Cary Adgate’s Top Ten Picks for Up North Winter Fun

Dec. 7, 2014

Cary Adgate is an inductee of the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, a former U.S. Ski Team member, U.S. National Ski Champion and two-time Olympian, having spent 18 years on top of the world-class ski competition circuit. He also serves as Boyne USA’s Ambassador of Skiing–when he’s not busy selling properties as a Kidd and Leavy Real Estate broker.

Being so well-versed in all things winter, we thought we’d ask him about his favorite picks for northern Michigan winter fun, starting with where he likes to ski.

Favorite Place to Ski Up North:

My parents started a ski resort in the late "˜50s here in Boyne called Thunder Mountain. It’s closed now, but one of my favorite runs, Whiteface, was there, and it was a steep one.

When I was a kid, it was a real feather in your cap if you skied Whiteface! Today, my favorite is Heather at Boyne Highlands. It’s sort of the antithesis of Whiteface, but it’s such a nice, even pitch, good for those new skis that carve so well, and it’s actually a long run, which is what Michigan ski resorts are most challenged with.

Favorite Apres-Ski Activity:

I like hopping in to Pierson’s at Boyne Mountain.

Best Up North Winter View:

That’s easy–from the top of the Avalanche Preserve in Boyne City. It used to be a ski area, too. Now there’s a big set of stairs to the top and you can see northwest to the end of Lake Charlevoix. It’s gorgeous.

Favorite Winter Meal:

I actually really like the sushi at Chandler’s in Petoskey. I prefer the more plain varieties of sushi with ahi or yellowfin tuna. It works just as well in both winter and summer.

Favorite Winter Beverage:

I’m a beer drinker so, for me, it’s a Czech beer called Pilsner Urquell. It’s brewed in a town right across the border in the Czech Republic from where we used to have a ski race in Germany every year, so that’s how I got introduced to it.

Winter Movie Pick:

Whenever weather traps me in the house, I never seem to get sick of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." It’s so well done and so full of surprises, especially the scene where you discover why Steve Martin wears an eye patch and has a cork on his fork!

Winter Music Pick:

I don’t always, but if I do listen to music while I’m skiing, I generally will have Michael Hedges playing. A close second is a vocal group called Pentatonix. They do phenomenal Christmas music and covers of pop songs.

Winter Forecast Source:

I use an iPhone app called AccuWeather. It has lots of great features, including live radar so you can see the snow that’s about to hit you!

Favorite Up North Holiday Activity:

Along with many, many other people, I love going to listen to the Petoskey Steel Drum Band at the Petoskey Holiday Open House. There’s always a fun crowd and it’s especially nice when there’s snow on the ground and it really looks like winter.

Favorite Place to Escape the Cold:

I generally don’t escape at all, but when I do, it tends to be in March or April. I like the canyon lands in southwest Utah, the four-corners and the Grand Canyon area, as I like to hike and mountain bike. I haven’t been to Lake Powell (on the Colorado River) yet, but it’s on my bucket list.