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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!
 
#2,303 ·
Holy mother of god, I am so sore.

Man that first run of the day yesterday was sketchy but I quickly found my footing again and we had a great time doing ollies over snow clumps and looking for little things to hit.

Holly had 3 real runs going yesterday (they count the bunny hills to add up to 5 open runs). One of those runs had a corrugated tube, shotgun rail and like Dave said, that super low box. At the end of the run people were riding up the wall and jibbing a picnic table on the deck outside of the cafeteria.

I didn't end up hitting the box because I asked someone if it were there when I first got there and they said no, just listing the other features. So I never bothered going over there until the very end when I was already worn out.

Good times though. I hope they can hold their base over this warm stretch.
 
#2,305 · (Edited)
If I can get off work early enough, might try to hit Pine Knob tonight.

Anybody been to PK since they opened Wed.? How good/bad was it? AV was SOLID ice wed. nite. Figured PK probably was too, but if it doesn't piss rain today, a little warm up might make for somewhat better snow (ice) conditions for riding. By tomorrow, this crappy weather may have their base completely trashed. I don't want to ride in mud! :( :dunno:


:edit:
Holy mother of god, I am so sore.
Yeah, I feel Ya!! The muscles aren't too bad today, but those 3 ass falls on my first ride,..? I am definitely noticing a sore patch on the cheeks?? :laugh:
 
#2,311 ·
If Nubs is open, they might be offering night riding. Worth checking out. Of course that's another lift ticket to buy. :(
 
#2,316 ·
That's 12 bottles I already have. haha

Seriously though, it's going to be kinda soupy on Sunday, high near 50 with a chance of rain. I don't feel like paying for a second night of a hotel for those conditions.

I'm driving up tonight so I can get there right when they open without being worn out from the drive and being up at the ass crack of dawn. We'll close the place out then head back tomorrow.
 
#2,321 · (Edited)
SWEEEET!!! Near the end of last season, the yellow tint lenses of my new Oakley Airbrakes cracked while switching them out. I Sent the lens in last month just inside the warranty. Well I got them back today just before leaving for work,..


...attached to a set of BRAND NEW, COMPLETE, IN THE BOX, AIRBRAKES!!!!
Talk about customer service!!!! I'm Stoked.

(...hope nobody here Rat's me out to Oakley!!). ;) :D
 
#2,322 ·
As long as Mt. Holly's open tomorrow for day session tomorrow, I'll be there. I've scheduled a lesson for my son from 10-12, so that'll be my time to work on getting my riding legs back. The rest of the time I'll be with him, probably on the magic carpet and rope tow.

I'll be in black pants and black helmet, brick red jacket. Riding a Donek. Say hi!
 
#2,324 ·
Okay so today I went to alpine valley and after I had gotten my season pass and had decided fuck it I might as well snowboard for just an a hour and so on my first run I feel twice each within 20 feet of each other. Then it slowly began to click.now on the second run that's when shit got real I was going from toe side to heel side smoothly and by my 5th run I was hitting the jumps that the other ppl would make then around the 10th run I was 50-50ing box rails. But I think iwent at the perfect time cause it wasn't cold enough for the snow to freeze and it had raind in the morning so the snow was actually better then what I had ridden most of last season.if you haven't gone for ur yet this season I don't recommend going untill next wensday unless u enjoy pure slush/water boarding
 
#2,326 ·
Whew!! PK was pretty good last night! I like that softer stuff a LOT better than that slab ice shit!! Shot outta work and got there around 7:30-ish, stayed till close @11. Now,.. I'm definitely sore today!! :) (...it's becoming obvious I didn't do near enough MTB riding or squats in the gym this summer!) ;)

Did more falling than I did @ AV Wed. night, but most of that was because I spent some time carving turns "switch" on the Black run there! :thumbsup: As steep as it was, I would get going a lot faster than I felt confidant in doing while goofy and washed out hard on a few heel & toeside turns! (...is it me, or do the toeside washouts at speed seem to get a little "Hairy-er" than just fallin' & sliding around on you azz!??)

...anyway, I had fun! My buttering spins are looking a lot better. ...Faster & a lot more like spins and not just linked 180's! I even managed a tail press or two on the bunny hill's mellow. (...nothing really impressive. think I only held it for maybe 6-8 ft.! but it was a press & I didn't fall! )

Hope Y'all have fun out there today! ...and Sabatoa, when you get the chance, be sure to let us know how things are up there @ Boyne!!
 
#2,328 · (Edited)
Well, I guess I'll b the one to state the painfully obvious,..
...looks like the riding's done around here for a while! :( :( :mad:

I hope that the NLP doesn't suffer the same fate with this warm up! I'll be goin' to Boyne Mt. next Thurs. for a long weekend. Bad enough to be spending that money for only 4-5 open runs, but if they get all slopped up or worse, melted & then frozen solid??? That would "Totally Suck"!!!

10 day forecast doesn't look too bad for the region, but I see the 60% chance for snow that weekend they predicted 2-3 days ago has pretty much evaporated!! OMG!!! R we really looking at another shitty assed season around here????

Looks like CA. & the Northern Rockies are the only area's getting any "real" luv from the Snow God's!!!!
 
#2,330 ·
Glad everyone's making it out for their first turns! I rode a few hours at MTH again yesterday morning with Mikein248 for a few laps too.

Slush was fun but it was painfully obvious that they don't have enough of it. They were literally filling in brown spots by hand, with shovels of snow from a few feet away LOL. We definitely need more snow or cold temps before we'll see either of PK/AV/MTH/Brighton open again, but it's looking like they *might* have a window to make some snow later in the week and hopefully back open by Saturday morning.

@Chomps Boyne got some natural snow and they blew a ton of it, that stuff should stick around for a while so they'll have terrain open it will just be a question of whether it's slush, snow, or ice :)

Yes we're off to a rough start but it's still very early. Hopefully temps return to a normal range soon and we can get on with winter as it's supposed to be.
 
#2,343 ·
One last question about Boyne/Highlands (I promise!):
Do they only have open racks or do they have a security storage of any kind like they have at Bittersweet, if you've ever been there: You line up, employee behind fence takes your board, puts it on rack, comes back and gives you the tag for that rack.

You come back later, meet an employee at the fence, give them the tag, they bring you your board.

That's just an example, but I've seen several different systems like that and so far haven't had to carry a lock for MI hills.
 
#2,346 ·
Shit just got real.

Boyne Highlands just reported their first snowboard death of the season.

At just after 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 2, a 17-year-old girl from Alanson was involved in an accident while snowboarding at Boyne Highlands Resort.

The accident occurred on Camelot, a beginner rated slope. A witness with the snowboarder said that she fell within the slope boundaries and did not collide with any type of obstacle. Snow and weather conditions at the time of the accident were described as wet snow, with temperatures in the mid-40s.

The snowboarder was treated at the scene by Boyne Highlands’ Ski Patrol. She was then transferred by ambulance to McLaren – Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, where she later died.

“We are deeply saddened by this accident,” said Brad Keen, president and general manager of Boyne Highlands Resort. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to her family and friends.”

It is not known if the snowboarder was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.

Due to concerns about patient and family confidentiality, Boyne Highlands does not identify persons who are injured nor share information about injuries sustained at the ski area.​

Media - Northern Michigan Resort Press Releases & Stories | BOYNE
 
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