Nordic skiing in an Alpine environment

Sometimes the best cross-country skiing is right in your own backyard. We found Crystal Mountain Resort to be such a place. Just 30 miles from our northern lower Michigan home in Cadillac, Crystal Mountain built its reputation as a premier downhill skiing venue but quietly developed a network of cross-country ski trails that is among the best in Michigan.  

My wife, Cyndy, and I have been all over the state but never went to Crystal Mountain assuming a downhill resort wouldn’t offer much to Nordic skiers like us We were so wrong.

The first thing that hits you is the grooming. Every kilometer of the 30K in this trail system is exquisitely packed, rolled and tracked. Two sets of classic tracks through wide sections, singletracked the rest of the way, and all of it perfect for skate skiing. 

The entirety of Dave Foley’s account of cross-country skiing at Nordic Mountain appears in the December 2014 print edition of Silent Sports magazine. To order a copy, call 888-706-4045. Or subscribe online and avoid missing another issue!