Crystal Mountain Michigan Spring Break

We're trying to make the most out of our time up north.  We've slowing been moving through a hit-list of places that we wanted to enjoy while we were here.  These are the type of places that we might not have visited otherwise.  One big item on our list was to experience skiing.  Neither Jacob nor I have ever tried it, and considering how well Brenna has embraced the winter climate, we made it a priority for this year.

I found a great resort in north Michigan called Crystal Mountain that seemed to have everything we were looking for.  In January, I made all the arrangements for a Spring Break Ski Vacation.  It had been a mild winter, but the resort assured me there would be skiing until April.  I planned it just like I plan all our other trips; with great attention to detail.  I made reservations for snowmobiling, snow-shoeing, and ski lessons.  We also planned for spa appointments, the adventure course, and a hiking trip to the Michigan Legacy Art Park.  As the date approached, we weren't "warming-up" but we were hitting temperatures above freezing.  I was concerned that we may not see any snow on this ski vacation.  As it turns out, we did have snow.  Granted it was more man-made than natural, but it provided the slopes we needed to try our first ski adventure.  Unfortunately, because of the above-freezing temperatures, most of the other trails on the mountain were snow-free and eliminated our opportunity to try snowmobiling and snow-shoeing.  At first I was a bit disappointed, but after our first couple of days at Crystal Mountain I realized it was a better fit us.  We got the best of both worlds.  We could enjoy the all the outdoor activities with mild temperatures and still take in the winter-type skiing.  It did rain 2 out of our 5 days there, but there were plenty of activities to keep us busy and we enjoyed some down time in the cabin with board games and family movies.

We drove roughly 4 hours all the way across Michigan with the cats.  We reserved a 2-bedroom, 2-bath, pet-friendly cabin so they could join us on this vacation.  The cabin was just what you would expect from a cozy ski cabin.  It was settled on the outer edge of the mountain and backed up to a small pond.  The living area had a large window that looked out over the pond and the Canadian geese kept Pickles entertained during his stay.  He spent most of his time perched on top of the kitchen counter for the best view of the backyard.  Moose preferred the solitude of the master bedroom which had a very large sky window that gave him views of the tall maple trees outside.

The day we arrived was a beautiful clear day and the travel was easy.  We got in around mid-day, got everyone settled in the cabin and immediately joined the crowds on the slopes to watch the Slush Cup Competition.  Skiers would start at the top of the slope and continued down across a 25 foot trough of ice-cold water before making it back up a small snow hill at the opposite end.  The objective was not to get wet.  Some made it across dry; most didn't.  It was fun to watch.  There was such a large crowd that Brenna had to get on Jacob's shoulders to see.  She was convinced that if she had a few tries she could make it across.  I told her we better start with the ski lessons first!

We watched the Slush Cup until it was time for our Adventure Course run.  We got strapped into our harnesses and helmets and climbed the 20 feet onto the platform.  We made four runs through the course, with Brenna's first attempt being very cautious and slow-paced.  With each run she gained more confidence in her safety harness.  By the last run she was leaping across the obstacles, missing most times and dangling from her harness, as she kicked her legs to regain footing.  At the end of the course was a 130-foot zip-line that brought you back to the platform.  Brenna loved the adventure course!

Just before dark we headed over for a campfire where Brenna had hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows.  We were given warm blankets and then boarded our horse-drawn carriage ride around the resort property.  After the ride Brenna got to pet the huge Belgian horses that pulled the carriage.  It was a mother and daughter team.  One was pregnant and Brenna was thrilled to get to feel the baby kicking in mom's tummy.  Afterward we had a late dinner at one of the four restaurants at the resort.  We had only been there for half a day, but we were already off the a great start.

The next day we got geared-up with all our ski equipment and hit the bunny slopes for a crash course from one of the resort ski instructors.   Brenna picked it up quickly and was zooming down the hill in no time.  However, I did not pick it up so quickly.  In fact, I didn't get it at all.  It did not feel natural or intuitive.  If I did manage to maintain my balance enough to get going, then I couldn't stop.  This resulted in lots of falls.  After about 3 hours on the bunny hill I worked up the courage to take the lift to the top of the mountain and try one of the beginner trails.  Jacob, Brenna, and I got on the chairlift together.  As we approached the top I did the best I could to coordinate an effort to exit the lift.  It was tragic.  Not only did I fall getting off the lift but I took Brenna out with me.  That would be an indication of my success in making it down the mountain.  Once I got going, I realized that the beginner trail was much steeper than the bunny hill and that I was going entirely too fast.  I made an attempt to slow down that resulted in a significant wipeout in which I was thankful for my helmet or I'm certain I would have had a concussion.  After the stars cleared from my eyes, I popped off my skis and got back on my feet.  Jacob had stopped to check on me, but Brenna was no where in sight.  At that point I was terrified to see that I was only a third of the way down the slope.  I put my skis back on and cautiously started out again.  I attempted to better regulate my speed, only to wipeout again.  Jacob and Brenna were no where to be found and obviously doing a much better job at this than I was.  I rose again for my third attempt, and while I was able to better control my forward momentum I was quickly approaching the bottom of the mountain where all the slopes merge together.  My stirring was no better than my speed control and my fourth wipeout occurred as I was trying to avoid running over a child.  At this point the bottom of the hill was only a few feet away.  I gladly popped off my skis and walked the rest of the way down.  And that was the first and last time I skied on the mountain!

By the end of the day my hands were hurting from the many attempts to break my falls and my arms and legs were sore from picking myself up off the ground so many times.  Jacob was worse off than me.  He had road burn on his back from his falls and busted bleeding knuckles.  Brenna was the only one who came through without an injury.

The next day was rainy.  We agreed that we needed alittle more recovery time, but the rain didn't stop everyone from hitting the slopes.  There were still lots of skiers out enjoying the slushy conditions.  After breakfast, we played a couple of games of dominos and yahtzee.  Brenna and I visited the spa for manis and pedis and then visited the indoor pool.  Later that day we had dinner at one of the nicer restaurants at the resort and then finished the night off with popcorn and TV.  It was nice recharge.

The next day started off with heavy fog on the mountain that quickly gave way to a beautiful clear blue day.  We started off as a family on the bunny hill.  Once Brenna was warmed up, she and Jacob headed up the mountain to enjoy some of the trails.  I did not!  I enjoyed the view from the lodge at the bottom of the mountain and caught back up with them for lunch.  After lunch, Brenna and I played on the bunny hill while Jacob tried out some of the other trails.  We spent nearly all day on the mountain.  I can see how some would enjoy this kind of vacation and even I enjoyed the experience.  BUT, as for me, I'll stick to cruising.

Later that afternoon Jacob stayed behind in the cabin because of a knee injury from the slopes while Brenna and I hiked through the Michigan Legacy Art Park located on the resort.  The art park is a three-mile trail through the forrest surrounding the mountain that is lined with art work from Michigan artists.  We found most of the art pieces to be very unusual and a little weird.  It was fun to hike the trail since there were some steep parts that cut into the mountain side.  But once the sun started to go down, the whole thing felt a little too "Blair Witch Project" for me and the art started to look more creepy than contemporary, so we headed back to the cabin.

Our last day was rainy.  We spent most of the day inside browsing through the many shops in the resort.  Brenna and I spent a couple of hours at the spa's indoor pool.  It was pretty crowded, since most families had the same idea as us.  Brenna made a friend and they spent the rest of our afternoon playing together at the pool.  The next morning we packed everything up and headed out.  We ran into some snow and sleet on the way home, but nothing too bad.  All around it was a fun getaway and great new experience.