Great Lakes Winter Trails Council and Grand Traverse Resort

Carolyn Rizzo with Grand Traverse Resort and Susan Olsen with the Great Lakes Winter Trails Council join us to discuss the incredible conditions up north as we kick off the winter season!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, it is Christmas almost.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
We are two weeks away, but it is definitely winter
sports season. If it's snowy here, imagine what it is
as you head north.

Speaker 1 (00:12):
This is West Michigan's Morning News.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Steve Kelly, Bret Kita, and Laurence Smith in studio with
us representing the Great Lakes Winter Trails Council. Our friend
Susan Olsen back, Susan, thanks for coming in today.

Speaker 3 (00:23):
Oh my gosh, thanks for having us, and let's go
ski you guys, come on.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Carolyn Rizzo is representing Grand Rapids. I'm sorry, Grand Travers Resort.
Thank you for coming in today.

Speaker 4 (00:33):
Yeah, happy winter.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Let's start with a thing that started thirty eight years ago.
And did you really say this was on a picnic bench?

Speaker 2 (00:40):
It was.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
In fact, you guys all know our godfather of cross
country skiing as we refer to Bob Fry cross Country
Ski Headquarters and Barry Owens at that time he was
at Garland. They both were the venturist and saying cross
country skiing, we need to share the story. So we
got together and they happen to call and say, how

(01:03):
can we promote this? Well, we can share tons of
stories about winter trails. There's literally over one thousand miles
of winter trails to enjoy throughout our state.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
And then fast forward all these years this collaboration has
worked together with places like Grand Travers Resort and so
many more of them. Instead of being fiercely competitive, you
guys have figured out ways to work together.

Speaker 4 (01:29):
Right now, we're all friends.

Speaker 5 (01:30):
Yeah, We're one of eleven different properties destinations who are
part of the My Winter Trails Council, and we go
all over the state really, I mean even down into
the Metro Detroit area with the Here On Meadows Metro Park,
but all the way up to Pataski, over to Mayna
ste to Gailard and pretty much everything in between.

Speaker 6 (01:50):
And what's cool about it, Carolyn, is you know I
say this with my gaylored friends as well. Where you
guys are located in Traverse City, you could stay at
your resort and hit like what four or five different
trails that are just short drives in beautiful country.

Speaker 4 (02:04):
Yes, absolutely so.

Speaker 5 (02:05):
We've got nine hundred acres at the resort and we
offer self guided snowshoeing and cross country skiing. We groom
a trail that actually is right around our Spruce Run
golf course.

Speaker 4 (02:16):
So if you're familiar with the property.

Speaker 5 (02:17):
From the golfing angle, come back in the winter and
get out on the course and cross country ski and snowshoes.
That's a really fun way to see that area of
our property in the winter time. But we are very
close right connected by us is part of the Tart Trail,
the Vasa Trail, all of those are.

Speaker 4 (02:33):
It's such a great location from the resort.

Speaker 5 (02:36):
So between cross country skiing, snowshoeing, fat tire biking in
the winter, I mean, all of those are great summer activities,
but in the wintertime, just add those extra pieces of
equipment and layers and get out and enjoy the beautiful
winter season.

Speaker 6 (02:49):
Full disclosure, Steve Kelly, that's my next bucket list.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Fat tire biking.

Speaker 4 (02:53):
Got right there, all the different ways to get out
on the trail.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
You still have a spot Grand Travers.

Speaker 4 (02:58):
Oh, yes, we do.

Speaker 5 (03:00):
So after you've spent that time outside where you actually
you really do work up like quite a sweat out
there when you're doing that.

Speaker 4 (03:07):
It's not really for the faint of heart to be
out there.

Speaker 5 (03:10):
Doing these It's a physical activity, but yes, your body
would still need a little bit of extra comfort and
relaxation and reset. So coming into we have a spa,
Boyne has a spa, Crystal Mountain has a spa. So
all these great properties where you can get out and
enjoy the wintertime trails and adventures and you can come
inside to warm up and relax.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
Already got great snow right, oh my gosh.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
And on top of that, they're making snow in ways
that they never have been able to make it before.
There's a magic temperature to start making it, and Susan,
you've both seen the changes to that technology over the years.

Speaker 3 (03:47):
Amazing. I've learned a lot about snowmaking and something called
the wet bulb, which is the magical temperature where humidity
decreases and then the snowmaking mixture mixes in and outcomes
this amazing snow. So our friends at Treetops, for instance,
they just added two new guns. They also have snowmaking

(04:10):
ability on the cross country trails around the Jones Course,
Bob Fry cross Country Ski headquarters, and don't forget four
Bush Corner over by Grailing and you guys have experienced that,
and they have amazing snow and they're actually have been
cited as world class snowmaking for cross country skiing.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
Now Olympians go there to truck. It's just what's the
best resource. Where's the website? We'll get it in the
is it my Winter Trails dot org.

Speaker 4 (04:36):
My Winter Trails dot com, my Wintertrails dot org. Either
one will work. It'll take you right to the website.

Speaker 5 (04:40):
It'll show you all of the different properties that we
have and partners that we have same with those destination areas,
so Traversity Tourism, the Pataski Bureau, the Galered Area Visitors Bureau,
all of our partners who are part of My Winter
Trails also on there at will detail out calendars of
events and promotions. The whole month of January has learned
a schema. But January tenth is My Winter Trails Day,

(05:04):
so getting out on Winter.

Speaker 4 (05:05):
Trails that day.

Speaker 5 (05:06):
A lot of the properties are offering free rentals, free passes,
so it's a perfect day to get out with the
family and experience My Winter Trails. There are great cameras
on there too to show you live what is happening.
So thanks Superre Michigan and Subaru, we're able to bring
you that really real time.

Speaker 4 (05:24):
View of what's taking place.

Speaker 5 (05:25):
You don't have to guess about what the conditions are
up there. You can actually see and then kind of
pick the area that might be best.

Speaker 4 (05:31):
For your trip.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
Can I watch those from the SPA strike the question
We're out of time? That is Carolyn Rizza with Grand
Travers Resort, Susan Olsen with the Great Likes Winter Trails
Council founding member. Thank you both for coming in today.

Speaker 3 (05:43):
Happy holidays,