> Traverse Magazine January 2007 > 8 Ski-Out-Your Door Vacation Spots 8 Ski-Out-Your Door Vacation Spots
It doesn't get much better than skiing out your door on a snowy vacation. Book one of these eight great choices and grab your skis.
Todd Zawistowski
Boyne Mountain, Boyne City
The Skinny: Armed with its Piston Bully groomer, Boyne Mountain boasts some of the sweetest, safest and most scenic trails around—25K of 'em, 5K lit at night—and a fat Cross Country Center for rentals, instruction and Nordic goodies.
The Crash Pad: Stay in the Village at Disciples Ridge, and your home is a two- or three-bedroom condo complete with cathedral ceilings, whirlpool tub and fireplace; your neighborhood is a tranquil forest chock full of ski trails.
Worth Writing Home About: Avalanche Bay, a wet, wild and always 84-degree indoor water park that'll call forth your inner child and splash him silly. Waterslide wedgies optional.
Book it: Boyne Mountain Reservations at 800-Go-Boyne or Boyne.com; Cross Country Center at 231.549.6088; Avalanche Bay, AvalancheBay.com.Garland Resort, Lewiston
The Skinny: If a being is ever to achieve that gastronomical Zen where calories consumed equals calories joyfully burned, it's Garland's Gourmet Glide, where skiers cruise 10K of groomed trails, braking along the way for five elaborate buffet feasts—chocolate fountains, Northern Michigan smoked fish samplers, venison chili and pasta among the spreads. The glide is scheduled for Saturdays through the winter.
The Crash Pad: Whether you stay in a room at Garland's luxe main lodge—the largest log cabin east of the Mississippi—or cozy up in the elevated king beds that make their private petite villas feel so darned palatial, it takes but one step out the door to get to ski-able snow.
Worth Writing Home About: The Glide's Trout Pond stop, where fishing poles, a dozen holes in the ice, a blazing bonfire and a brick of butter await your freshly caught trout treasure.
Book It: Gourmet Glide and lodging reservations, 877-442-7526 or garlandusa.com.The Homestead Resort, Glen Arbor
The Skinny: Lose yourself in the moonscape that is the snow-covered Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Choose from a mile-long stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline or nine trails—ungroomed but usually well tracked—over snow-swept sand dunes, into dark pine plantations, among fields, hardwoods and aspens a'shiverin'.
The Crash Pad: Access to the white planet is easy if you stay at The Homestead's pedestrian village, just a trail away. There, Fiddler's Pond's spacious rooms and ice-skating pond are fab for families; Little Belle's luxurious, romantic and recently renovated fireplace suites are the ultimate couples getaway.
Worth Writing Home About: The views of Lake Michigan - they're everywhere.
Book It: The Homestead at 231-334-5100 or thehomesteadresort.com; Sleeping Bear Dunes skiing at nps.gov/slbe.
Nordic Bay Lodge, Marquette
The Skinny: Set on 12 acres of land just a stone's throw from Lake Superior, Nordic Bay Lodge is your ultra-chic base camp at the southern trailhead of the 75K Noquemanon Trail System, which plays host to the annual Noquemanon Ski Marathon, a 51K race from Ishpeming to Marquette's Superior Dome (January 27 this year). Volunteer groomers keep the southern end in shape as much as time and rate of snowfall permits, but if you prefer round-the-clock, always-pro-groomed sections, Nordic Bay will shuttle you there.
The crash pad: Every one of the 41 rooms at Nordic Bay Lodge is bright with light and fab Finnish style. Pets can bunk up with you, but dump your drippy skis downstairs in safe storage. Don't feel bad about it±you can pamper them later in the ski wax room, then pamper yourself with a stop in the sauna.
Worth writing home about: A nightly wine and cheese reception in the lodge library makes hobnobbing with other skiers a cinch.
Book it: 800-892-9376 or nordicbay.com.
Stokely Creek, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
The Skinny: About 2 hours from Petoskey and 6 hours from Detroit, Canada's Stokely Creek is worth the run for the border. You'll ride astride 130K of groomed classic and skating trails that unfurl across 8,400 acres—11,000 if you count the Ministry land next door—without ever crossing a road.
The Crash Pad: While a sled hauls your gear, you'll ski the N mile in to Stokely Creek's Lodge. Your reward is basic backcountry bliss: spare rooms sans TV or phone, a roaring fire, waxing room, on-site sauna, plus skiers buffet breakfast, lunch (or packed trail lunch) and candlelight community dinner. Packages start at $90 nightly, including meals.
Worth Writing Home About: Norm's cabin, the cozy cottage beside Bone Lake where passing skiers can stop for cookies and tea on the trail.
Book It: 866-STOKELY or stokelycreek.com.
Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville
The Skinny: 40K of groomed skate and classic ski trails bob and weave across Crystal's crystalline landscape—some, like the sweet and swaying Stag Hollow trail roll through gentle woodsy terrain; others, like the Flying Squirrel plummet with panache. Attempt these during the day; the night's reserved for an easy jaunt under Otter Run's lights and, at loop's end, a cool-down dip in Crystal's giant outdoor hot tub.
The crash pad: Call the Scottish-inspired Kinlochen your cross-country castle. It sits smack dab between Otter Run and Stag Hollow, which links you to all other trails, and offers cush one-, two- and three-bedroom condos. Each comes complete with a gas fireplace, full kitchen and at least one whirlpool tub.
Worth writing home about: Hawk Ridge, a steep but stupendously fun trail, courses through Crystal's Michigan Legacy Art Park, an outdoor sculpture oasis.
Book it: 800-YOUR-MTN or crystalmountain.com.
Bonus: Downhillers, you'll love Kinlochen, too. The Buck quad lift waits right outside the back door to carry you up the mountain. Want to be king of it? Try a stay at MountainTop Townhouses. They offer ski-out access at slope top.
Hamlet House, Harbor Springs
The Skinny: Carve a quick trail through the woods to Nub's Nob base lodge, and then celebrate: You've still got 28K of groomed trails to go.
The Crash Pad: The cross-country carving starts outside every brand spanking new condo in Hamlet Village. You'll find the wee village sparkling all new-like between the runs at Nub's Nob.
Worth Writing Home About: Solid wood architectural elements abound in these high-end homes, plus grand rock fireplaces and deep whirlpool tubs.
Book It: 231-526-2641 or hamletvillage.com
Oakland Hills House, Gaylord
The Skinny: Come winter, the hills and knolls at Michaywé resort's Pines Course are steeped in snow and 17K of exquisitely groomed opportunity.
The Crash Pad: You and nine of your pals can dip onto the main drag simply by slipping out the backdoor of your own private four-bedroom, three-bathroom home, which sits on the Pines' fourth green.
Worth Writing Home About: A gas barbecue grill on the back deck if you want to cook. If you don't, there's Michaywé's lakeside Inn the Woods restaurant - think: filet mignon, lobster fettuccine and chicken fajita pizza.
Book it: Oakland Hills House at 866-731-1887, pineconeaccommodations.com; Inn the Woods at 989-939-8800, michaywe.com.
Lynda Twardowski is travel editor at Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.
lmt@traversemagazine.com
Note: This article was originally published in January 2007 and was updated for the web February 2008.
Mackinac Island Ski Getaway
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