March 29, 2024

What to Wear?

Dec. 8, 2004
Ready for stocking stuffers and great gift ideas for the winter lovers on your list? Here’s what is hot, or cool, for the upcoming season.

• At Petoskey’s Bahnhof Sport veteran service guru Gary Hunter says what’s hot is, well, truly hot. “Its Hotronic boot heaters” says Hunter “They keep your feet toasty, fit in any boot and are guaranteed to keep your partner happy.” We all know that when your partner’s happy, you’re happy.

• Boyne Country Sports has stores across the north. Manager Kevin Moore says “Our hot items are the new Tecnica Diablo ski boot or any North Face Fleece.” Moore says that the Diablo is the only really new thing in boots and beside “they’re cool.” Hot orange in color The Diablo won’t be missed in the lift line. The North Face Fleece line “looks great and the colors are awesome” according to Kevin.

• Don Orr’s in the Cherry Capitol has bossman Jeff Swanson raving about O’Neill’s new Winter Wear. The fabled wetsuit maker is now making waterproof, breathable fabric winter clothing that’s “flying off the shelves”. Jeff says “O’Neill has all the high tech features you could possibly want at reasonable prices.”

• Darren White from KP’s Ski Gear at Crystal Mountain says their hot new product is the Atomic Metron B5 ski. White says, “The new Metrons hold like windshield wipers on the snow. They’re the perfect width ski for all snow conditions and can make any size of turn.” Style hounds will love Atomics’ new matching Neox bindings.

• “Nordica Dobermann Ski Boots are the best race boots you can get” says Brad Morgan from Traverse City’s Brick Wheels. A veteran Brickhead, Morgan says this Nordica model “dominates the U.S. Ski Team.” It comes in different stiffnesses for kids through hard skiing experts. Brad calls it a “straight forward no-nonsense design.”
• Modern Extreme Sports says the cool stuff is exactly what you need for all these new jumps and rails. “Our hot stuff is most definitely the 4frnt (say that forefront) and Armada twin tip skis” says Pat Dueweke “these are skis for terrain parks that are a lot of fun.” The Traverse City store says that almost any down-hill bind-ing will work on these skis that feature a curved up “tip” on both ends.

• Dan Webster Pro Golf and Ski in Gaylord says it’s all about the Blizzard CXP Cross Carve skis. “Cause they’re the best all mountain ski made” according to skimeister Tim Webster “these Blizzard skis carve like they are on rails.” Size ‘em a little longer these are for the strong willed skiers, no wimps allowed.

• Lynne Frye from Roscommon’s Cross Country Ski HQ says to try some Hot Chili’s Salsa wear. “They’re really cool micro fleece pants.” Lynne says the Salsa pant is “great all purpose winter
wear, even if you’re just heading to the store.” Back country skiers will love the great new Powerflex stretch fleece tops from Mountain Hardwear. For you high speed types try the new, stretchy 3 S P fabric from Sporthill. It’s completely windproof up to 35 miles per hour. Frye concluded “if anybody’s cold and crabby this year, it’s their own darn fault.”

Scott Stillings is Express’s snow man. He can be heard daily on The Ski News radio shows.


The Ski Scene
What’s new on slopes ‘round the region


By Scott Stillings
Remember when the Ski Patrol, yes the folks in the rusty red jackets, would kick you off the slopes for jumping? How they used to tear down all those hard-to-build little jumps and mark ‘em off with bamboo poles and rope? As Bob Dylan sings “Times they are a changin’.” Today it’s all about big jumps, halfpipes and “rails.” Rails? Yes. Like handrails that you slide down, across and over. It’s a new day for new age snowboarders and skiers. Here’s what’s up at your favourite winter playground.

• Shanty Creek has added helmet rentals for all ages. They’ve also opened a dedicated kids teaching area for 3-5 years olds in their Snowstars program. Shanty expanded their terrain parks to include a halfpipe and rails. The top junior racers in Michigan will race on the Schuss Mountain slopes in two major USSA ski events. New on the Schuss Mountain side of things is Friday night skiing and snowboarding. Shanty Creek is also the annual host the Michigan Special Olympics.

• Boyne Mountain made their snowmaking pond 10 times larger; better for both the snow makers and for year ’round use. All that water will travel through a new big main pipe to deliver more snow to the slopes. The Mountain added snowmaking to the Alpine slopes they built two seasons ago. The 30 new snowguns added to Boyne’s fleet will insure a longer season on those north facing runs. Platinum season pass holders will enjoy the new paved premier parking lot. Boyne has also added new rails and jumps in their rail and terrain park.

• Boyne Highlands cut some trees and put a new gladed slope off Amy’s run. The Highlands’ new “Rail Yard” is dedicated to both boarders and skiers. There are more lights for night skiing and snowboarding from Wednesday through Saturday. Boyne Highlands also increased their night skiing terrain. January will see their first big international race, as the Mid-Am Series tests the Highlands new FIS certified slalom hill. More snowmaking was added, along with 10,000 feet of new pipe to get more water to those snowguns.

• Nub’s Nob added a Superpipe and four new slopes, bringing their run total to 49. The Superpipe is one–of–a–kind according to local riders and will host the Midwest’s first ever U.S. Snowboarding Regional Superpipe competition in March. Nub’s increased its snowmaking capacity by adding 24 guns to their legendary arsenal. Rental customers will find all new Atomic skis for adults and kids. Snowboarders will love Nub’s new Rossignol step-in snowboard boots and bindings. The new Arena Glade opens acres of tree skiing and snowboarding previously poached by a few knowledgeable locals.

• Crystal Mountain was voted the #1 resort in the Midwest in the annual SKI Magazine reader’s survey. They’ve tripled the size of their learning area and added two wonder carpet lifts for beginners. Crystal’s halfpipe is back after a four-year hiatus in a great new location for showing off under the Crystal Clipper high speed chairlift. Riders and skiers will love Crystal’s new Super Park. Check out the details at www.ridecrystalmountain.com. A great fundraising event is Boarding for Breast Cancer Feb. 26, 2005 with the Cammy Potter Memorial Slopestyle Competition.

• Caberfae Peaks built a new terrain park. It is also dedicated to the late Cammy Potter, a Cadillac native who competed on the U. S. Snowboard Team. Including table top jumps and lots of rails, the new park is between Caberfae’s North and South peaks. Additional lighting was installed on North Peak’s Smiling Irishman run. Caberfae increased snowmaking and renovated the second floor of the Mackenzie Lodge. The Day Lodge was also spruced up at the second oldest continuously operated ski area in America.

• Treetops Resort has a great new romantic feature, their Dinner Sleigh ride. Treetops is also hyping the north’s longest halfpipe and increased hours of operation for this season.
• The Homestead doubled the size of their terrain park by adding an entire run with a Slopestyle course. The park will also feature jumps and elements aimed at younger, smaller snowboarders and twin tippers. One cool new program will feature snowshoe hikes with a naturalist guide. Your snowshoe leader will take you through the Homestead and into the 70,000 acre Sleeping Dunes National Lakeshore. The Homestead’s big event is their Holiday Wine Weekend with Leelanau vintners December 17 through 19.

• Mt. McSauba in Charlevoix increased their snowmaking with a tower mounted Nub’s Nob snow gun. This great local spot has a strong community ski and board school.

• Mt. Holiday’s resurrection continues. The big news is a new Pisten Bully grooming machine in the hands of Holiday’s great crew, all returning from last season. They added snowmaking, did more work on the lodge and put in more snowboard rental boots. Tower snowguns are being added. Brad Miller, veteran Traverse City Central coach, will again head the Holiday Race Team developmental program. The Kiwanis Ski School returns for ages eight to 13. Mt. Holiday is now open seven nights a week.

Scott Stillings is our resident Northern Express ski bum. Photos are courtesy of resort web sites.







Trending

Mysterious Michigan Reads

We can’t think of a better way to spend spring break than with a great book. Northern Express asked local bookseller... Read More >>

Heirloom Recipes With Heritage, History, and Nostalgia

Before we begin to stash our coats and put winter behind us, let us remember what years past have taught us…fake sp... Read More >>

A Floral Family Affair

In the quaint downtown of Elk Rapids sits Golden Hill Farms, a shop where the artistry of floristry meets the rustic charm... Read More >>

A Look at Originalism

O Tempora O Mores! Oh the times, oh the culture. This Latin phrase relates to both the 18th century and our current times.... Read More >>