The Official Michigan Winter Thread

[turbospartan]

Hey all... I'm from SE Michigan (downriver) about 30 minutes south of Detroit.

Just thought I'd drop a line in this thread... I usually ride at Mt. Holly as it is better than Brighton in my opinion, and its easier to get to than Alpine Valley.

Probably do a trip up to Boyne-area this year for a weekened, and will definitely go on at least one trip to Colorado. 2 of my roommates from college live in Denver, which makes a trip out there a lot easier. Last year we hit Breck-Vail-Beaver Creek-Keystone.

Anyway... I just bought a new board, last year's Lib Tech Banana Magic. Just got it delivered yesterday and I'm pretty stoked. Here are a few pics:

overall:


magna-traction for that Michigan ice:


and lately there has been a big debate about this... but I'd say this is more than "just banana" and closer to a hybrid camber/rocker:

[boardaddicktd]

nice board dude! hopefully i have my new setup to show off in a couple weeks! we hit up PK a lot last year. their t-park is a lot better than holly's. ohtrewise, the mtns are pretty similar. always nice to have friends out west! i was at winter park, aspen (snomass, mtn and buttermilk) last yr-pretty sick.

[david_z]

I'm hitting Breckenridge in a few weeks, just for a weekend with the girls but after that the season should be in full swing even for us in Michigan.

I'll be heading back out West (not sure exactly where yet) after our season is over, probably late March or early April.

As for the Midwest here's the growing list of stuff I want to do this winter. I probably don't have time for it all, but anyone who wants in on any of it just let me know!

• Road trip to Mt. Bohemia/Ski Porkies?
• Road trip to Traverse City to poach the old Sugarloaf Mountain (hiking required)
• Also trying to get down to Snowshoe, WV or Seven Springs, PA
• Maybe Searchmont, ON
• Film some urban stuff that makes Michigan look legit

[turbospartan]

Originally Posted by david_z

I'm hitting Breckenridge in a few weeks, just for a weekend with the girls but after that the season should be in full swing even for us in Michigan.

I'll be heading back out West (not sure exactly where yet) after our season is over, probably late March or early April.

As for the Midwest here's the growing list of stuff I want to do this winter. I probably don't have time for it all, but anyone who wants in on any of it just let me know!

• Road trip to Mt. Bohemia/Ski Porkies?
• Road trip to Traverse City to poach the old Sugarloaf Mountain (hiking required)
• Also trying to get down to Snowshoe, WV or Seven Springs, PA
• Maybe Searchmont, ON
• Film some urban stuff that makes Michigan look legit

I posted in a different thread about Mt. Bohemia, as I went there about 5 years ago. It was pretty awesome, especially for Michigan. Very steep terrain, rocks, cliff drops, glades - you name it. It also snowed about 2 feet the night before we go up there so we had pretty awesome conditions.

If you are planning to ride Bohemia, I'd suggest buying a season pass on the first saturday in December (I think its the 5th). Every year they sell it on the first saturday and it only costs $99, but you have to buy it that day. I think for a little extra ($130ish?) you can get a combo-pass which includes both Bohemia and the Porkies, but I've never been to the Porkies. Its still a deal though, as a single day at Bohemia is $50. So as long as you ride it at least twice... it was worth the $99 season pass.

I stated this in the other thread too, but the only problem with Bohemia is that it is like a 10 hour drive. If you drive an extra hour or two to the East, you can ride Killington, Stowe, etc. in Vermont - which have over 2,000 feet of vertical. It'd be a lot cheaper though, if going to Bohemia.

I've also heard that Holiday Valley, NY is pretty decent. Its about a 6 hour drive I believe, but has 1000' of vertical.

[david_z]

Yeah I know the drive sucks! But Bohemia is a feather I want to put in my cap, ya know?

We drove to Tremblant QC a few winters back and that took us about 11 hours overnight with a hassle at the border.

The U.P. is way cheaper than VT/QC/NY

Bohemia/Porkies also doing buy-one/get-one lift tickets all season long. Since I'd only be up there once, it would cost the same either way, so I probably won't get the pass but it is a great deal. Porkies has a few hundred acres of terrain serviced only by snow-cats, for an additional $10 or $15/day you get unlimited cat turns.

[boardaddicktd]

yea hopefully bohemia gets more snow this yr because it sucked last january! thats why i need a new board this yr hah! we actually asked one of the lifties there about snowcat-ing at the porkies. he said that it wasn't any better than the outer limits of bohemia. we boarded two days which is all you'll get on a wknd trip so unless you plan on going more than once a yr the season pass would only save you a buck! i'd also like to try snowshoe this yr! breck in 3 wks huh? lucky! u kno im down for this urban shyt! im sure to provide u with sum good footie.

[david_z]

I'll let ya know when/if I do Snowshoe. A friend of mine moved down to North Carolina, so we were trying to find a decent "mountain" that is about halfway between NC and MI. Snowshoe and Seven Springs are really the only legit options.

I'm scurrred of the urban stuff. rails are not my specialty especially street rails, but hopefully the practice rail I built last weekend will help.

[david_z]

Are you guys stoked for winter or what???

This is what I did in my yard today :P

[Jay29]

I'm ready!! Why can't it get cold already!

[Tauwolf]

Originally Posted by david_z

Are you guys stoked for winter or what???

This is what I did in my yard today :P

Yup, I was doing that in my basement last night... I think I have my new Union Forces dialed in to the exact millimeter on every adjustment cuz I just needed to play with all my gear. A few nights ago I was preparing all my backcountry gear for a trip that isn't till January lol.