Michigan Ski Blog – Skiing and Snowboarding in Michigan

Crystal Mountain is adding snow bikes this winter for northern Michigan’s only dedicated snow bike trail system. The resort has added to their snowmaking capacity this year with new water pipes and more snow guns. More than half of the Wintergreen condominiums units have been upgraded with new kitchens (many with new bathrooms as well) and are ready for this ski season.

Also new this year, a Sunday-only pass is available for $159 and kids under 8 can get a season pass for $25.

2012-13 Mountain Upgrades

The Big Pipe

This fall, Crystal Mountain is undertaking several projects that will help deliver a better product for our guests while, at the same time, conserving energy and money.

One new project that will appeal to skiers and riders is the addition of a twelve inch diameter, 600 foot long snowmaking header pipe which runs from the bottom of the Buck ski run almost to the Crystal Clipper lift tower line. This installation was completed in September.

Crystal Mountain CEO, Jim MacInnes, who is also a licensed professional engineer, says this new pipeline will significantly reduce water friction losses, especially at full snowmaking flows which can reach up to 6000 gallons per minute. “This high pressure piping upgrade will allow Crystal’s snowmaking team to deliver the same amount of water to our snow guns using 200 less pumping horsepower during periods of full flow. It will also allow us to be more productive during colder snowmaking temperatures when our snow guns are operating at maximum efficiency.”

More snow with less energy. That’s good news for everyone on and off the mountain.

More Firepower

All that water will be feeding more snow guns, too. New snow guns will be mounted near the base of Main Street under the Crystal Clipper High Speed Quad lift and another along the North Face Quad lift.

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