FasterSkier

Tag: Traverse City

  • Experiencing the Great Outdoors in a Traverse City Fall

    Traverse City Tourism

     

    Traverse City

     

    By MIKE NORTON 

    Traverse City, MI – Most visitors know this Michigan town best as a summer destination of beaches, brewpubs and brilliant sunsets — but some of its best outdoor adventures linger long after the Labor Day weekend.

    In fact, autumn is often the best season for outdoor recreation in this place of dunes, lakes and forests. The summer crowds have vanished with the heat, the hills are ablaze with crimson, gold and orange, and there’s a gentle, romantic feel in the air.

    While the area’s fall landscape can certainly be sampled by driving about, there’s no better way to experience the full sensory richness of autumn than by getting out to listen to the crunch of leaves, breathe the crisp autumn air and smell the spicy aroma of apples and wood smoke.

    Hiking or cycling one of the region’s many non-motorized trails or paddling a canoe or kayak down one of its gentle rivers are great ways to have an intimate encounter with Traverse City’s fall beauty.

    Hikers, cyclists, runners and kayakers all find themselves performing better in this season of crisp clear mornings, golden afternoons and cool evenings. (Thanks to the warming effect of nearby Lake Michigan, autumn in Traverse City is often a sort of “extended summer” with plenty of balmy September days for sunbathing and even swimming.)  And as visitors become more interested in fall recreation, local outfitters and rental shops are responding with extended schedules and increased hours.

    Set at the edge of America’s loveliest inland sea, Traverse City’s characteristic landscape of rolling ridges, lush forests and wide expanses of open water is the perfect canvas for Mother Nature’s annual fall masterpiece. In this glacier-sculpted setting of wide panoramas, autumn color is simply the finishing touch to a dramatic vista of water, sand and sky. (TripAdvisor.com calls it one of America’s Top 10 fall foliage destinations!)

    At the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, for instance, an amazing transformation takes place each fall, as the towering bluffs and islands burst into sheets of flaming scarlet, orange and gold — made even more dramatic because they’re set against the deep indigo blue of Lake Michigan. Some of the other places to enjoy fall color in Traverse City are along the narrow Old Mission Peninsula or in Antrim County’s glacier-scoured Chain of Lakes region.

    Sleeping Bear offers hikers a wide range of scenic trails to choose from – including the new Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, a paved pathway that’s also open to cyclists. Another excellent trail system for both hikers and cyclists is Lighthouse Park, at the tip of the Old Mission Peninsula, while the new Glacial Hills Pathway near Bellaire offers a breathtaking hiking/cycling experience. Another advantage of fall is that there’s less motorized traffic on the area’s lovely rural roads, so cyclists can enjoy some of the best road-biking in the country.

    Kayaking and canoeing really come into their own in the fall, too. Paddlers can choose among such favorite streams as the Platte, Betsie, Crystal and Boardman rivers, a multitude of jewel-like forest lakes, or the coves and islands of hill-girded Grand Traverse Bay, whose sheltered waters offer some protection against the boisterous fall winds. Anglers, meanwhile, know that fall is one of the sweetest times to fish the teeming lakes and trout streams of the Traverse City area, as well as the salmon-packed waters of the bay.

    Autumn golf in this part of the world is just about as good as it gets. This is Michigan’s “Golf Coast,” an area Golf Digest named #12 on its list of the World’s Top 50 Golf Destinations, and in the fall its forested hills and ravines are brilliant with red, gold and orange foliage. (Since it’s the off-season, fall is a particularly affordable time to play such prestigious courses as Manitou Passage, The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa or The Legend at Shanty Creek Resorts.)

    Of course, after a day of adventuring it’s great to be able to relax in what is now one of America’s great “foodie towns.” Traverse City’s restaurants enjoy a national reputation for their fresh, innovative regional cuisine. The nearly 40 wineries and tasting rooms of the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas are known for the clean, elegant taste and bouquet of their wines, and the area is considered a craft beer mecca, with 17 microbreweries and brewpubs.

    Autumn can also be a great value on a vacation getaway. Traverse City Tourism, the area’s destination marketing organization, has created what it calls a “Fab Fall” vacation special. From Sept. 1 through Dec. 19, visitors can enjoy special rates at more than 20 resorts and hotels, plus discounts on shopping, dining, wine purchases, movies, spa services, golf, entertainment and family fun.

    The specials must be directly booked through participating hotels; more details about the packages can be found at www.traversecity.com/hotels/packages/fab-fall- packages/

    Choose when you’ll visit:

    Traverse City SpringTraverse City SummerTraverse City FallTraverse City Winter

  • MUSH! Traverse City Dogsled Rides are a Growing Winter Attraction

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    By MIKE NORTON

    BELLAIRE, MI – It’s hard to tell who is most excited, the kids or the dogs. Both groups seem to be making plenty of noise.

    It’s a clear Saturday afternoon at Shanty Creek Resorts, and in the shadow of the Schuss Mountain ski area, the resort golf course is buried under nice white snow. Not so great for golf, maybe, but perfect for dogsledding – and Mike King’s team of Siberian huskies are eager to head out over the rolling terrain as soon as he gives the word. He’s standing at the rear of the sled and a wide-eyed youngster is sitting up front, bundled up to her chin.

    Suddenly, the four-dog team surges forward and they’re off. You can hear the wooden runners hissing on the snow, even above the cheers of the other kids who are waiting for their own turn.

    For many youngsters, one of the highlights of a winter visit to Michigan’s Traverse City region is riding a dogsled over its snowy hills and meadows, and the Saturday dogsledding adventures at Shanty Creek have been a favorite for the past eight seasons. The rides are fairly brief and relatively inexpensive (a one-mile, 15-minute cruise over the 10th and 18th fairways runs just $15) and they’re limited to children – or very small adults — under 100 pounds.

    That’s because these huskies aren’t hard-core sledding dogs; they’re big lovable pets who just happen to need lots of exercise. In fact, King’s dogsledding company is called “Pets That Pull.”

    There are plenty of dogsled race teams in this part of Michigan, and kennels who are glad to take visitors on heart-stopping rides, but King says his team doesn’t have the hyperactivity usually associated with racing dogs. They’re a relaxed and mellow bunch. (In summertime he exercises them on the public bike trail in Traverse City using a special wheeled sled, and they’re invariably friendly, patient and laid-back with other trail users.)

    “I don’t race,” says King, who works at Shanty Creek as a ski and snowboard instructor. “I just train them to give rides to the kids.”

    King’s relationship with sled dogs began years ago when he and his wife adopted a Siberian husky as a favor to a friend. In spite of themselves (at the time they had a very small dog) they discovered they really loved the breed, and before long they were accumulating huskies the way some people collect baseball cards.

    Since huskies love pulling sleds more than almost anything else in the universe, King bought a classic wooden dogsled and started giving rides to his young snowboarding students. They proved so popular that eventually he went to his boss and asked if the Shanty Creek would be interested in a regular arrangement. They were – and they still are.

    “It’s amazingly popular; he really packs them in,” says Shanty Creek spokeswoman Lindsey Southwell. “It’s been a great fit for us, because Mike and the dogs are already here on site, and once he’s done giving ski lessons they’re ready to go do dogsled rides.”

    The rides are available every Saturday and on holidays from 4 to 6 pm. Reservations are always recommended, and can be made by calling Schuss Mountain at (800) 678-4111, ext. 3690. For more information about the dogs themselves, go to www.petsthatpull.com

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    Adults who want to combine their dogsled riding with a little weekend wine-tasting have been heading up to “Dog Sledding in the Vines” at Bowers Harbor Vineyards, just north of Traverse City. On selected winter Saturdays, a sled dog team from Second Chance Mushers have been giving rides through the nearby vineyards.

    As it happens, these huskies and malamutes aren’t ordinary sled dogs, either. They’ve been rescued from shelters and dog pounds by their owner, nurse Sarah Dobbrastine, who has rehabilitated them by training them to pull sleds. Like the Kings, Dobbrastine loves sled dogs, and adopted her first dog over 15 years ago. She quickly discovered, though, that her animals quickly grew fractious and fidgety unless they got lots of vigorous exercise – so she, too, found a sled for them to pull.

    The vineyard sled rides have turned out to be a popular attraction at Bowers Harbor, a small family-style winery on the picturesque Old Mission Peninsula. For more information about the program call 231-223-7615 or email info@bowersharbor.com.

    To learn more about winter activities in the Traverse City area, as well as lodging, dining and entertainment options in Michigan’s “True North,” contact Traverse City Tourism at www.traversecity.com or (800) 872-8377.
    This is a press-ready travel feature from Traverse City Tourism. Please feel free to use it in any way you like. You may run it in part or in its entirety — with or without byline — or use it as a source for stories of your own. And if I can be of any additional help (photos, for instance) please don’t hesitate to contact me.

    Mike Norton, Media Relations Manager
    Traverse City Tourism
    E: mike@traversecity.com
    P: (231) 995-3909
    F: (231) 947-2621

  • MUSH! Traverse City Dogsled Rides are a Growing Winter Attraction

     

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    By MIKE NORTON

    BELLAIRE, MI – It’s hard to tell who is most excited, the kids or the dogs. Both groups seem to be making plenty of noise.

    It’s a clear Saturday afternoon at Shanty Creek Resorts, and in the shadow of the Schuss Mountain ski area, the resort golf course is buried under nice white snow. Not so great for golf, maybe, but perfect for dogsledding – and Mike King’s team of Siberian huskies are eager to head out over the rolling terrain as soon as he gives the word. He’s standing at the rear of the sled and a wide-eyed youngster is sitting up front, bundled up to her chin.

    Suddenly, the four-dog team surges forward and they’re off. You can hear the wooden runners hissing on the snow, even above the cheers of the other kids who are waiting for their own turn.

    For many youngsters, one of the highlights of a winter visit to Michigan’s Traverse City region is riding a dogsled over its snowy hills and meadows, and the Saturday dogsledding adventures at Shanty Creek have been a favorite for the past eight seasons. The rides are fairly brief and relatively inexpensive (a one-mile, 15-minute cruise over the 10th and 18th fairways runs just $15) and they’re limited to children – or very small adults — under 100 pounds.

    That’s because these huskies aren’t hard-core sledding dogs; they’re big lovable pets who just happen to need lots of exercise. In fact, King’s dogsledding company is called “Pets That Pull.”

    There are plenty of dogsled race teams in this part of Michigan, and kennels who are glad to take visitors on heart-stopping rides, but King says his team doesn’t have the hyperactivity usually associated with racing dogs. They’re a relaxed and mellow bunch. (In summertime he exercises them on the public bike trail in Traverse City using a special wheeled sled, and they’re invariably friendly, patient and laid-back with other trail users.)

    “I don’t race,” says King, who works at Shanty Creek as a ski and snowboard instructor. “I just train them to give rides to the kids.”
    King’s relationship with sled dogs began years ago when he and his wife adopted a Siberian husky as a favor to a friend. In spite of themselves (at the time they had a very small dog) they discovered they really loved the breed, and before long they were accumulating huskies the way some people collect baseball cards.

    Since huskies love pulling sleds more than almost anything else in the universe, King bought a classic wooden dogsled and started giving rides to his young snowboarding students. They proved so popular that eventually he went to his boss and asked if the Shanty Creek would be interested in a regular arrangement. They were – and they still are.

    “It’s amazingly popular; he really packs them in,” says Shanty Creek spokeswoman Lindsey Southwell. “It’s been a great fit for us, because Mike and the dogs are already here on site, and once he’s done giving ski lessons they’re ready to go do dogsled rides.”

    The rides are available every Saturday and on holidays from 4 to 6 pm. Reservations are always recommended, and can be made by calling Schuss Mountain at (800) 678-4111, ext. 3690. For more information about the dogs themselves, go to www.petsthatpull.com

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    Adults who want to combine their dogsled riding with a little weekend wine-tasting have been heading up to “Dog Sledding in the Vines” at Bowers Harbor Vineyards, just north of Traverse City. On selected winter Saturdays, a sled dog team from Second Chance Mushers have been giving rides through the nearby vineyards.

    As it happens, these huskies and malamutes aren’t ordinary sled dogs, either. They’ve been rescued from shelters and dog pounds by their owner, nurse Sarah Dobbrastine, who has rehabilitated them by training them to pull sleds. Like the Kings, Dobbrastine loves sled dogs, and adopted her first dog over 15 years ago. She quickly discovered, though, that her animals quickly grew fractious and fidgety unless they got lots of vigorous exercise – so she, too, found a sled for them to pull.

    The vineyard sled rides have turned out to be a popular attraction at Bowers Harbor, a small family-style winery on the picturesque Old Mission Peninsula. For more information about the program call 231-223-7615 or email info@bowersharbor.com.

    To learn more about winter activities in the Traverse City area, as well as lodging, dining and entertainment options in Michigan’s “True North,” contact Traverse City Tourism at www.traversecity.com or (800) 872-8377.
    This is a press-ready travel feature from Traverse City Tourism. Please feel free to use it in any way you like. You may run it in part or in its entirety — with or without byline — or use it as a source for stories of your own. And if I can be of any additional help (photos, for instance) please don’t hesitate to contact me.

    Mike Norton, Media Relations Manager
    Traverse City Tourism
    E: mike@traversecity.com
    P: (231) 995-3909
    F: (231) 947-2621

  • Traverse City Tourism Announces 2015 Winter/Spring ‘Escape’ Packages

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    TRAVERSE CITY, MI – This popular Michigan resort destination is offering visitors an added incentive to spend some winter/spring vacation time with them. The special “Traverse City Escape” package (good from Jan. 2 until May 13) combines special rates at over 17 participating hotels and resorts with a wide range of discounts on winter recreation, shopping, dining and entertainment.

    “It’s true that the busy pace of summer and fall has subsided, but everything people love about Traverse City is still here — great restaurants, charming downtown boutiques, wine tastings, and exhilarating outdoor recreation,” said Brad Van Dommelen, president of Traverse City Tourism. “And with fewer crowds and great off-season pricing, winter is the perfect time to visit.”

    There are deals at some of the area’s best restaurants and special discounts on shopping, spa services, movies, wine tastings and other entertainment. And for winter sports enthusiasts, the packages include coupons and discounts on trail passes, lift tickets, tubing and snowmobile rentals.

    Best known as a summer vacation destination, the Traverse City region is winning accolades as a magnet for skiers, snowmobilers and snowshoe hikers who consider this one of the country’s most beautiful winter destinations. Budget Travel calls it one of the 11 “Coolest Winter Places in America” and Livability.com has it on its list of the nation’s best winter vacation destinations.

    Traverse City prides itself on the diversity of its winter experiences (both indoors and outdoors) and on the sheer physical beauty of its surroundings. The region presents a wide range of quality winter recreation for a comparatively moderate price – which appeals to people who don’t want to spend an entire vacation doing the same thing over and over.

    For more details about the 2015 Traverse City Escape Package, go to http://www.traversecity.com/tc-escape-package-491/

  • A Little Shopping, a Little Music: Holiday Fun in Traverse City

    Santa Lucia Day in the Village at Grand Traverse CommonsBy MIKE NORTON

    TRAVERSE CITY, MI — There was a time when this resort town on Michigan’s northwest coast slowed almost to a stop in wintertime. Not anymore.

    These days, Traverse City fairly bustles with winter shoppers and merrymakers. Weary of looking at the same merchandise in the same Big Box stores, visitors are increasingly choosing to do their holiday adventuring in this community’s charming boutiques, shops and galleries.

    Christmas preparations in Traverse City start in autumn, when local churches, clubs and artist’s cooperatives begin staging the holiday arts and crafts fairs for which the region is justly famous. By December, it’s hard to find a weekend without some event that brings crowds of shoppers into downtown Traverse City. The town’s shopping season starts officially on Dec. 5 with a big outdoor extravaganza that involves carol-singing, the lighting of the community Christmas tree, and the arrival of Santa Claus on a bright red antique fire engine.

    Nearby, a fascinating holiday tradition takes place each Dec. 13 in the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, a unique retail/residential district on the site of Traverse City’s former mental asylum. Serenaded by an ensemble of flutes, a young girl in a long white robe and a crown of lighted candles, wanders the grounds delivering warm sweet rolls to holiday shoppers. It’s all part of the village’s Santa Lucia Day, which also includes refreshments, special prices and free horse-drawn carriage rides — a uniquely picturesque experience of Christmas past.

    Just as popular with visitors are the late-night shopping sprees held in Traverse City’s downtown: a Dec. 11Ladies Night, followed by a Dec. 18 Men’s Night, all featuring entertainment, food and drink specials in addition to the usual in-store sales.

    The same lovingly organized holiday shopping activities are organized in nearby villages like Suttons Bay, which holds a three-day Holiday Festival Dec. 5-7 that includes a nighttime stroll down luminaria-lined streets with refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, local wines, restaurant specials and over 50 decorated trees, as well as a tree-lighting and carol sing. Nearby Leland has a festival of its own — the Holiday Wonderland — on Dec. 13.

    Exciting as the shopping may be, it’s only part of this charming area’s holiday celebrations. Thanks to a growing population and a thriving winter recreation industry, many of the area’s traditional holiday observances are still going strong – and a few more have even been added in recent years.

    December is also a splendid time to enjoy some of Traverse City’s fabled cuisine. Thanks to its award-winning wines and talented local chefs, the community now enjoys an international reputation as a place of surprisingly sophisticated food and drink. And what could go better with all this culinary bounty than a fine wine? Traverse City’s vineyards are known for their crisp, intensely flavorful wines, and the local beer (15 microbreweries and counting!) is also taking prizes on every side.

    Traverse City is also one of America’s most charming “art towns,” with dozens of galleries, studios and museums, two symphony orchestras, two theatre companies and a vibrant club scene. And with the world-famous Interlochen Center for the Arts just down the road, there’s music, dance and drama from some of the world’s most talented performers.

    In fact, every winter students and staff at Interlochen put on a holiday ballet special for the community. This year’s Dec. 11-13 presentation is a traditional favorite – Tschaikovsky’s beloved Sleeping Beauty — and onDec. 18, the Academy Band and Choir presents its annual “Sounds of the Season” concert.

    Each year, residents of the village of Northport, near the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, decorate the Grand Traverse Lighthouse for Christmas as it was celebrated by the Coast Guard families who lived there in the early 20th century. The annual “Christmas at the Lighthouse” celebration is held this year on Dec. 6-7, and includes refreshments and entertainment by local musicians. On Dec. 14, the village has its own annual Christmas Concert, one of the most treasured in the area.

    On Dec. 6, Traverse City’s ornate 19th century Opera House features the retro quintet Five By Design in “Radio Holly Days,” a revue of classic Christmas favorites from the Golden Age of radio, built around a live radio drama — complete with sound effects.

    On the weekend of Dec. 13-14 the Traverse Symphony Orchestra presents its hugely popular “Home for the Holidays” concert at Lars Hockstad Auditorium, with guest conductor Robin Fountain leading the Grand Traverse Chorale and Children’s Choir  — as well as the audience — in a program of treasured Christmas classics, carols, medleys and holiday favorites.

    A different sort of musical event is held Dec. 19 at the Left Foot Charley Winery in Traverse City. It’s “Unsilent Night,” a free “participatory sound sculpture” in which attendees participate by bringing their own boom boxes, laptops, iPhones, iPads and other portable music devices and create a “roving swarm” of sounds as they wander the grounds.

    New Year’s Eve isn’t forgotten here, either. For the past five years, hundreds of people have gathered for the annual “CherryT Ball Drop”, a three-hour “street party for charity” that culminates with the lowering of a large illuminated cherry over downtown Traverse City. It’s a family-friendly event where attendees pay their admission by bringing donated items for local food banks.

    To learn more about other winter attractions and events in the Traverse City area – and for a complete listing of lodging and dining options – contact Traverse City Tourism at 1-800-TRAVERSE or on line at www.TraverseCity.com

  • North American Vasa Welcomes New Race Director

    TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.  (November 20,  2013) — The VASA Board has named Doug Dowdy the 2014 Race Director for the 38th Annual North American VASA Ski Races to be held February 8-9  on the VASA Trail in Traverse City, Michigan.  VASA President Pete LaPlaca announced today.

    As the new race director of the North American VASA, Dowdy has 26 years of experience in college athletics as well as a leadership role on the M-22 Challenge.

    “Being a part of the VASA allows me the opportunity to directly promote outdoor physical activity in the middle of another great Northern Michigan winter” said Dowdy.  Dowdy replaces Lisa Taylor who headed up the races from 2010 through 2013.  “It is clear that under Lisa’s direction since 2010, the continued goal of putting on another great race will be almost a “turn-key” process which has been well documented by an awesome director and leader”, Dowdy said.

    Now in its 38th year, the VASA is held each February in the pinewoods of Traverse City, Mi. This year’s event is scheduled for February 8-9. The Saturday race, which features 6K, 12K, 27K and 50K loops for freestyle, and 12K and 27K for classic styles, is one of 16 U.S. events listed in the prestigious American Ski Marathon Series, where most of the nation’s elite and professional ski racers compete. Sunday’s 6K & 16K traditional-style race, the Gran Travers Classic, is an equally prestigious event for old-school Nordic skiers, and one of the events in the Michigan Cup classic race series.

    This year, race organizers have added the King Vasa Fat Bike Race, which will allow competitors to participate in as many as three events during the weekend.

    The VASA is held on the TART Trail, a managed and groomed trail system.  Through fund-raising efforts of the 501c3 organization, the trail winds through 60K in the dense pines and hardwoods of Michigan’s Pere Marquette State Forest, just east of Traverse City.  Since 2005, the start and finish lines for the various events have been at Timber Ridge RV and Recreation Resort, whose trails connect to the main Vasa system.In addition to the nearly 800 skiers, spectators come to watch the race and enjoy the festivities that surround it. Over the past three decades, the Vasa has become a tradition of winter life in Traverse City, and almost everyone in the community seems to participate in it one way or another.

    “It is an honor and I am especially grateful to be chosen to work alongside a great group of “Team Chiefs” and the hundreds of local volunteers that make the event possible. Without the community support we receive, it would be impossible to stage such a time honored event,”  said Dowdy.

    The festival actually begins the day before the main race with registration, social time, and Fat Bike and Ski Demos.  On Friday evening, there’s an annual “Vasa Pasta” dinner, a classic pre-race meal presented as a fund-raiser by the high school’s Nordic Ski team.

    The races include the 50 km Classic start at  8:OO am; the 27 km Freestyle start at 9:06 am; the 50 km Freestyle at 9:12 am; the 12 km Classic and Freestyle start at 12 :48 am; the Jr. VASA Freestyle/Classic races,  a series of 1km and 3 km competitions for children ages 4-15 start at 12:30 pm.

    “Junior Vasa skiers will be the Vasa skiers of the future,” said the Vasa’s President Pete LaPlaca. “Hopefully they’ll remember the fun they had on skis in this event, and continue the sport for their entire lives. The smiles on these kid’s faces are our reward.”On Sunday, the course is re-groomed and turned over to traditional-style skiers. The Gran Travers’ Classic race, which starts at 9 a.m., features 6km and 16km loops on a double tracked trail.

    For information about the North American Vasa contact North American VASA, 1218 Anderson, Traverse City, MI 49686; phone #231-938-4400; Fax #231-941-5334; and by email: vasainfo@vasa.org

  • Traverse City Gets Creative with Preseason Skiing (with Photo Gallery)

    Traverse City Gets Creative with Preseason Skiing (with Photo Gallery)

    Participants ski the course at the 2011 Traverse City Nordic Ski Fest in Michigan. (Photo: Eli Brown)
    Participants ski the course at the 2011 Traverse City Nordic Ski Fest in Michigan. (Photo: Eli Brown)

    With snow falling across parts of the western states, many are breaking out their skis and taking advantage of some great preseason skiing. While we are happy for our lucky friends, what are those of us who are not blessed with early season snow to do?

    Eli Brown and the Vasa Ski Club just might have the answer. On Saturday, the Vasa Ski Club, with support from Brick Wheels and Keen Technical Solutions, will be hosting the 4th Annual Nordic Ski Fest in Traverse City, Mich. The event, which serves as the first Michigan Cup race of the season, will take place on a 350-foot (0.1-kilometer) manmade ski loop and will consist of skate skiing, time trials in the form of a preliminary, and head-to-head racing based on the results from the time trial. Skiers in the head-to-head will then travel in opposite directions on the course attempting to make it to the starting point before their competitor.

    How does a small ski club of roughly 300 members pull off an early season race that attracted 50 racers from around the state of Michigan and roughly 300 to 400 spectators last year?  It takes a week of around-the-clock work (8 a.m. to midnight) from roughly 30 volunteers, and a final key ingredient: ice-rink shavings.

    Eli Brown, former race organizer and University of Utah head coach, brought the idea to use the shavings left over from ice rinks with him from Utah. He has implemented a successful Ski Fest on this premise for the past four years, and has formed a steady relationship with the local ice rink and its Zamboni drivers.

    “We have a great connection with them,” Brown said on the phone. “I just can’t believe that no one else is doing this.”

    Not only do the ice-rink shavings provide an opportunity for locals to get on skis early, they also allow the community to do it at no cost.

    “I know you could spend some money and you could go somewhere glamorous like the glacier in Alaska, but we have a ski community and everyone is eager to ski, so we decided to do it,” he said.

    Hosting an event like this has its challenges. Volunteers have been working around the clock shoveling ice into a refrigerated semi truck, transporting it, and then spreading it out on the course. Despite the incredible amount of work that has been put into the race, it can still be overwhelming at times.

    “I’m getting as many volunteers as possible, and I could use twice that amount,” says Brown.

    In the past, weather has also presented difficulties in the past, with Mother Nature defying race organizers with warm temperatures and rain. However, recent cold nights and an anticipated dusting of snow look to make Saturday’s event run smoother than usual. Even with the cooler temperatures, the course is expected to be completely gone a few days after the race.

    The Ski Fest provides an excellent opportunity for the ski community to get excited about the upcoming season. Low-cost innovations like the use of ice-rink shavings present an option for nordic ski communities to extend their seasons, especially in years when there is little snow.

    “This is something that we don’t need to do just once a year. There’s no reason we can’t do this all the time,” Brown said.  “There’s white stuff out there, you just have to be a little creative; make it small and fun, and share it with people.”

    In addition to the on-snow ski events, there will be a reggae band, homemade chili, beer, a ski swap, and for the first time, an on-snow fat-tire bike race. Ski events, located at Brick Wheels in Traverse City, will begin at 10 a.m. and continue till 2:30 p.m. The bike race will be from 4 to 5 p.m. Registration is on-site and costs $10.

  • Brick Wheels Hosting On-Snow Ski Fest & Swap

    Brick Wheels Hosting On-Snow Ski Fest & Swap

    Patching and raking

    Third Nordic Fall Fest and Ski Swap

    Brick Wheels, Traverse City, Mich.

    Sunday, Oct. 21 , 9 AM-6 PM

    Need a little snow fix? Longingly looking at your waxing bench already? You are in luck this weekend, Brick Wheels is hosting the Third Annual VASA Ski Club Nordic Fall Festival and Ski Swap. We’ll bring in snow from Howe Ice Arena and create a ski loop. This is the first MI Cup Race of the season!

    Events will feature a time trial, free skiing and head-to-head racing. MI Cup Team points only. Beer and food for racers are complements of our friends at Brick Wheels.

    Don’t forget to check out our Second Annual Ski Swap. Bring in your gently used nordic equipment. Drop off is Saturday 3-6 PM.

    Waxing recommendation: Early call on waxing from Chris Hall, National Swix Representative is FC8L Cera F.Liquid. The SkiGo Representative, Roger Knight says for heat Skigo HF yellow covered by Skigo CM10.

    Conditions report: Zamboni snow comes out like champagne powder. (oooh) Around 15 degrees and transforms quickly. It will be salted, raked and skied on a bunch. Some straw and carpet is possible too. Race day will be cool and sunny. Of course, early snow conditions could change.

    See you out there! Bring your shorts and sunglasses.

    Sunday Schedule of Events:

    11 am–1 pm: Time Trial Races

    11 am–4 pm: Swap

    2–4 pm: Head to Head Races

    5 pm: Swap checks and unsold equipment pick-up

    Links:

    “There’s something special about taking perfectly good snow, that’s gonna melt down a drain, and put it to good use.” Eli Brown, Nordic Fall Fest mastermind.

    Call for more information: 231- 947-4274