Swiss Valley and other Michigan ski resorts fight for winter with snowmaking investments

When snow dances don’t work, firepower saves the ski slopes.

At Swiss Valley Ski & Snowboard Area in Jones, Assistant General Manager Mike Panich says three brand new snow guns and a continued push to add wider water lines — all installed over the summer — made it possible to make enough snow to open for the season on Jan. 6.

The onset of winter weather may be delayed, but Swiss Valley is fighting to get you snow sports.

Its “snow farmers” focused their first efforts to build its base on a few key areas. But now they've opened both the shorter and longer intermediate runs, as well as the beginner rope-tow slope, where they've also added a small terrain park with seven or eight features for both beginners and advanced tricksters.

Delighted skiers and snowboarders came in last weekend from as far as Chicago and Indianapolis. I skied Monday night, and the snow was amazingly decent with only the margins showing bare spots and grass.

As good snow-making conditions return Wednesday, Panich says, the resort aims to open the advanced Quad 80 slope by the weekend. And if the long-term forecast for cold temperatures bears true, he says, it could build the base for a decent remainder of the season.

Promising for snow sports: More snow, wind and sinking temperatures expected this weekend. Winter returns, for now.

Thank you, hardware. In 2023, Swiss replaced about 1,000 feet of water pipes on Quad 80 for more water flow and no more leaks. And it added 1,000 feet to reach Weezy’s Way — a relatively new sidewinder trail through the woods — and installed lights there, too. Swiss has been replacing what pipes it can. Last year it was along Triple. In 2024, it may be along the shorter intermediate slope (Quad 83).

Swiss isn't alone in this fight. The Michigan Snowsports Industries Association reports that resorts across Michigan have been ramping up their snow-making operations in the past few years, aiming not only to make more snow but — with newer technology — to make it in warmer temperatures and to do so more efficiently (after all, it takes a lot of utilities and expenses).

At Swiss, the technology in its new snow guns lets them run when it’s up to 26 degrees, if the humidity is low enough. And as long as customers keep coming to play on snow, Panich says, the resorts can keep paying for the investments.

This comes with a host of other upgrades at Swiss to make for a fresher “overall experience,” he says. There’s a lot of fresh paint all over the buildings, plus a new roof on the main lodge and new lighting inside. The dirt parking lot, once prone to puddles, has been resurfaced with recycled asphalt. The rental department refreshed itself with 250 new-to-Swiss skis, plus more snowboards, boots and bindings.

As always, check conditions before you come at skiswissvalley.com or 269-244-8016.

Aid for ski resorts

Around Kalamazoo, Timber Ridge Ski Area was able to open only its tubing hills over the weekend while it still worked on its ski slopes. The larger Bittersweet Ski Resort reported five out of 20 slopes open as of Monday.

In northern Michigan, ski reports continued to improve last weekend with more snowmaking. This week's forecast promises them a natural snow base at last.

But, because the season is so delayed, the MSIA is now asking the state for emergency loans to help resorts that lost income during the holidays — a time when, generally, resorts make roughly 22% of their annual income, Executive Director Mickey MacWilliams says.

“Some areas weren't able to open at all," she says. “Some were open with only a couple of runs on manmade snow — in the rain. This was a problem across the entire state, from the western border of the U.P. to those in the southern part of the Lower Peninsula. … The loans, if we are successful in getting them, would be for any ski area that applies for one. The whole state was impacted.”

Skating without ice

Just north of Muskegon, Bill Bailey at the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex has been optimistic that this week’s storms will deliver snow to, perhaps, finally work on opening its natural-ice luge and ice rink and ice trails. It builds both the luge and skating byways by first packing them with snow. This could take several days. The snowshoeing and lighted cross-country ski trails also rely on nature’s snow.

But, on Dec. 30, the complex opened a smaller, synthetic skating rink that doesn’t need frozen moisture or cold temperatures. Made by the Swiss company Glice, you glide across it with your standard ice skates, though, as the company admits, with about 90% of the typical glide and not quite as much edge, Bailey, the complex’s community relations director, says.

At 2,600 square feet, it’s not nearly the two acres of natural ice that the park typically boasts. Nor is it there to replace true ice. Bailey says it fits the complex’s mission of continuing to add more unique options for active play throughout the year, or as its 2017 master plan states, “many reasons for all seasons.” That explains the park’s summer luge run with wheeled devices, a rock wall, zipline and archery course.

The Glice rink may let you “knock the rust off” of your skating legs, Bailey says, as you wait for freezing days. Luckily, the monkeys and polar bears didn’t beat it up at the Detroit Zoo, from which the Muskegon park had acquired it. Do they skate?

Find the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex at 462 Scenic Drive, North Muskegon (msports.org, 877-879-5843).

St. Joe County Parks

When snow sports do return, they’ll run similar to last season at St. Joseph County Parks. All of the following will kick into gear only if there is sufficient snow, unless otherwise noted. An inch or two won’t do it. There are a lot of factors that go into building a good base for tubing and skiing — especially, a frozen ground and enough snow to compact into a firm surface.

Stay tuned. This week is a prime example. Deputy Director Leslie Witkowski says the parks often have to wait until the last minute to see if snow conditions will allow them to run their scheduled programs — or if they can pivot to an alternative activity.

Tubing at St. Patrick’s County Park, 50651 Laurel Road, South Bend, and at Ferrettie-Baugo Creek County Park, 57057 Ash Road, Osceola, goes through March 3.

Just at St. Patrick’s, preschoolers ages 3-5 can tube for free from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays now through Feb. 22, thanks to sponsorship from the Dr. Elmer R. Graber Youth Foundation for Exploring Nature. If tubing isn’t possible, Witkowski says, the park will come up with another outdoor learning activity; this week, it will be about winter birds.

The tubing hills at both St. Patrick's and Ferrettie-Baugo have small snow guns to add onto natural snow, as they did last February. They can't create the entire snow base. Because they’re older equipment, they require dry air and temperatures no higher than the low 20s, Witkowski says.

Cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays at St. Patrick’s. Season trail passes there cost $20 per adult and $15 per youth. As in the past, the season trail passes will be accepted at the bordering Madeline Bertrand County Park in Niles. But, because Berrien County Parks erects a snow fence between the two properties, you’ll need to drive into Bertrand separately to show your pass and embark on its trails.

St. Pat’s has set its night skis, lighted by glowing luminaries, for 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 12 and 26 and Feb. 2. Cost is $5 per person, plus $10 for ski rentals.

Also, St. Pat’s offers beginner ski lessons from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays for $15.

Spicer Lake Nature Preserve in New Carlisle hosts snowshoeing from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 16 for $5 per person. If there’s not enough snow, it will be a nature hike. Registration is required by Jan. 15 at 574-654-3155 or bendixwoods@sjcparks.org.

For more details, visit sjcparks.org.

Berrien County snow sports

Madeline Bertrand County Park at 3038 Adams Road, Niles, has brand new rental skis awaiting the season. And, in addition to Wednesday through Sunday rentals, it boasts lighted skiing until 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays when there’s enough snow.

Love Creek County Park at 9292 Huckleberry Road, Berrien Center, offers great cross-country skiing on groomed trails, with rentals.

But, with or without that, Love Creek also rents fat bikes for use on a separate, 3.5-mile trail — which may be frozen dirt or groomed snow. And now it has two kid-sized fat bikes (generally for kids that are four to five feet tall) that are free as long as an adult is riding with them. Fat bike rentals cost $15 for one hour, $25 for two hours (plus the winter trail fee only when there’s enough snow for grooming).

Learn more at berriencounty.org/355/Parks.

Cold is Cool Passport for kids

Fourth and fifth graders from any state can get the Cold is Cool Passport for $30, which allows them three free lift tickets or trail passes at 29 participating resorts in Michigan. It also includes discounts like $20 off at least $100 in merchandise and 20% off the purchase of a ski helmet at some resorts’ ski shops. Learn more and sign up through the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association at goskimichigan.com/cold-is-cool.

Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Swiss Valley Michigan ski snowboard resorts save winter by snowmaking