What's New for Winter 2023-24
More snow for skiing and riding, lessons you can take home with you, and dining in a dome – these are just a few highlights of what’s new this winter at Crystal Mountain.
Increased Snowmaking
Crystal Mountain now has 177 snowmaking machines! That’s five more than last year. The new Super Pumas, from our friends at SMI Snow Makers in Midland, are exceptionally efficient, producing more snow and throw than their predecessors, ensuring optimal skiing and snowboarding conditions throughout the season.
"Our goal is to create more snow, more efficiently, and by investing in these automated, high-tech snow guns, our snowmakers can be strategic about when and where to cover the slopes,” said Mike Cutler, director of Mountain Operations.
Enhanced Grooming
We’re coining the term – Cleaner Corduroy . That’s right, Crystal Mountain’s grooming fleet is now complete with four PistenBully machines meeting Tier 4 Final emission standards. These state-of-the-art machines help reduce our carbon footprint by releasing 20 times LESS EMISSIONS than an older Tier 1 generation groomer.
Introducing Flaik
Get the most out of ski and snowboard lessons . Kids who take a lesson at Crystal Mountain this season will be equipped with a Flaik GPS device that tracks where they go on the hill, what skills they practiced, and who their instructor was – it’s like taking notes on the slopes but without a paper and pen! All of this information and more is available with the “Relive Your Lesson” feature, which will be available for kids and parents after the lesson is over.
“With this new tool, parents will know which runs their kids feel comfortable on when they return to Crystal just for fun. Plus, it allows Crystal instructors to keep track of where the student left off in the lesson, so they know where to pick up in teaching when the student returns for the lesson.”
Igloo Dining
You don’t have to go to the North Pole chill in an igloo. Head on over to the Wild Tomato patio where you’ll find four igloos ready to give you and your crew a unique dining experience. Rent one of the 12-foot diameter domes and indulge in specialty drinks, small plates, and sweet treats – including a personal s’mores kit complete with a mini tabletop fire pit. Blankets and a faux fireplace will keep it extra cozy while overlooking Barr Park ice skating rink.
What else is new?
There are plenty of other new things to look forward to at Crystal Mountain this winter: passholder perks, expanded backyard station, cross-country webcam, paperless rental process, and another addition at Michigan Legacy Art Park.