Explore Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on snowshoes this winter! Join park rangers for a guided snowshoe hike every Saturday throughout the winter, starting on Saturday, January 7 at 1:00 p.m. Meet at the visitor center in Empire. If you do not have your own, snowshoes will be loaned out at no charge.
Inside the visitor center, park rangers will first provide basic snowshoeing instructions and then everyone will travel by car to the trailhead or area of the National Lakeshore pre-selected for that day. Once there, the park ranger will help participants learn about the park’s unique features and winter’s effect on them by exploring and discovering clues on site. Be prepared and plan to be outside until about 3:00 p.m. Dress in layers and wear waterproof boots to be most comfortable.
Not only is snowshoeing easy, fun, and good exercise, it is also an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages. The park ranger-led hikes are mildly strenuous, yet they proceed at a leisurely pace for only one and a half miles at the most.
Since the National Park Service has a supply of snowshoes for use within the National Lakeshore, participants need only purchase the park entrance pass or have an annual pass to join in the fun. Reservations are required. Park ranger-led snowshoe hikes are limited to 30 participants.
Snowshoe Hikes
Dates: Every Saturday Weekly from 01/07/2012 to 03/31/2012
Times: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Location: Meet at the visitor center
Fees: Park pass required
For more information, please call the National Lakeshore at 231-326-5134, extension 328, for details and to make reservations or visit the website at www.nps.gov/slbe. Also, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sbdnl.
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For the first time ever The Homestead has teamed up with the best ski and board shops in the state to create the best Winter Sweepstakes ever!
Twenty-five skiers or riders will win prizes each week for the first 10 weeks; two will win next year’s season passes in the last two weeks. In all, $84,000 of prizes will be given away!
Enter The Homestead’s Winter Sweepstakes to win Ski Trips in Northern Michigan
You can enter twice to increase your chances of winning. First, fill out our Winter Sweepstakes entry form. Then, “like” us on our Facebook page for a second entry. That’s it! You’re now entered twice for a chance to win one of 254 prizes including romantic skikends for two, family ski packages, and season passes for next year.
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The early indications for skiing and riding during the holidays will be man-made, machine groomed. The available terrain for skiing and riding will be limited. At this time, we anticipate having one chair lift and one surface lift (Magic Carpet) open on December 26th and 2-3 trails with the hope of opening more skiable terrain as the holiday week progresses.
With an unseasonably late start to the winter season and less than 2 inches of natural snowfall has been reported in Leelanau County to date, ski slopes look more green that white. Fortunately, our state-of-the-art snowmaking capabilities continue to make snow whenever temperatures permit.
Last week snow guns blanketed Bay Mountain for well over 100 hours, but snow making was delayed when temperatures rose later in the week. Our crews were able to start up the snow machines at 5 am Tuesday morning (December 20, 2011) and have been making snow ever since. Snow making will continue as the temperatures permit with the goal of opening as much terrain as possible on December 26th. Vist our Resort Blog, Facebook Page or Google+ Page more photos of Bay Mountain ski hill.
For accommodation reservations call 231.334.5100.
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