# Crystal Mountain Resort is a

resort A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a vacationer's wants, such as food, drink, swimming, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises. The term ''resort ...

and

conference center A convention center (American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typica ...

located near the

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

of Thompsonville in

Benzie County Benzie County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 17,970. The county seat is Beulah. The county was initially set off in 1863 and organized in 1869.

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. The resort's area forms the Crystal Mountain

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

. The resort offers recreational activities including

downhill Downhill may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Downhill'' (1927 film), a British film by Alfred Hitchcock * ''Downhill'' (2014 film), a British comedy directed by James Rouse * ''Downhill'' (2016 film), a Chilean thriller directed by Patrici ...

and

cross country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...

the winter months, and golf, water activities, and an

alpine slide A summer toboggan is an amusement or recreational ride which uses a bobsled-like sled or cart to run down a track usually built on the side of a hill. There are two main types: an Alpine coaster or mountain coaster is a type of roller coaste ...

in other seasons. The resort was founded in 1956. In March 2015 the resort announced it was planning a $9 million expansion project that will add new ski runs, lifts, lodging, retail and other amenities.

Skiing and snowboarding

The resort's skiing and snowboarding season runs from approximately Thanksgiving weekend to early April, depending on weather conditions. The resort receives an average of 11' of natural snowfall, however

artificial snow Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a "snow gun", also known as a "snow cannon". Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliabilit ...

can be made when natural snowfall is lacking. The resort has 58 downhill slopes, 6

chairlift An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel wire rope loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs. They ...

s and 2 surface lifts, with 27 slopes lighted for night skiing during the peak ski season.

Golf

Crystal Mountain features two 18-hole championship golf courses. The Betsie Valley course, the resort's original golf course, plays at from the blue tees. The Mountain Ridge course, which hosts the Michigan Women's Open each summer, plays from the blue tees. The resort's golf school offers golf instruction to players of all ages and ability levels.

Recreational facilities

Crystal Mountain maintains Michigan's only

Alpine slide A summer toboggan is an amusement or recreational ride which uses a bobsled-like sled or cart to run down a track usually built on the side of a hill. There are two main types: an Alpine coaster or mountain coaster is a type of roller coaste ...

. The resort also maintains mountain biking trails available during the Summer.

Lodging

Overnight lodging is available in over 250 hotel rooms, suites, condominiums, townhouses and vacation homes, which are located near the skiing and golf facilities throughout the resort property.

Awards and recognition

Crystal Mountain is one of 60 golf courses in Michigan to be certified by the Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program. Its golf school has been named a Top 25 golf school by ''

Golf Magazine ''Golf Magazine'' is a monthly golf magazine. It was started in April 1959 by Universal Publishing and Distributing, who sold it to Times Mirror in 1972. Time Inc. acquired it in 2000. It was acquired by Howard Milstein in 2018. It was the world' ...

''. Crystal Mountain was named among Conde Nast Traveler's Ten Best Family Ski Resorts in the U.S. and Canada in 2017, and also ranked the resort #1 in the United States for Family Reunions in 2015.

References

External links

Official website
{{coord, 44, 31, 12, N, 85, 59, 32, W, display=title Buildings and structures in Benzie County, Michigan Ski areas and resorts in Michigan Sports venues in Michigan Mountains of Michigan Tourist attractions in Benzie County, Michigan Landforms of Benzie County, Michigan