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narrower, with only 13 runs serviced by 6 chair lifts and 4 tow ropes. With almost as many chair lifts for fewer runs, the lifts are not as crowded as the ones that service two or three runs apiece, however.

Mt. Holly (www.SkiMtHolly.com)
Located almost between the two previously mentioned resorts at 70 miles east of Lansing, this beautiful resort offers a great variety of skiing. It seems to be affiliated with Pine Knob, and the rates are the same. Both resorts also employ snow machines to ensure that their runs are always good for skiing even with low amounts of natural snow. Mt. Holly has 18 slopes serviced by 7 chairlifts and 5 rope tows.

Mt. Holly was always my favorite, partially due to the interesting trails, and partially because we seemed to go there less often than other places. One easier hill had a trail that became a narrow area traveling straight through a line of trees and then twisted around and became more of a cross-country trail. Other hills, usually the intermediate and black diamond runs, had several places with low jumps, maybe a foot or two high. There's a mogul section and a slalom run as well. While Pine Knob occasionally had icy runs, Mt. Holly's snow always seemed to be fluffy and soft, except occasionally on the moguls.

Another fun part of ski resorts, especially for children, is wandering through the lodges. Some lodges are huge, with plenty of twisting hallways and rooms to explore. They all contain at least one restaurant or fast food counter, plus arcade machines, sometimes in multiple areas. Many of the eating areas contain interesting multilevel rooms with balconies or fireplaces or cozy corners. There are always shops and rental areas as well.

If you have a chance and live in or are traveling to central Michigan, try one of these places. Mt. Brighton is the most convenient and a little cheaper, but for high quality and great variety, try Mt. Holly. Pine Knob is less interesting and a little farther away from Lansing, so pick that one only if you live on the eastern side of the state. Other local resorts (less than three hours away) include Apple Mountain, Alpine Valley, and Timber Ridge. If you live in the Upper Peninsula, you might want to try one of the northern resorts such as Caberfae or Boyne Mountain. But no matter where you go, have fun skiing!

Learn more about this author, Reiko Yukawa.
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