Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums banner

The Official Michigan Winter Thread

490K views 8K replies 153 participants last post by  sabatoa 
#1 ·
Alright everyone since Summer is over, fall has just begun and we've already had our first rail jam of the year, it's time to start a new thread for the 10/11 winter.

Last year we had the "Southeast" michigan thread, but I think we should do all of Michigan. Sure, most of population lives in S/E michigan but we all ride the same resorts in the LP and even the UP if we get a chance, so we should have one thread to bring everyone together.

Cheers everyone we're probably only like 70 days from open resorts!
 
#2,485 ·
:thumbsup: Highland's is pretty good! (...a little packed down & chopped by the time I arrived, but WAY better than 2 weeks ago!)

Seems Work's not going to need me tomorrow so,.. I get ANOTHER DAY of riding!! :yahoo:

(Although,.. I Gotta remember to get in a lot more MTB riding in during the off months,.. It's showing this season! Thighs getting fried a LOT sooner than @ the start of last season!) :dunno: :thumbsdown:

Hope you all got to ride something this weekend!!!
 
#2,487 ·
HA!!! WTF Is with my luck! They have power out to half of highlands. Only have the Main hi speed lift going along with the bunny slope. They said they'd have every thing up n running in an hour, 3 hours ago.

Wouldnt b complaining except they charged full price for the lift ticket!! If I had known I would have to wait in lift lines for essentially one-two open runs, I'd have gone to Nubs Instead. Think I will tomorrow anyway.
 
#2,491 · (Edited)
...holly was grid tonight they sshould have time mire terrain open soon.
:laugh: Dave, are You OK?? Are you posting from your phone? Or should we call 911 cuz I think you're havin' a stroke! :laugh: ;)

Joking aside,.. I managed to pull yesterday out of the crapper! Did a little polite, courteous bitching to the manager & got a voucher for a full day lift ticket, and B. Mtn. had night skiing last night & I got them to honor my 9-4:30 ticket for the pm. session.

They re-groomed the blue & black runs for the pm session while I was there & I got a few REALLY SWEET, fast, carving (& scarving,..) runs down them. Even on the steeps! Board just sunk it's teeth in and bit into that fresh corduroy & held some Great lines!!

Finally the Topper for the day was, near the end of the night I went to the Boyneland (Bunny Hill) area and managed to pull off some Tail Presses, & pressed spins!!! Before my legs were completely spent, I did 3-4 ea, of frontside & backside pressed spins. I did a few regular & switch!! The switch tail presses were a bit easier because of the longer nose on my directional board! I'm gonna head there again today before going home & try to get a few more done before my legs are too tired!

Have a great Holiday Guys!! Merry Christmas!
 
#2,493 · (Edited)
...those presses/butters/spins out of the way before your legs get too tired, that stuff can *really* take a surprising toll on the legs!
Oh my GAWD YES!!! An Hour in the gym or 45 MIN. on a treadmill @ 4.5 mph & I'm not huffin' & puffin' anywhere near as bad as I was just trying to hold a couple switch tail presses for 15-20 ft.!!!! On the Bunny Hill!!! Mellow slope & all!

My calves are crampin', my lower back & muscles in my Butt are seizing up on me,.. hit a rest stop N. of Flint coming home & could barely get out of the car!

IT WAS GREAT!! :yahoo:

They're not real pretty,.. NOBODY is ever gonna call what I was doing today "Steezy", but by God they were genuine Regular & Switch, "Tail Presses" & I held a few of them for a good 20+ ft. Even got a couple of pretty good and surprisingly controlled, font & backside pressed spins, or turns, whatever you call them!! :eusa_clap: :yahoo: (...that's between the bunch where I fell on my ass & face trying that is!)

...And cuz it seems I'm ALWAYS riding solo, No video proof to show for it!!!! (...or to get a constructive critique on!)

I'm going back this thursday! :D (...guess I can Kiss my credit score, Goodbye!!) :D

P.S. How was the local riding? ...sucked driving home in it, but good to see snow coming down around here finally!!!!
 
#2,494 ·
It looks like we got some snow for Christmas, and hopefully winter is here to stay for a few months. :)

Surprise snowfall last night might've dropped a few inches at Pine Knob/Alpine Valley (Mt Holly reports only a "trace") but we had to turn back on I-75 at Joslyn Rd last night because conditions were awful, maybe 2" of snow by 6pm...

There is also a system moving through Wednesday which should be dropping a considerable amount in Detroit and the immediate suburbs (4-8") with less at Pine Knob (3-6") and a bit less still at Mt. Holly (2-4"). This is supposed to be an all day snowfall so if you get out Wednesday AM you should be riding reasonably fresh snow all day long.

But like me many of you will probably be up north where there is no fresh snow in the forecast. :(

I'll take it, though!
 
#2,496 · (Edited)
I'm getting up there tomorrow for a long run Wednesday through Sunday.

...Looks like it's going to be nice and cold the whole time.

I hope I'm able to walk come Sunday...:unsure:
Have a Ball Guy's!

Anybody getting up to Boyne Mt. or Highlands this weekend?
I'm still aching from this last trip & I'm Leaving first thing in the morning before rush heats up around here. (Hope they have the roads cleared by then! Once I get north of Flint or Saginaw, It should b an OK drive!)

Those of you riding local the next few days, be sure to post any reports for Holly, PK or Alpine. {OK,.. You can include Mt Brighton if anybody rides there?} I want to hear what I missed with the fresh snow & also what I'm coming home to! :)
 
#2,503 ·
Sent you a pm with my Cell#. I'll be back on the hill around 6:45 pm tonight if you're still riding! If not,.. Hope we can hook up for a few laps tomorrow @ boyne Mnt!
 
#2,505 ·
Just saw this, might be a good value for someone so I wanted to share it.

$300 Value for $69 from The UpNorth Ski Card - UpNorthLive Deals : UpNorthLive.com

$69 gets you one lift ticket at each of the following;

Crystal Mountain
Shanty Creek
Treetops
Holiday Hills
Hanson Hills
Caberfae Peaks

The Fine Print;

  • Expiration date will be end of 2013 ski season.
  • Not valid with other offers.
  • Rental fees not included
  • Ski Card is good for 1 lift ticket at each participating ski resort Blackout Dates Include: December 21th – January 1st and Holidays Card is only valid Monday-Friday 9am-9pm and Saturday & Sundays after 4pm.
 
#2,508 ·
Boyne Mountain was an absolute shit show today. Crowds like whoa everywhere. Lift lines packed. Every trail packed. Pub was packed. Bathrooms were packed. Damn place was like India or sumshit.

I met up with Chomps and rode with him for just about all my runs, had some early fun on the steeps near the bowl. I was stoked to see they're constructing the kickers, I can't wait to get on them.

Outside of the runs near the bowl the other stuff was rough. Choppy and rutted at best, dirty ice at it's worst in the back runs at the disciple chairs.

All in all disappointing due to the crowds, especially after two epic days prior at Highlands. The bright side was getting to ride with Chomps most of the day.

Tomorrow we're meeting Leo at Shanty and then the three of us are doing Crystal on Sunday. Looking forward to getting some strange.
 
#2,509 ·
...Tomorrow we're meeting Leo at Shanty and then the three of us are doing Crystal on Sunday. Looking forward to getting some strange.
Well, after what happened to me, make sure you wear protection!! :laugh:
Haven't crashed coming off a lift in ages & you get to see the two best!!!
So far, not too bad. Thought once I stopped moving I might seize up all together, but I just finished eating and I'm stiff but not so bad I going to miss getting in the last 2 hours or so at Highlands. (...I may end up paying for it come morning though!)

Had fun riding with you and the Mrs., wish it hadn't been such a clusterfuck fest with the lift lines 'n' crowds! Have fun with Leo @ Crystal!
 
#2,510 ·
Figured it would be crowded as hell up there. Surprisingly Crystal was not busy on Wednesday. Like, at all. No lines at any of the lifts, all day. No trouble pissing. No trouble finding a table in the cafeteria. Hopefully for your sake it's not too bad this weekend, but hopefully for *their* sake, business picks up ASAP.

Pine Knob was a shit show last night, too. At the top where the two chairs converge on top of Quicksilver there were probably never fewer than 50 people strapping in, or already strapped in but just twiddling their dicks or whatever getting in the way. The snow was nice -- soft but heavy, not too rutted or anything, but the lift lines especially at the two lifts next to the lodge were terrible.
 
#2,512 ·
The last 2 hours tonight at Highlands made up for a good deal of the shitshow at Boyne Mnt. earlier. I had that main run down to the high speed all to my self for three or four runs at the end.

Sabatoa, it was a little chunky,.. but I got a couple of "Sweet" high speed runs down it and my board just bit into that shit and FLEW!!!

Definitely my Best, fastest, most controlled runs of the whole week!! ...and of course, no one to show them off to!! :rolleyes: I even managed a couple of regular and switch tail presses on some of the steeper runs! Hell, they were almost "Steezy"!! :yahoo: (...almost!!) ;)

But of course, You get to see me slipping' n sliding on my ass with the demo boards, and crashing on the lifts!! :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap: :laugh: I had fun though!! Hope we get a chance to do it again!

Thought that hamstring pull might sideline me for the night, but after those runs, I feel pretty good. Might be sore in the am. just have to wait 'n' see!

Be sure to let us know how Crystal was!
 
#2,515 ·
Good day at Shanty, it was busy during the day but it's dropped off after 4.

It's a bit smaller than I expected but still pretty fun. They've got the woods in the park set up, sketchy and way over my skill level but it looks cool. They also have a big propane tank to jib and my personal favorite; a slope style run starting with a 5 foot kicker, kinked rainbow rail and ending with a booted that Leo and I are hitting. It's taller than me but I'm not sure the size.

Some of the runs will be more fun with some more snow.

I wouldn't make the drive up here for Schuss Mtn but if I'm already up here it's worth checking out for a change of pace.
 
Top