Crystal Mountain Ski Resort: Complete Family Guide to Northern Michigan Skiing

The Ski Moms celebrate Crystal Mountain's 70th anniversary with Karen Thor (COO, 32 years at the resort) and Brittany Primeau (Director of Communications and new mom). They explore Crystal's evolution from Buck Hills community ski area to today's master-planned four-season resort village with 1,500 acres. Karen and Brittany share their ski origin stories and discuss the family-owned Petritz legacy that created a destination where families can park once and access everything on foot or by shuttle, from ski-in/ski-out accommodations to the LEED-certified spa. 

The conversation covers practical planning tips including getting fitted for rentals the night before, booking lessons for ages 3 to "retired, not tired," and using the Nanny McSki program for full-day childcare on the slopes. Crystal features terrain for all levels with magic carpets, a backyard teaching area, and night skiing Tuesday through Saturday. Beyond winter, they highlight year-round activities including two championship golf courses (home to the Michigan Women's Open for 20+ years), the Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide (Michigan's only alpine slide), Michigan Legacy Art Park, and the resort's role as a base camp for exploring Northern Michigan attractions like Sleeping Bear Dunes and Traverse City.

Resources:

• Website: www.crystalmountain.com
• Location: Thompsonville, Benzie County, Northern Michigan
• Season: Thanksgiving weekend through first weekend of April
• Lodging: Hotel rooms to 5-bedroom townhomes, many ski-in/ski-out
• Dining: Clipper Cafe, Thistle Pub and Grill, Wild Tomato, Mountain Market, Betsy River Pizza
• Special Programs: Nanny McSki, Ski and Sip (Nordic skiing with wine and cheese)
• Nearby: Iron Fish Distillery (3 miles), Frankfort (20 minutes), Traverse City (40 minutes)

Notable Quotes: "It's not intimidating. That's one of the best things about it. Once you're off the bunny hill, everything kind of funnels back down into the village so you don't have to worry so much about losing a kid out in the mountains." - Brittany Primeau

"There's no bad weather, just bad gear. Make sure you have everything you need. And the most important rule is just have fun." - Brittany Primeau

"Our guests are like guests in your own home. That's the way we like to think of it and treat folks. Crystal's always taken the long view and this family owned, operated feeling has just continued throughout the years." - Karen Thor

Don't miss the Annual Tent Sale, happening August 7th through 9th at the Woburn store only. The sale kicks off Friday at 5 p.m. and continues all weekend, just in time for Massachusetts Tax-Free Weekend.

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

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Transcript

Nicole: Welcome back to the Ski Moms podcast. It's season five and we're hitting the slopes. We're sharing real unfiltered stories of motherhood on the snow. From conquering the bunny hill with toddlers to squeezing in your own powder days, this season celebrates every type of ski mom.

Thanks for joining us. We've got a great season lined up and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Today the ski moms are headed to Michigan to spotlight a special place that's celebrating a big mil.

Crystal mountain is turning 70 this year. That's seven decades of family ski days, snow covered memories and year round adventure in the heart of Northern Michigan.

We're going to dive in and find out what makes Crystal so special. We've got two members of the team to join us. Karen Thor,

she is Crystal's chief operating officer. And we've got Brittany Primo, their director of communications. They're both moms in different parts of their momming journey and they're really going to share what makes a ski trip to Crystal so special and help us plan our journey trip.

And we love highlighting the Midwestern ski experience. We know a lot of you are Midwestern ski moms, so this one is just for you. Welcome Karen and Brittany.

Brittney: Thank you so much for having us.

Sarah: Yes. Excited to be here.

Speaker D: Well, we always love to start with your ski origin story.

When did you learn, how did you learn and did you love it right away? So maybe we could start with Brittany.

Sarah: I learned to ski on a Girl Scout outing so we could earn one of our outdoor winter recreation badges.

And that was probably,

I don't know, I was 10 or 11 years old and I grew up downstate, like near the Indiana border.

So I know there are ski areas down there. I went to Swiss Valley a few times,

but really it wasn't the way it is up here in Northern Michigan where that was like a weekly thing or a daily thing where you went skiing as just like part of your Wednesday.

And so being a part of Krystal now,

that is very clear to me. We have after school programs so it is very much intertwined. And younger, younger lives up here. And my, my husband grew up skiing with his family and doing all the ski trips.

So as you mentioned, different areas of life. But I am a new mom and I have a one year old and we are very much going to be going on ski trips, I'm sure.

So looking forward to that.

Brittney: That's a great story,

Brittany. And mine is a little similar in ways, same age range I started when I was nine years old. I started out skiing with family in a small family owned operated area a couple hours from here.

It was called Mile Mountain and has since closed.

Sad story there. But my brothers and I sort of took to the slopes there in Mayo and this small area had all roped hose and I think the family passes were very affordable.

My dad and my three brothers all learned and it was something that really stuck with me. One brother and I continued on with the sport and I have many memories of traveling to the ski hill with, with my brother and sort of that he was six years older than I was.

And you know, if you're going with me, I'm not carrying your gear. You better remember your boots, you better remember your poles. And you know, pretty much like, stay out of my way, but I'll give you a ride to the hill.

And so we continued that really through high school, college years for me. I took up ski racing as I grew older and ended up skiing in a club race program at Central Michigan University.

And that took me around Midwest ski racing and off to nationals one year that was a great experience out to Oregon. And I really just had the skiing bug in general,

Loved the winter sports and landed in sort of a career path out of college that was taking me to those,

those resorts and just always felt like I was going to be part of the ski business somehow and, and that really worked out for me.

Nicole: It's one of the states that you don't really appreciate how much skiing is actually there. We think about Michigan as getting winters, but it looks like there's still going strong. More than 40 ski areas in Michigan, which is pretty amazing.

And I know we're a very audio medium right now, but I know like when you look at the mitten of the state. So most of the skiing that's living is kind of towards the top of the mitten now.

Brittney: Yeah, that's true. There's still some very strong metropolitan areas in and around metro Detroit, and there's also Grand Rapids.

You know, what the Midwest has done very well is learn how to make snow. And we really have to rely on that with the sort of inconsistent weather patterns we've had.

But it is high quality, well made snow to help you slide and glide and enjoy those winter sports just as we always have.

It just takes a little different approach the areas to manage that for sure. And that northern lower Michigan area that we're a part of,

you know, this is, is one of those regions I think that is very active in the outdoors and Skiing,

skiing or mountain biking, hiking,

water sports, you name it. We really have it out sort of our back door, front door, and you're really invited to be a part of that. And I think that was, you know, so growing up in Michigan, I'm born and raised here on the east side of the state.

You know, that was one of the things that drew me to winter sports, I think was just that idea that if, if you're going to have winters, you better get out and enjoy it.

And we really do have some, some good winters here.

Speaker D: We're always talking about that. I was just with some girlfriends and they were talking about how they were dreading winter coming.

And I was like, you need to start skiing or get some snowshoes and figure out how to make it fun. Because it's a long, it's a long winter for a lot of us and a lot of,

a lot of places.

But we do have a lot of people, a lot of young women especially that are interested in, you know, getting into this industry.

So maybe, Brittany, you could tell us a little bit about your career path to, you know, landing this position as director of communications.

Sarah: Sure. And I will say too, so that Girl Scout outing,

it was fun. I loved it. Again, we just didn't, we just didn't go skiing every, every week or every day.

But now speaking to those middle aged women that kind of pick it back up.

I'm sure I was introduced to it when I was younger, but now it's, it's something that I do quite often.

I'm looking at the, the ski hill right now out my window and it's part of the job description. Skiing, golfing, all the things.

So what brought me to Northern Michigan was my career path in news.

I grew up downstate, went to school at Ferris State University and just kept moving north.

And it was always crazy because growing up it was, oh, we're going up north to go skiing or going up north to go camping. And now I live up north.

Being in News up here. I worked in News for about six years.

And then naturally, when you get out of News, you typically go into a PR position. And it was a great transition to Crystal in July 2021. So I came here in the summer and I had really only known of Crystal in the winter.

I did a lot of winter stories here, but not so much in the summer. And I just remember thinking, this is its own little village, it's its own community.

And I wasn't wrong because it has a grocery store, it has a gym, it has logic Dining,

everything you really need. I, I said, well, the only thing, it doesn't have a school.

But I was wrong because there's ski school and there's golf school, so it checks all the boxes.

So again,

and growing up as an athlete and always wanting to be outside and being active, not necessarily just sitting behind a desk, working at Crystal Mountain was the ideal position. And so I'm very much so, you know, walking around, going all over the place.

And we have four seasons here, so we're busy nonstop.

Speaker D: And how about you, Karen? What was your career path?

Brittney: Well, again, I think as I navigated college and those college years, I found a program, a hospitality program at Central Michigan, along with the Department of Recreation and Leisure Services. And I really,

I saw that I could, okay, I could, I could make work of this, this sport and sort of the industry that I've enjoyed visiting and being a part of on the slopes.

And so that was my initial introduction. I joined a group called, I think it was called the Resort and Commercial Recreation association and had traveled to a few conferences and events.

Out of college. I spent some time in Virginia on an internship in the Blue Ridge at a resort called Wintergreen, a great resort there, Four Seasons, much like Crystal,

and really had the bug. I spent almost two years in Virginia post grad and decided that I really wanted to be closer to home and family.

That was important to me.

And, you know, you might think, gosh, as a skier, everyone lands out west or out east, and.

And when I took that internship in the Mid Atlantic states there, you know, there's a passionate ski crowd in Virginia and a lot of folks that come up from North Carolina,

whatnot. It was a much better experience, I think, for me to,

to see that side of it, at least a better experience that I could apply here because we do get some. So many folks from, you know, outside of the northern Michigan region.

We do see a lot of beginners. And I just think the markets are similar in who we're attracting. But it also provided some really great one on one experience for me and my career path without being sort of like one of many ski bums hitting the big mountain area,

you know what I mean? After a couple years in Virginia, I did spend some time searching high and low and trying to figure out where in Michigan I'd like to land.

And Crystal was always on my radar because as a youngster, after I graduated from the rope toes at Mile Mountain, I would travel to Crystal Mountain with my brother. And I really got hooked on Crystal.

Even then there was a Different feeling for me about Crystal. And I skied all of the other Northern Michigan resorts as well.

But it was always friendly. It always felt very much like home for me. And,

and that was notable even as, you know, as a, as a young person, that something felt different here. I'll be here, I think, 32 years in November. So I've held a lot of different roles or titles here, worked through not only the snow sports side of things when I was initially hired as a recreation manager.

I also supervise the children's, really little children's ski program. When I first started the. I think the resort industry is so interesting because we're in so many different businesses and there are so many career paths.

Nicole: Well, we are happy to help you guys celebrate 70 years. That's quite a milestone. You know, we've mentioned even today some resorts that didn't make it.

Can you give us a little bit. And Karen, maybe this is best for you since you've been there for a portion of these, a larger portion of these 70 years.

Can you give us a little bit of the history of Crystal Mountain?

Brittney: Yeah, well, it, it started as a community run ski hill. It, it was a community project really. The, the story goes that there was a geography teacher in, in Benzi schools that was looking for the best place for his students to build a ski hill.

Where's the weather the best, where's the hill the best? Where, you know, all those sorts of things in the geography class that he was teaching.

And that sort of led to the Buck Hills community ski hill and later Crystal Mountain.

The family that owns Crystal Mountain today was still very much a part of the Buck Hills start with the Petritz family.

And I think that family owned, operated feeling has just continued throughout the years. The family's very involved in the operation day to day. And I think one of the things that has really served the,

the resort well is this idea that, you know, our guests are like guests in your own home. You know, that's the way we like to think of it and treat folks.

Crystal's always taken the long view at least since the 80s as we started to see some changes in our development and growth.

When Jim and Chris McGinnis arrived on scene. This would be Chris McGinnis's family. She's a Petritz. And when she and her husband arrived from California to help run,

run the resort, they really started in on a master planning process that continues today.

Sarah: Yeah, I was just going to add that, you know, I don't know if anyone ever pictured Crystal Mountain being What it is today, back when it was Buck Hill ski area,

but as Karen mentioned, taking the long view and everything was very strategic and planned out and, you know, well, how, you know, they first introduced golf and then it was, you know, maybe only nine holes first,

then it was another nine holes and then, okay, well, maybe we add some lodging and then, you know, how do we get people here in the fall? So you add like the conference center.

So now we can host meetings and events and, and weddings in those when it's not ski season. And then there was the outdoor pool and water playground that was added while we need to have lodging around there for the families.

And so that was the summer aspect.

Speaking of that lodging, you know, we have four different neighborhoods around here. You, you know, it started as just visitors coming for the day, staying the night. Now people live here year round.

I mean, a lot of people have second homes here too. But,

you know, and all of our lodging is private ownership and we're the rental management company. So. But there's just so many different aspects and that 70 years, a lot has changed, but it's, it's not without a well thought out design and strategic plan.

Nicole: Okay, so let's talk about, like, we're on to planning now. So if we're coming to Crystal for the first time, do most people do this as a weekend trip or a week trip or a day trip?

How are most of the visitors experiencing it?

Brittney: Well, we. We serve day trippers and overnight guests all alike. You know, it. I would call ourselves sort of a regional destination resort. And, you know, a strong market for us is, you know,

from southeast Michigan, Southwest Michigan, really all over the state in our local market, being the Traverse City market, Manistee.

But we are reaching into Ohio, Indiana, Illinois.

It's getting easier and easier to fly into Traverse City. And so we have many guests or property owners that might reach us in that way. But planning a trip, you know, to Crystal, I think one of the things that serves us well in Michigan, again, we're sort of a drive to kind of state.

You know,

a lot of our market comes within a two to four hour, you know, driving distance.

We are easy to get to, you know, well maintained highways and whatnot, but not a freeway all the way up to our door, but certainly well maintained highways to get here.

And I think planning ahead for us means, you know, whether it's a day trip or, or a weekend trip, we have a lot of great resources online for folks to follow.

But,

but like any ski mom and having done some of this Myself, you know,

you know, skiing and snowboarding certainly encourages some, some advanced planning and we, we like to, to help folks with that in terms of helping set up those lodging reservations here on site, which is really convenient because you can sort of park your car and then let will take you around or walk to all of the amenities and services that you might need.

I have always encouraged families to,

to get out and get fitted for their rental equipment if they're needing that the night before their big day on the slopes.

You know, showing up at least an hour early when you can, if you, if you can only, you know, check in in the morning or before your first class or lesson or activity, all of those things.

You know, the industry is so interesting in that everyone kind of shows up in that same two to three hour block. So of course you're going to have some days where it's busier and harder to navigate.

But if you can plan ahead for that and do as much as possible before you arrive, that's, that's really the way to go.

Sarah: Yeah, I would say, you know, along with the getting fitted for rental equipment and things like that,

look into the lessons and see if there are any lessons available. And that's one great thing about skiing in the Midwest, but certainly at Crystal too, it's not intimidating. That's one of the best things about it.

And you know, you can, once you're off the bunny hill and you're not even on the big hill, on our ski hill,

everything kind of funnels back down into the village so you don't have to worry so much about losing a kid out and out in the mountains. But,

but that it all starts with knowing, setting yourself up for success and potentially booking that lesson. And we do have all ages and we're talking three years old to retired, not tired.

So if you want, you know, ski moms want to bring their moms out on the slopes, you certainly can.

And then other tips. And then this is just top of my mind because I wrote a blog about it because there are, you know, five things you need to know before coming to Crystal.

So book that lesson. Save time and money by purchasing online in advance. That goes for rentals and lift tickets.

Check out our,

our map. Check out this. What do we have for terrain? You know, we have everything from the beginner runs to our blue intermediate to the black diamond runs. But know where, you know, kind of plan out your, your path on which chairlifts you should be getting on and which ones you shouldn't.

And then your, your outfit of the day you gotta be dressed for success too.

And as the saying goes, there's no bad weather, just bad gear.

So make sure you have everything you need.

And the most important rule is just have fun. You just have to come here and plan to have fun.

You know, don't sweat the small stuff and don't be afraid to ask for help.

Nicole: So you've got lodging there, you've got lessons, you've got. It looks like a rental program.

What's happening for families that are sort of those multi generational with younger kids. Is there daycare, is there space in the lodge? Are there things for parents with young kids that can navigate Crystal Mountain with ease?

Brittney: Yeah, that's a great question. And we certainly cater to families.

Crystal has a great layout for that.

We have programs, as Brittany mentioned, for ages 3 on up and we have private lessons on occasion with younger students.

We just find that if nothing else, if they're under three, perhaps they're toddling around in their boots or they want to just get out there and watch the skiers go by.

I know I always did this with my children and encourage many moms to do that is just to see if you can borrow a pair of boots and allow them to see what that's really like at that age.

Many kids will, will be just fine, you know, sort of trying to walk around and that's about it for, for an afternoon or as you are able to, as their development, you know, sort of advances.

You know, getting out on, on the snow, sliding and working with an instructor is just so key and, and parents can help with that too. But I, I found anyway that, you know, watching from that unseen distance and trying to allow that instructor really help them along is, is really great.

We do have an indoor pool facility. So some of our young families might take turns with the littles, with mom or dad and you know, spending some time in the pool while the other takes the older children out.

That always works well. We have some great seating areas to watch the slopes as well from our Crystal center and the Vista, the Mountain View or the Crystal Clipper Cafe.

And you know, again, there's a number of places to sit and watch.

But also we have this program which is really popular called Nanny mcski and folks can register for the entire day.

If you're looking for some time to get out on the slopes on your own, or perhaps you're going to visit the spa for the day. Nanny MC Ski is a program whereby our instructional staff will pick up the children and take them through the rental process.

If they need that or help transport their gear to the slopes and really spend the day with them, take them to lunch. And you know, that's proven to be a really great way to sort of get a day to yourselves.

And in our market we, we tend to find that folks are enjoying more and more time together. And so if you do, you know, half day program, especially for the, the younger skiers, I think that works really well so you're not overdoing it.

So, so they don't get to that point of no return. We, we certainly don't want that because it can be pretty exhausting for those little legs out on the hill and,

and so making sure they have a good positive experience in a couple hours and a lesson, a few hours,

you know, and then maybe some pool time or something else to do after that.

Speaker D: So can you just describe what we would be driving up to, you know, what the facility looks like just so we kind of have a little lay of the land.

Brittney: Crystal, as we've mentioned, being sort of master planned community. And when I say community I really mean,

mean that, gosh, we have anywhere from, you know, different times 50 to 60 homestead, homesteaded properties here. We have folks who live here full time. They make it their home.

Right. There's a very welcoming sort of main entrance and the twinkling lights and the sort of thoughtful master plan village and community that, that you arrive to and, and hopefully our, our directions and signage get you to the places you need to go, whether you're here for the day,

into the proper parking areas or to the front desk to check in.

We do offer a shuttle service from our day skier parking lot and, and that is real easy to get to. Right, right, right inside our front entrance and then the front desk area where folks check in for all lodging here that is managed through Crystal.

From there, you know, you'll be directed to, to your various accommodations and some of my favorites for families. We really have,

you know, a to Z in terms of hotel style rooms all the way up to four and five bedrooms townhomes and condominiums and a few resort homes on our rental program.

But you know, so again,

they're not all created equal. One size does not fit all. You know, if you're, it's just a couple's getaway or a small family, a hotel room might fit the budget and, or the timeframe that you have.

It's a great place to, to rest every evening, but maybe you don't need, you know, the full kitchen facilities or something of that nature. But many of our families enjoy what is called the cottages at Water's Edge or the bungalows at Crystal Glen.

And these sort of craftsman style cottages and bungalows right in the heart of the resort village core allow you to sort of park your vehicle in your designated space and leave it there until you're ready to leave.

You can walk to all of the restaurants and the ticket and rental areas.

You know, the indoor pool, the fitness center, the spa.

It's really. They're both very centrally located and they have these favored bunk rooms that our families just love. So, you know, if cousins or multiple families are getting together at one place, the kids can have their sort of their sleepover hangout space and in those bunk rooms and in one of those bunk rooms and,

and really feel like you have a great place to gather, you know, full kitchens, eat in or dine out occasionally. But that's always a, it's a favorite spot for many of our families.

Sarah: Many of them are ski in, ski out. You know, those ones are at the base of the mountain in the village, which is designed to be a walkable, bikeable pedestrian village.

But I know when I'm planning for a future ski trip, if I have to carry that gear, the less I have to carry that gear, the better it's going to be.

So maybe getting a townhome at the top of the mountain and that ski in, ski out accommodation is going to be perfect for a family.

But Karen spoke greatly about just the cozy accommodations and really being a home away from home. So if you're looking to unpack and settle in for a week, we have those accommodations and then our hotel rooms of course too.

Your classic hotel style rooms to the hotel suites and some of those in at the mountain suites have little crystallette bunkettes which are super fun for the kids and they just kind of close their doors and they got a little TV in there and everything.

And that's something I probably would have went for when I was a kid.

Nicole: And then, so getting to the mountain, you said that, you know, some of them are ski and scouts, some of it, some of it's a shuttle and there's one main base area.

So from there you're going to choose your own adventure. I'm guessing there's a magic carpet and like a learning area and then there's ways to sort of get up to take in the views.

And what are the views? What are we going to be looking at?

Brittney: Yeah, the, the slopes are positioned in such that, you know, many of our favorite wide open trails are on the Front side. So when you drive in you're going to see sort of these three peaks, if you will, and quite a bit of training.

There is a magic carpet. We have two of them at our teaching area and it's a great space to learn the basics and practice even from there.

Busy days with our ski school. We shuttle our students or ride the lift to the backside to a great area called the backyard. The Backyard is a fantastic teaching area.

Narrow runs, but a lot of greens and great area to really practice your skills in the backside.

While it'll, you know, traffic picks up during the day out there, this is an area where you get away from sort of some of the more advanced terrain and you can really hone your skills.

And they're kind of carved out of the hardwoods of northern Michigan. So they're very picturesque in that way. A lot of tree lined runs. And boy, from the tippy top, they're sort of at the summit of where many of our slopes come together.

You can look west and see a sliver of Lake Michigan. So in terms of the views, the Betsy Valley below,

which is where the Betsy Betsy river sort of navigates through the forests and again just really spectacular sunsets. So with night skiing you get to take all of that in as well.

We night, we ski at night from let's say Tuesday to Saturday and we close at 6 on Sunday and Monday.

Speaker D: Well that gives you a lot more time to be out on the hill for sure when there's night skiing.

I know we don't always have like a firm date, but in general,

when is, you know, opening day and closing day for this season,

the goal is

Sarah: always to be open for Thanksgiving weekend. We have a Thanksgiving reconnect weekend. So there are plenty of activities to do if perhaps the slopes aren't open. But again, that is the goal.

And we ski and ride through spring. So through that first weekend of April and March of the mountain is super fun. I always say I love spring skiing because, you know, it's not too cold, the sun's typically out, work on that goggle tan.

And we have fun March of the mountain events every weekend in March.

And so we're talking Mardi Gras. We have the slush cup, we have cardboard sled races.

So we really try and keep that ski season alive through April.

And you know, you also mentioned what else can can you expect when you're here in the winter. So Karen did a great job explaining the slopes and the terrain. But we also have our ice skating rink in the heart of the village in Bar park.

And we have snowshoeing through Michigan Legacy Art park, which is just about a half a mile up towards our cross country learning ski center up there, which is our driving range in the summer.

So for goal, we have 1500 acres of fun here and there's plenty of places to explore whether you're on the slopes or off the slopes.

And we haven't even gotten to talk about the Crystal Spa yet, but I'm sure we'll get to that.

Nicole: Okay, now you're definitely speaking my language. The spa language. I love that there's so many different things that a family can do all from one base without having to do a lot of driving, which is the last thing I want to do when I'm on vacation.

Yeah, I've been busy. I've been helping the kids get up and running, you know, making sure everybody has the gear. And I just want a day to myself.

I want to check into the spa and tell me what I'm going to get there and what it's all about.

Sarah: So Crystal Mountain was one of the, well actually the first resort to have a LEED certified spa in the Midwest. And so that was in 2009. And so again, everything we do is very well thought out and sustainability is part of our values and our mission here.

But if you go to Crystal Spa, you have to choose from a variety of lovely treatments.

Body treatments with a vichy shower.

We have our massages. Anything from like your relaxation massage to the deep tissue hot stones.

We have couples retreats. So mom, dad, both want to get away.

Nail services,

facials. And what I love about our spa too is that we have very unique and specific services.

So we have an oncology massage which is, you know, that's something that someone can really personalize their experience.

The last time I experienced the spa was the mother to be massage. And that was so relaxing. They knew exactly what they were doing. They're so well trained at Crystal Spa.

And besides the service, you also get access to all the amenities which we have two luxurious locker rooms, one for men, one for women.

And inside each there's an infrared sauna, there's a eucalyptus steam room,

showers,

toiletries, amenities that you need.

Then there's the co ed relaxation lounge and the co ed outdoor hot tub in the Mosaic garden. So certainly a four season destination here at Crystal and open to adults.

And it really is perfect for a gift. Just a day to get away.

And oftentimes too we'll offer just spa amenity access so you can just go experience the amenities and you don't even have to book a service always.

Speaker D: You know, we love to talk about spas and we also love to talk about food.

So tell us about the dining options both in the village and you know, right at the resort itself.

Brittney: Gosh. Well, we have a variety of dining options on property that includes, you know, our,

our day skier cafeteria, the Clipper Cafe, which if you're coming in for the day or just looking for a quick bite while you're on the slopes, it's always easy to just dash into the lodge for hot and cold food items.

That's where you're going to find your french fries and your chicken tenders. And boy, I hear great things about the chicken tenders. I must say. I'm a fan myself, but my 7 year old friends love them as well.

Highly endorsed there.

But the Thistle Pub and Grill is another spot that you might try at the base of the slopes, which is really kind of an experience,

dining, dining out. Maybe this is when you get your evening away. If you,

maybe you have somebody along that can watch the kids for the night and you want to have a nice dinner out, you can hit the Thistle. But it's also family friendly too.

So the Wild Tomato is one of my favorites for breakfast and gosh, you know, you can get just about everything on that breakfast buffet. And one of my tips for, for a good hearty meal before hitting the slopes or maybe even mid morning after a few runs is to hit the mountain market and grab one of those veggie burritos.

Breakfast burritos, that's my favorite thing to,

to fuel on. And all the conveniences as Brittany mentioned with you know, on store or excuse me, on site store ready for you to pick up bread, milk and other staple items for your eat in kitchen at the many accommodations.

Yeah, you can pick up some meals to go there as well. Or we'll stock your fridge ahead of time for you. We have that service as well.

Sarah: Yeah, I was going to elaborate on the.

You know, we have a lot of great dining options, whether you want to sit in or just grab and go. Betsy River Pizza and Subs is a great place to grab your pizza and head back to your room.

But since a lot of our rooms do have at least economy kitchens going to the Mountain market and I mentioned that grocery store, it is a little market and you can get local produce and you can get your ingredients and you can make a full meal, maybe meal prep for the week,

however long you're gonna be there and just have it ready to go.

One less thing you have to pack, right? You don't have to pack a lunchbox or anything. Just have it back at the place.

Iron Fish Distillery. So close, like less than three miles away.

And downtown Frankfurt has a lot of great, you know,

dining and shopping options too. And it's 20 minutes away, right on Lake Michigan. And so just speaking to the area in general,

Crystal Mountain is a great base camp.

I know, Nicole, you mentioned you don't you want to park the car and just stay put. But for those that do want to venture out and explore the area,

Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville in Benson county is the place to be because we're so close to Lake Michigan. Sleeping Bear Dunes,

Traverse City is only about a 40 minute drive.

And you know, all these places that we have heard nationally, you know, they're nationally recognized for one reason or another.

But it's just a great base camp.

Again, we mentioned Michigan likes the Art park is another unique,

you know, destination that's right on our property. But there's so many things to do and both on property and off property if you want to explore the area.

Nicole: And I do want to quickly touch base on the other seasons. You know, we're predominantly snow oriented. We love to play in the snow. But it does sound like this is a resort where we can visit all of the seasons to really enjoy the outdoors.

Tell us a little bit about what the other seasons have on offer.

Sarah: Obviously, plenty to do in the winter, but as we, you know, inch into spring, we have, we, as soon as we closed out our slopes, we're opening up our two championship golf courses.

So we have the Mountain Ridge in Betsy Valley. The Mountain Ridge,

it has been home to the Michigan Women's Open tournament for more than 20 years.

So that just speaks to the quality of the golf that we have here at Crystal and in Northern Michigan. So golf courses, definitely a draw. In the spring, summer and fall,

we have the Michigan Legacy Art park, which is also the Four Seasons destination, which it just, it's a nonprofit organization, by the way, I want to mention.

But it looks different in each season that you go, so that's exciting too. If we're here in the winter,

you go through the Art park, which has 50 sculptures, poultry stones, all inspired by Michigan art and history.

And. But if you go in the fall, it looks much different or the spring or summer,

we have the outdoor pool and water playground in in the summer months.

And something that's very unique to Crystal Mountain is our Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide. It's the only alpine slide in Michigan.

Two 1600 foot tracks that start at the top top of the ski hill. And there are turns and tunnels and dips and twists down to the bottom.

Again, another activity that is for the kids, but also the big kids and the adults.

And we utilize our chairlifts in all four seasons. So you take a chairlift up for that for the Alpine slide ride.

And we also use our chairlifts in the fall for our scenic fall chairlift rides where you go to the top. And we talked about the views in the winter,

but in the fall they are spectacular. Looking over four counties.

Beautiful reds, golds, greens. I mean people are familiar, but it's really something that you just have to see in person.

And as far as those other activities, we have archery, tennis, pickleball,

archery tag,

outdoor laser tag. I mean they're just. There's always the zipline and adventure course, the climbing wall. I'm just going through all the things in my head, but.

And a lot of these things are four season activities. So you just have to dress.

Brittney: Okay, wait a minute.

Nicole: Archery tag sounds very dangerous.

Sarah: It is. You need to help me with this.

I mean it's exactly what you think it is. But there's a foam tip on the end of the arrow if you will.

So a lot like dodgeball.

Nicole: So you're playing is with your frenemies.

Sarah: You're like. Yeah, yeah. Talk about like a team, team building, team bonding experience. If you're bringing the co workers here or just a little friendly family competition.

Nicole: Yes, I have heard that something called the ski and Sip exists. I need to hear more about what this is.

Brittney: You bet.

What a treat this is. So for a couple hours in the afternoon, typically on Saturdays, I think we have four dates planned for this winter.

We have this opportunity for ladies to join us at the Nordic center for a mini lesson, if you will.

If you're an avid skier already on Nordic equipment and you're ready to go, well, we'll just take a little tour together and just sort of some, some time to get out with the gals on the Nordic trails, which are lovely.

Here we. We groom for classic and for skate skiing and again, a mini lesson for those that are needing some, some pointers or even if it's your first time.

But after that skiing tour is done,

we do retreat to the Nordic center for the sip portion of the program, which includes some wine and cheese. It's a fantastic time.

Sarah: Yeah.

Nicole: The first time I took Sarah Nordic skiing, there was no sipping afterwards. And I don't. I think that might have helped you. Sarah liked it better.

Speaker D: Yeah, definitely. And in that order. Never the other order.

Brittney: Yeah, believe me. Yeah, I 100% agree with that. And every once in a while someone will slip and say the sip and ski. But again,

put it in the proper order. That is always the case. So afterwards, apres ski, we always love

Nicole: to talk about what your apres ski looks like as we're wrapping up.

And maybe we'll start with you, Brittany. It's probably changed a little bit now that you're a new mom, but where would we find you after the a perfect ski day?

Sarah: You would definitely find me at the Vista Lounge. That's where you're going to get one of our local craft brews. And you're just overlooking.

Overlooking the ski hill. Our high speed quad clipper chairlift is right outside those windows. So it's a popular one. So it's just fun to sit there and watch, you know, all the skiers come down.

And personally, I love a good opera ski at night when you can look over and see all the lights and.

And night skiing is just. It's a whole other experience and something that we love to have here in the Midwest.

Brittney: Yeah, I would agree with Brittany on that one. The view from the vista is pretty fantastic. And if you're there late enough after the slopes close, you can watch the groomers do their magnificent work out on the hills.

And that is something to behold. And the snowmakers and all the work that goes into prepping the slopes for the next day.

We also have, you know, the Thistle Pub and Grill. As we mentioned earlier, that bar space is a nice place to grab a drink or if you want to eat in at the bar.

And we just, we've got a few things going on, musicians and different events too that you can take in. And we have our own Crystals Twisted Thistle craft beer too that you can try at the Thistle Pub and Grill.

And it's one of my favorites along with Rainmaker from Stormcloud in Frankfurt.

Speaker D: So sound like great options for Apresky.

So, I mean, we covered so much. There's so much to offer, clearly. And if we want to follow along,

book our stay.

Where do we direct people to. To. To set up their trip?

Sarah: Go to crystalmountain. Com.

Speaker D: Awesome. We'll link to that in our show notes. Thank you so much.

Sarah: Thank you so much for having us. We hope to welcome both of you and your families out to Crystal sometime.

Nicole: Hey, Ski. We hope you enjoyed today's episode and got some great tips for your next family ski adventure. If you had as much fun listening as we did making this episode.

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