-sees) on March 15-16.

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The Homestead Resort, Glen Arbor

At Leelanau Peninsula’s The Homestead Resort, kids age 10 and under are invited to Camp Tamarack, an onsite children’s center with half-day, full-day and evening ski instruction programs starting at $35. A carpeted indoor bunny hill and the original Magic Carpet conveyer lift (outside) ease the little ones onto gentle hills. Adults, there’s lots for you, too—take in the million-dollar view of icy blue Lake Michigan as you whiz downhill, or snowshoe or glide through the adjoining Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. An ice skating pond and ski village of shops and restaurants await just a stone’s throw from the slopes. For special events and wintertime weddings, check out the brand new Mountain Flowers Lodge.

Signature Events

Wine connoisseurs, gear up for a special package in March: stay for two nights at The Homestead and enjoy an enormous Saturday breakfast followed by a tour of three wineries, transportation included. In the evening, sit down to a five-course winemaker’s dinner at Nonna’s, where carefully selected wines are paired with each new course.

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Shanty Creek Resorts, Bellaire

Shanty Creek has undergone major renovations in the off-season, a project that will mean a newly redone lobby and renovated rooms in the Lakeview Hotel and Conference Center. Look out for new rentals—skis, boots, boards, bindings, poles and helmets are all brand-spankin’ new—and increased beginner accessibility on the back side of Schuss Mountain. Plus, edgy features like a new half-pipe have been added to the redesigned Purple Haze terrain park.

Signature Event

Mesh style and speed as you gear up and whiz across a 40-foot pond for the 30th annual Slush Cup Weekend. The event takes place between Feb. 29 and March 2 and includes a frozen fish toss, a seal slide, a shovel race, a silly slalom contest and the ever-popular fruity-suity contest.

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Treetops Resort, Gaylord

Drop off the kids (ages 6-14) for weekly lessons on Sundays from Jan. 6-Feb. 3. The five-week ski or snowboard instruction series will boost kids from novice to pro in no time. Later, bask in the exclusivity of no-wait snow tubing when you buy a 90-minute session on the tubing hill. Looking for a way to celebrate something special? Gather at least 11 of your favorite friends and let Treetops’ old-fashioned hayride whisk you through the snow to a river cabin in the woods, where executive chef John Kaye prepares a gourmet dinner before your eyes ($65 per person).

Signature Events

The whole city of Gaylord comes out to play during Treetop’s Fabulous Fifties celebration in January. Then on February 23 and 24, teams of four come from far and wide to compete in the “Amazing Race on Skis” contest.

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Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls

Skiing’s central, but Boyne Mountain boasts a bevy of other options for snow lovers. For starters, the award-winning resort is equipped with one of the longest superpipes in North America—a 700 footer that’s 55 feet wide with 18-foot walls, a 20-foot deck width and an 18-foot transition. There’s also a tube park, which has been moved to a new, sweet spot on the mountain and made into a four-lane, 1,000-foot track. When you’re hungry for some heat, take in a toasty massage at Solace Spa (Michigan’s largest), whiz down a waterslide at Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark or watch skiers fly downhill from the heated outdoor pool. Bonus: Interchangeable tickets make it possible to ski at Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands—that’s 111 trails included on a single ticket.

Signature Events

Carnival Weekend celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with Boyne’s Slush Cup and special ski and snowboarding packages. The holiday gets a little crazy with an outrageous costume contest, the Dirt Bag Ball, a Carnival King and Queen, Bloody Mary and Breakfast Buffet and even a mechanical bull. For New Years Eve, partake in the Torch Light Parade and fireworks, live music and other festivities.

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Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs

Boyne Highland’s got bragging right to the highest vertical drop in Lower Michigan, but the resort’s one-of-a-kind offerings don’t stop there. Here, you can bundle up for a 60-minute ride on a cozy dogsled that’s led by a team of Alaskan huskies, many of whom are in training for or have run the famed Iditarod race. Cocoa and photo ops are included in this unforgettable ride. Prefer to do the legwork yourself? Strap on some snowshoes—a variety of Tubbs snowshoes are available for rent—and hit the new 3.2K snowshoe loop. This exclusive, snowshoe-only trail departs from the Cross Country Center and heads toward open terrain before leading into a beautiful wonderland of mature spruce and pine hardwoods. Trail tickets are $15 for all day adventure.

Signature Event

At Boyne Highlands, St. Patrick’s Day festivities are more family-style than those at the Highlands’ sister resort. Here, Krazy Daze include a leprechaun run, duel giant slalom races, an outrageous costume contest and more.

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Nub’s Nob, Harbor Springs

Nub’s Nob, celebrating 50 years of skiing this year, was ranked No. 1 Terrain Park in the country and No. 4 in Grooming according to the 2007 Ski Magazine Reader Survey. The resort isn’t resting on its laurels though. This year, it’s added two new Piston Bully groomers, as well as eight of Nub’s signature snow guns to its collection, making 250 guns total (all of which were invented and patented on the premises). Enjoy even more finely groomed trails this year with a new tree-encompassed glade ski run, an addition to Arena Glades. The finishing touch to the new-this-year fun? Brand new Nordica rental boots and Rossignol skis and bindings—proving that, after 50 years of skiing, Nub’s is still moving full speed ahead.

Signature Event

A family-style Mardi Gras celebration on March 22, with special events, contests and live entertainment.

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