End of the Ski Season

Managers and employees of Metro Detroit's four snow-ski locations say they take special steps for patrons to realize that the season can extend well into March.

The National Weather Service's extended forecasts for southeast Michigan call for average temperatures in the 35-degree range through the end of February and into the first week of March. Facility managers say they prefer temperatures in the teens for ideal powder, but that they still can produce a good product in warmer weather, even as Detroiters start to think about golf and tennis and baseball games.

"When it gets later in the winter, some people don't think we're open because they don't see a lot of snow around anywhere else," says Christina Carr, who works in the ski shop at Pine Knob Ski and Snowboard Resort in Clarkston.

This is one reason why Pine Knob, also a well-known outdoor summer concert venue, is waiting until Sunday, March 7, for its daylong Winter Carnival.

"This event always draws a crowd," Carr says. "We will have all sorts of events outside on the hill, such as 'hat races' in which people can win prizes."

Higher Temps and Longer Days, but Softer Snow

Jim Sieradzinski of Eastpointe, 66, is a ski racing enthusiast who stopped a few years ago. He sees both benefits and drawbacks to late-season conditions.

"A person doesn't have to get bundled up as much, but of course a good skier will dress properly regardless, even to ski when it's 20-below, which I've done before," Sieradzinski says.

Another of the benefits, he notes, is that the sun rises earlier and sets later. He says the best time for warmer-weather skiing often is in the morning, when snow remains firmer from cold overnight temperatures. As the day moves on, however, he says snow softens and ruts can form, especially on hills used for racing.

Sieradzinski says membership ski clubs have changed through the years. In the past, club organizers tended to favor shorter but more frequent weekend excursions that would extend the seasons. Nowadays, he says more emphasis is placed on one or maybe two weeklong major trips, and some enthusiasts put up their skis for the season when they return home.

Exceptions sometimes are school-age skiers who are trying to remain on tighter budgets, Sieradzinski says. Ski facilities strive to remain open until Easter so they can capture students' vacation dollars during early spring breaks.

Warm Enough to Ski in a Bikini

Fun Day at Mt. Brighton on Sunday, Feb. 28, features activities such as the Slush Cup, the Slopestyle Big Air competition for the snowboarders, and children's downhill races. Another Mt. Brighton pitch for Fun Day is the Bikini Races, says Christine Bennett, who coordinates group activities at the facility.

Flight Night at Mt. Brighton is Friday, March 5. Bikini Race enthusiasts will have another opportunity at Mt. Brighton on Saturday, March 6, and snowmobilers will have their turn on Saturday and Sunday, March 13-14.

In addition to promoting special events, Detroit-area ski facility managers also keep their phone lines and Web sites updated with the latest conditions. Pine Knob and Mt. Brighton, with Mt. Holly and White Lake's Alpine Valley, were reporting bases of more than 30 inches in late February, along with new snow in the range of 6 inches to 8 inches.

Sieradzinski says some Metro Detroiters prefer to head for more hilly resorts in the northern lower peninsula, such as Caberfae Peaks in Cadillac, Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands in Boyne Falls, Crystal Mountain Ski Resort in Thompsonville, or Shanty Creek Ski Resort in Bellaire.

A common strategy for the better-known facilities, he notes, is to reduce late-winter room rates in the rustic lodges so that families have opportunities for brief excursions. For example, Caberfae is offering daily family packages for as little as $59 in early March and specials with ski and lift tickets for as little as $9.

However, Sieradzinski points out that temperatures "up north" in Michigan are usually about the same as in Detroit, and downward drops on the better-known resorts still are a modest 200 to 300 feet because they also serve as resort golf courses during warmer weather.

Sources:

http://www.skipineknob.com/pages_/home_.cfm
http://www.intellicast.com/local/weather.aspx?location=USMI0229
http://www.mtbrighton.com
http://www.skimtholly.com
http://www.skialpinevalley.com/?gclid=CIn9quSqiaACFQENDQodoyQ7bw
http://mich.info/michigan/recreation/skireports.htm