Chasing Snow: Northern Michigan ski resorts adapt to a warmer world

Photo: The Homestead near Glen Arbor stockpiled manmade snow early this winter and opened its runs the second weekend in January, despite rain and warm temperatures.

By Jacob Wheeler

Sun editor

A version of this article first appeared in Traverse Northern Michigan.

It’s been a soggy couple of years for skiers and snowboarders. So, what keeps us coming back? From crockpot warming stations to cutting-edge snow-making technology, Northern Michigan ski resorts pull out all the stops to keep winter lovers happy—and stay one step ahead of Mother Nature.

Lonely patches of snow melting on the hill. Idle chairlifts. An empty parking lot below. That’s how the 2023-24 winter looked at Mt. Holiday, the ski hill east of Traverse City, which opened for just two weeks that season.

A freakishly warm January and February 2024 wiped out snowpack from earlier in the season, and a 73-degree day in late February left snow-sports enthusiasts frustrated. In fact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration called the 2023-24 season “the warmest winter on record for the contiguous United States.”

A more robust winter last year allowed Mr. Holiday to stay open for 12 weeks. It’s early in the winter of 2026, but Mother Nature seems to be delivering for snow enthusiasts. After temperatures hit an unseasonal 50 degrees on Jan. 9, and rain turn the slopes and trails into hard crust, powder has returned to Northern Michigan.

But the near constant risk of snow turning to slush has forced resorts and ski hills to adjust. On the other side of Traverse City, Hickory Hills has made and bankrolled snow when temperatures dip to 28 degrees, stockpiling it on slopes the city-owned destination could maintain and squirreling it away in the forested paths where cross-country skate skiers sprinted loops. Even as rain and snow dance together in the skies, Hickory massages the base long enough to give those soggy but happy rippers a ski season.

We all know that recent winters have been warm, and we are on a decades-long warming trend. As soon as a base of snow formed this past November, erratic temperature swings threatened to destroy the runs and spoil the fun. But ski destinations understand that making snow is how to survive and win this game.

Ski pass and lift ticket sales have lagged—both out West and in the Midwest—for the first time since the rebound from the pandemic. But here in Michigan, the industry predicts growth as ski resorts invest aggressively in snowmaking infrastructure and supplement adventures on the hill with other on-site amenities and four-season programming, from weddings and retreats to disc golf and pampering at the spa. Their innovative solutions range from mounting high-tech snow guns on towers to providing crockpot plugins for families who want to bring dinner to the hill and avoid breaking their budgets—and they just might make for an even better skiing experience in the years to come.

Whether or not we ever get another winter of 6-foot snowdrifts and Great Lakes that freeze over—stories we tell our children that seem increasingly like legends—snowmaking is the key for local resorts.

Resorts need about 72 hours of temperatures that stay below 28 degrees to lay a base and open terrain for skiing. “The ski industry in Michigan happens because of snowmaking. There’s no other way to say it,” said Ben Doornbos, general manager at Nub’s Nob near Harbor Springs. “Our product is the snow.”

Nub’s recently added five more snow guns last year to bring its arsenal to 320, which creates a powder base for 53 runs that skiers and boarders access using eight chairlifts. The resort also replaced 100 of its slope lights with LED bulbs to create brighter and more energy-efficient lighting for night skiing, when temps drop and the base solidifies.

Everyone, including smaller destinations like Mt. Holiday, is getting on board. The Traverse City hill used disaster relief loans from the Small Business Administration to increase its fleet of snow guns from eight to 22 since 2024 and installed 8,000 feet of piping in the ski area, as well as 34 snowmaking hydrants and a whole new electrical system.

Resorts are optimistic about skiing in the North, both because the sport is enjoying a resurgence and because forecasts suggest the weather will cooperate this year. Two years ago, the ski industry battled a strong “El Niño” weather pattern, which meant warm water surfacing in the Pacific Ocean drove a heat wave over the Midwest. By contrast, a “La Niña” pattern last year and this year could mean a more typical Northern Michigan winter.

Even with a good dump of natural snow forecasted, snowmaking is still a serious part of a successful strategy. Karyn Thorr, CEO at Crystal Mountain near Thompsonville, offers this fun fact: One inch of high-density man-made snow is more durable and lasts longer than 10 inches of natural snowfall. A foot of powder that falls from the sky ultimately packs down to one inch of base. So, in a way, making snow is more efficient than waiting for Mother Nature.

Crystal Mountain, which has been making snow for nearly 60 years, uses 179 snowmaking guns. This year, Crystal focused on improving the base terrain around its Buck complex, which offers the steepest hills at the resort.

Ski pass and lift ticket sales at Crystal have increased each of the last two years. That’s in part because the Benzie County destination has improved its messaging that the resort’s snowmaking capacity can carry it through the winter—despite erratic weather.

“We had great conditions last year with 118 ski days,” Thorr said. “Opening day was Dec. 6, and we closed on April 6.”

But when natural snow failed to accumulate on people’s yards and driveways two years ago, it fed a negative feedback loop that resorts couldn’t accommodate skiers.

“We’re trying to get that message to folks, pointing them to our webcams and telling them that we have snow,” she said.

Resorts like Crystal are responding to skiers’ hesitancy to commit by getting creative with ticket options like flex passes, which are suited for people with flexible schedules who are waiting for ideal ski conditions. To remain nimble and to keep guests occupied, they also promote other activities early in the season, including disc golf and the spa.

The density of manmade snow and the temperature needed to make it are important—so is the location where it’s placed.

Treetops Resort near Gaylord has mounted 10 of its 30 snow guns on towers and installed them in spots that require a stronger base or terrain that presents challenges with shifting winds.

“We’ve also done more extensive training with our snow-making staff,” said ski operations director Brad Jacobsen. “We’re coaching them on different weather patterns, what to look for in the 10-day forecast and how to make adjustments with the snow guns.”

Treetops is optimistic about seeing more skiers this year, so much so that it added two new Black Diamond (most difficult) runs to its lineup of 27 trails. To attract and entertain entire families, the destination also offers tubing, sleigh rides, ice skating and cross-country skiing.

“Expectations are higher … because of the winter we had [in 2024],” Jacobsen said. “People are excited. They want to get back out on the slopes.”

Resorts will innovate in ways big or small to get them there.

Ski resorts know that attracting families with young children, as well as priming kids for the slopes, represents not just sustainability but future growth for the industry. Effective marketing and social media campaigns that speak to tomorrow’s rippers will keep skiers returning to Northern Michigan hills year after year, despite the inconsistent weather conditions.

Young adults and children 17 and under account for a lower percentage of visits to U.S. ski areas than they did a decade ago. That means resorts must heed the call and promote their experience on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram with the hopes of capturing the youth audience—and ensuring they become lifelong customers.

Some in the game see post-COVID opportunity. “Since 2020, when most of the state was shut down for the pandemic, skiing experienced a strong rise in popularity, and that has continued,” said Ben Doornbos at Nub’s Nob. “People have returned to the sport or discovered it for the first time.”

The big dogs like Boyne Mountain and The Highlands at Harbor Springs—the largest ski area in Michigan’s lower peninsula—are diversifying their appeal, too. Boyne is home to the popular SkyBridge, with panoramic views in all four seasons (and a dazzling Lights in the Sky stroll this winter), as well as an indoor water park, ziplines, tubing and winter biking. The Highlands offers winter horseback riding and an enchanted trail experience for those who need a break from skiing.

A smaller slope, Hickory Hills has offered an ideal training ground for young skiers since tow ropes began pulling patrons up the hill in 1952. Hickory still uses tow ropes, save for one conveyor lift which it added to the “bunny hill” in 2019, along with a new maintenance building and lodge. The lodge is a cozy gathering and dining space for young families on ski days and hosts events throughout the year, including weddings.

Located at the end of Randolph Street, Hickory’s most unique quality is its proximity to downtown Traverse City. “A lot of people don’t even know we’re here,” said general manager Cindy Anderson.

“[Even as] a small, community-based hill, we’re still getting people from downstate and Ohio, because we offer a cost-effective way of getting out on the hill.”

To shore up their skier experience, The Homestead in Glen Arbor offers a creative array of family-friendly activities, too. The resort only opened slopes for two weeks in 2023-24, as snow conditions are a bit more delicate because of The Homestead’s proximity to the warmth of Lake Michigan. This year, The Homestead stockpiled manmade snow and opened the second weekend in January, despite warm temperatures.

The location, views and overall skier experience are a part of the draw. Homestead President Bob Kuras and his staff have found other innovative ways to attract visitors.

To help celebrate the season, The Homestead is bringing back its popular Ullr Festival, named for the ancient Norse god of winter and skiing. The expanded slate of activities may include a children’s lantern parade, a caricature artist, cookie decorating, and photo fun with Ullr—live and in person. Nonna’s restaurant will run a new la carte menu through the season and Whiskers will host a daily happy hour, followed by live music.

To improve its visitor experience, Caberfae Peaks in Cadillac renovated one of its older lodges and dedicated the space to day trippers bringing brown-bag lunches or hot meals in crockpots.

“What makes Caberfae special is we’re extremely downhome and family-friendly,” said general manager Pete Meyer. “We hear that from our customers.”

Crockpots are nice, but they’re no substitute for skiable runs. Caberfae also muscled up on snowmaking over the past couple seasons, installing another pump and 12 more guns to its fleet, which now totals 160. The resort also has new lines from Consumers Energy to power the operation and ensure fewer outages.

Meyer emphasized that resorts all offer live webcams and social media updates to keep skiers informed. “It’s become extremely transparent,” he said.

Despite a difficult season two years ago, Caberfae operated for 98 days, opening on Dec. 2 and staying open until March 17. The Cadillac destination was the southernmost ski resort to welcome skiers for a three-week span over the holidays in 2023-24.

Not all resorts have turned to snow guns to stabilize their season—but there are still tactics that allow them to make the most of every inch Mother Nature gives them.