Area ski slopes are doubling down on improvements to not only the slopes but also what’s inside. From new paint to new equipment to new places to plug in your crockpot, it’s all about making things more accommodating for skiers and snowboarders. Here’s a look.
 
Mt. Holiday, Traverse City
“The most exciting thing is new management, new food, and ongoing infrastructure improvements,” says Nate Pupel, director of operations. Chef Keil Moshier has upgraded the menu at the T-Bar Lounge, which now includes a raft of sandwiches, burgers and entrees such as New York strip and chicken pot pie. Pupel says Mt. Holiday is beginning upgrades on its snowmaking ability with a new waterline and new pedestals, but the improvements won’t fully come to fruition for another couple years.

“Within two or three years we’ll be getting the hill totally updated to the point we can open within 100 hours” of proper temperatures, he says.
 
Hickory Hills, Traverse City
This will be the first winter patrons will be able to take advantage of all the benefits of $4 million in improvements. Those include the new lodge, alpine slopes and Nordic ski trails, as well as a lighted loop. Night skiing is available on most of the runs, and cross-country skiers will find more than 5 kilometers of trails with a 1K trail lighted for night skiing.

Beginner slope Fast Tammy now features a magic carpet lift; there is a new sledding hill and a new retail operation. “For the terrain park we’ve purchased four new rail features that are being custom made for Hickory Hills,” says Derek Melville, the parks and recreation superintendent for the city. As a result of the improvements, Hickory Hills will host the high school state championships for Nordic skiing in February.

All that activity can work up an appetite. Inside the new lodge, kitchen upgrades improved food service options, made possible by a collaborative effort between the City of Traverse City and Child and Family Services.
 
Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville
More snow and more grooming means more racing, which means more prize money. Crystal Mountain added another snowmaking machine to its arsenal and a new PistenBully 400 groomer to the fleet. When the Liberty Mutual Insurance NASTAR Midwest Championships visit the resort Feb. 29-March 1, the winners will be awarded prize money for the first time in the event’s history. The top four competitors will share a $5,000 purse.

Those not so much into racing will still have plenty to look forward to with tweaks to the terrain, providing more room and visibility for skiers and riders. As part of an ongoing project to remove the retired Cheers lift, the lower terminal is history, creating better traffic flow to the Buck quad chairlift. Even the Crystal Spa is getting into the act, with seven new services exclusively for the winter season.
 
The Homestead, Glen Arbor
At the Homestead, it’s all about Whiskers. Not the ones on Santa, but the taproom in Mountain Village. Unveiled last summer, Whiskers is expected to be the centerpiece of winter gatherings, with its expanded menu. “People can gather at by the fire, with the outdoor bar and celebration table,” says Tom Bartholomew, the resort’s senior manager of outdoor recreation.

The resort will also be showing off its new skating rink. Previously it used the frozen ponds for skating, but Bartholomew said excavation of a dedicated area will provide resort guests with a new, expanded ice rink. He said the Bay View trail has also been re-marked, providing better visibility for cross-country skiers and snowshoers on the National Lakeshore-owned trail, which is maintained by the Friends of Sleeping Bear.
 
Shanty Creek, Bellaire
With new rental equipment from Rossignol, Shanty Creek will offer nearly 500 pairs of Rossignol adult skis.
Shanty Creek’s kiosks for lift ticket redemption and fulfillment have been so well received that it’s adding more. It’s just the ticket for those who would rather be on the hill than standing in line to redeem a voucher for a lift ticket. Just grab your lift ticket and go.

Check out this week's Northern Express for details on many other ski resorts outside of the Traverse City area.