What's New at Area Ski Resorts 2007

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Ski tricksNub’s Nob, Harbor Springs

Happy 50th birthday to Nub’s Nob!
Winter 2007 marks 50 years for the local ski area, a significant milestone for winter recreation in Northwest Michigan.
Also marking new happenings at Nub’s this season, new night skiing  hours and new ticket choices will be available.
While the Friday,  Saturday and holiday night skiing hours remain the same (9 a.m. to 4:30  p.m., then 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., starting Dec. 26), Nub’s will now be open  from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays once regular  night skiing begins in  January.
Nub’s is also introducing a new four-hour Freedom lift ticket good for  any consecutive four-hour period (Saturdays and holidays only after  12:30 p.m.). The resort is opening another expert-only gladed tree skiing area  featuring natural terrain, located on the west side of the Superpipe in the Arena Glades. Expanded runs can be found after removal of the tree island between  Goose Bumps and Chill out, on Pintail Peak. 
The terrain park sees some changes, too, as an expanded boardercross  course replaces the tabletop jumps, and the railyard will be getting  some new features as well. The resort is also increasing its snowmaking power to  continue its tradition of having the “Midwest’s Best Snow.” Eight  additional snowguns were built over the summer, bringing  total gun count to 250.
This system, in the hands of the experienced  Nub’s snowmaking and grooming team, allowed the resort to open with an  historic number of slopes last season. Two new snow groomers will also contribute to Nub’s quest to provide  the best snow possible.
All new rental skis, bindings and boots from Rossignol have been added  to the rental fleet at Nub’s, with new children and adult shaped skis  and bindings. The constant improvements and excellent snow conditions at Nub’s have  once again landed the resort the No. 1 ranking for terrain parks and  No. 4 for grooming in Northern America in the 2007 Ski Magazine reader  resort survey.
Nub’s continues to be the only Midwestern ski area  ranked in any of the categories. For more info, call 526-2131 or go online, www.nubsnob.com.  

Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs

Investments in the resorts’ snowmaking infrastructure, plus new tracks, expanded tubing and more fun await visitors to the Boyne resorts. Plus, interchangeable lift tickets at the Highlands and the Mountain  in Boyne Falls allow  access to two mountains with the greatest  vertical, longest runs and most skiable acreage in Lower Michigan.
The Highlands has increased its snowmaking capability by 40 percent for  this season with the installation of more than $400,000 worth of  equipment.
With  technology exclusive to Boyne, the resort has added 22 of the latest  hi-efficiency Boyne Fan snowguns and over 12,000 feet of new  air and water pipes for faster snowmaking. And to help convert all that  snow to smooth corduroy is a new Prinoth groomer (formerly Bombardier).
A new snowshoe loop measuring 3.2 kilometers is being  trackset. This snowshoe-only trail departs from the Cross  Country Center and heads towards open terrain before leading into a  beautiful wonderland of mature spruce and pine hardwoods loaded with  nature splendor. Boyne Highlands also offers 45 kilometers of diverse  skill-level terrain for snowshoeing, cross country and skate  skiing  enthusiasts.
A variety of Tubbs Snowshoes are available for rent in  children and adult sizes. Trail tickets are $15 for all day. Boyne Highlands is again teaming up with the Iditarod sled dogs of  Nature’s Kennel, but this year, there’s a new option: 60-minute  dog-sled excursions. The hour-long excursion includes a midway stop for  scenic photos and a cup of hot chocolate. All rides take place on  resort property among scenic trails. The 20- and 60-minute rides cost $50 and $150, respectively. Each ride  typically accommodates two adults or one adult and two children.   

Casual snowboardingBoyne Mountain, Boyne Falls

Boyne Mountain’s crews have also been busy this summer installing more  than $350,000 worth of upgrades in snowmaking equipment, including 17 of the latest hi-efficiency Boyne Fan snowguns, a new water well for  greater pumping capability, 7,600 feet of pipes expediting water and  air transfers for greater  snowmaking production, plus one new Prinoth  groomer.
Guests to Boyne Mountain can experience an expanded tubing park with a  new locale. The tubing park is being carved between FIS and Thunder  trail, allowing space to expand the park by two lanes and 375 feet, for  a total size of four lanes and 1,000 feet.
The park is serviced by a  rope-tow for convenient loading. And new this year, all Boyne Season  Pass holders get unlimited tubing at both resorts. Glade skiing has been expanded north of Disciples and Superbowl trail.  Precision select-cutting over the last two years has created more than  seven acres of additional tree skiing.
Solace Spa at Boyne Mountain is unveiling a new salon planned to open  prior to the Christmas holiday. The salon’s offerings include hair  cutting, styling and coloring, make-up services, manicures and a  semi-private pedicure suite. The salon is located in the Mountain Grand  Lodge.
Led by the  Austrian-American Boyne SnowSports Academy and available at  both resorts is the new Junior Rocks the Board lesson geared toward  children ages 4 to 6 years, but available for older kids, too. Lessons are available 9-10 a.m. and after 3:15 p.m.  daily; two-hour lessons are available anytime.
For additional information, visit www.boyne.com or call (800) GO-BOYNE  (462-6963).