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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!
 
#6,547 ·
OH yeah,... I had just recovered from a bout of pneumonia at the time I made that trip!! :D







That's right!!!! Imma "Bad Assed, tough, geriatric slow ridin' Ol' fart!!! ;) :rofl3:
(....of course my family calls that "Crazy!!!) lol
 
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#6,548 · (Edited)
I'll weigh in I guess.

I don't know about Bachelor, so I can't speak specifically to Rogue- but the biggest difference for me on big mountains was stamina, the length of the runs. By the time I descended 2500-3000 vert in a single run my legs were fried and I took a 10 minute blow, something I don't do in Michigan. Otherwise it was fine even on blacks out west.

Of course their blues are similar to some of our blacks, but if you're not talking about couloirs or extreme steeps, do a few degrees really turn you from a competent Michigan black rider to a noob? I don't think so.

I think Rogue's example is highly dependent on the rider. We went out west, my wife was sketched at first and felt like a noob. I was perfectly fine. She got over it and joined me on the blacks out there.

Waxico has a point, riding less than ideal conditions makes you more confident and competent for when conditions are good. He may be generalizing a little, obviously there's a difference between blacks and "grab a beacon and inform ski patrol you're going down" double and triple blacks.

Again, I don't know if Bachelor is more gnarly. I can only speak about Big Sky, and Lake Louise up in Alberta. I'm also not referring to extreme terrain. But if you're a good black rider in Michigan then you're going to be a fine black rider out west.
 
#6,549 · (Edited)
I just can't imagine believing where and what conditions I ride is enough to qualify me to ride anything, anywhere. In the end I shouldn't have said anything though I'm just being grumpy...

Make it winter again ! I guess I could head over to the waxing thread and REALLY let loose...

Chomps! Bring Deacon out and let's ride together!!! You know you both want to !
 
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#6,550 ·
I just can't imagine believing where and what conditions I ride is enough to qualify me to ride anything, anywhere. In the end I shouldn't have said anything though I'm just being grumpy...

Make it winter again ! I guess I could head over to the waxing thread and REALLY let loose...

Chomps! Bring Deacon out and let's ride together!!! You know you both want to !
Nah, I'm with you. I love my state but nothing here has prepped me to ride gnarnia. I was just playing devil's advocate that maybe he meant black v black or something. I seriously doubt anyone here is offended that you said anything.
 
#6,555 ·
Alrighty, so I've been a lurker here for a while but was/am active on sierra/trusnow/truoutdoors. As that forum becomes more desolate with each passing day I find myself yearning for the camaraderie and shenanigans that used to exist there... and as a result, here I am.

It wasn't a great season for me, lowest number of days on the snow since 2011, partly due to an ongoing sciatica issue (I'm old) and my riding buddy spending more time coaching youth basketball than snowboarding (we used to buy the White Gold Card and take a couple northern MI trips). Still, spent a week at Boyne Highlands and a week in Park City (popped a lot of ibuprofen to deal with the sciatica). We hit some of the best snow I ever experienced in Utah and already planned a trip there for mid-February 2017.

Looking forward to being an active member here and perhaps riding with some of you next season.
 
#6,557 ·
Thanks!

SE, Plymouth-Canton to narrow it down.

I didn't even get out to Mt. Brighton (4 freebies with my 4-day Epic Pass for Park City) this season. I'm considering buying the White Gold Card next season to push me to get out locally more often.

Typically I plan a school trip to Boyne Highlands (we had 11 families there 2 seasons ago) but did not get one together this past season.
 
#6,559 · (Edited)

Just a little reminder to respect your "elders!" >:)


Welcome to the "new" Old Guy!! :grin:
 

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#6,560 · (Edited)
Thanks to all for the warm welcome. And I am respecting the elder guy! lol...

Adding a photo from PC/Canyons, first time I saw an Epic Mix photographer parked alongside a run (usually they are at the top of a run). And yes, I wear bright colors so my wife and kids can spot me easily (my wife seems to be the only one who doesn't abide by this...).
 

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#6,561 ·
Maybe she doesn't want to be spotted LOL jk
 
#6,569 ·
Sandboarding

Any of you guys try this?

I did it once on an old Morrow board I I sprayed silicon on the bottom.
I fell and got god awful rash on my shoulder. And the hike back up the dune sukked. Kamikaze mission one and done.

The reason I ask is I saw a Toyota Tacoma magazine ad and the people in the background were doing it.
 
#6,571 ·
Any of you guys try this?

I did it once on an old Morrow board I I sprayed silicon on the bottom.
I fell and got god awful rash on my shoulder. And the hike back up the dune sukked. Kamikaze mission one and done.

The reason I ask is I saw a Toyota Tacoma magazine ad and the people in the background were doing it.
Looks fun in the commercial, eh?

My buddy tried it a couple summers ago and had a similar experience - sand rash and he hated the climb back up. I think he took 3 or 4 runs before calling it quits.
 
#6,576 ·
A couple things I like about Park City... 35 minute drive from SLC; Vail resorts owns Park City and the resort formerly know as the Canyons and combined the 2 to make one of the largest resorts in the country; variety of terrain including some easier hiking options (easy is good when you're old); Epic 4-day Pass.
 
#6,578 ·
Utah is rad. Mid-February I hope you're avoiding Sundance week!

Personally having been there a few times I don't know that I'd stay in PC proper again but it's definitely worth doing a time or two. Bang for your buck is staying on the other side, in like Sandy/Midvale or even in the city, you're not too far a drive to the Cottonwoods and you can easily get to Brighton, Solitude, Snowbird, and PC/Canyons ain't too far either, or head north towards Powder Mountain and there's one more up that way I can't recall... Lodging much cheaper, too, but of course you don't get the whole "resort town" vibe and that's worth something for the experience I'm not gonna try and dissuade you from that.
 
#6,579 ·
Z - good point, I just checked and Sundance is 1/19 - 1/29, so we will avoid that mess.

Our vacations revolve around our sons' school schedule and they get the week of 2/20 - 2/24 off. My oldest will be in 8th grade and this might be the last year he gets that week off (he will be attending Catholic Central or Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard the following year, neither has that week off).

We stay at a Hilton Grand Vacations Club resort on the formerly-known-as-Canyons side of PC. It's a great location, you can take a run and ride back to the resort ski/board valet. The same ski/board valet that was hit by high winds last season (attendant claimed a mini tornado hit the racks) and gear was scattered all over the place. They recovered all the gear except 1 ski... which was my son's ski. They took good care of us and gave my son a new pair of skis, a little longer than his old skis so they will be good for the upcoming season.

We're getting the Epic 4-day pass and since we'll be there for a full week we might head over to Brighton for 1 day. One of the people on trusnow.com (formerly Sierra Snowboards) is a Utah resident and has given me some good info on Brighton, Snowbird, and a few others. Brighton sounds like a good match for my family.
 
#6,580 ·
Brighton is smallest I think but it's a great resort and my favorite in Utah.

It's always been very accommodating to snowboarders, the terrain is for all ability levels and you can't really get lost because all runs basically funnel to the same area except for Milly which is just the other side of the parking lot.

Definitely worth a stop there!
 
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