The Grand Traverse Lighthouse is located inside of the Leelanau State Park on the Lake Michigan shoreline at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. The lighthouse was occupied by the U.S. Coast Guard from 1941 until it was closed in 1972. It has since been restored to resemble the keeper's house of the 1920's and 1930's. The Lighthouse and Fog Signal Building both have exhibits on the maritime history of the area.
Cool things to do: check out the exhibits on shipwrecks and local history. Climb the tower and look at Lake Michigan and the northern Leelanau Peninsula. Listen to the restored air diaphone foghorn every Saturday. There are 8 1/2 miles of hiking and skiing trails, with picnic areas and a scenic overlook. There is alot do here.
There is also the Volunteer Lighthouse Keeper Program at The Grand Traverse Lighthouse which provides the perfect opportunity for people who love lighthouses. From April through December, you can spend one or two rewarding weeks staying in the lighthouse as a lighthouse keeper.
Sugar Loaf area resident Bryan Poirier - who was up late practicing for the upcoming New Third Coast tour opening for Neil Young - was startled Sunday night to see "a bunch of lights zooming up and down the face of the mountain, but I just figured it was Jim Rennie 'sleep-grooming' again."
Rennie, another area resident, admitted that he had sought treatment for the rare sleep disorder. He said that he had been headed over to the Loaf to set a few gates "just for practice" when he too saw the strange lights. Upon arrival, he realized that the lights were a remarkable array of unidentified flying objects. By morning, county law enforcement officials and a growing crowd of curious onlookers were on the scene.
Calls to Sugar Loaf's owner, attorney and realtor went unanswered, setting people's minds somewhat at ease that it was still business as usual at the long-shuttered resort. Shortly after noon excitement was rekindled when, at a hastily called press conference, it was announced that Sugar Loaf Mountain had been sold ... to aliens!
The purchasing party is a consortium of several alien species who are calling themselves INVADER (Intergalactic Negotiators for Very Amicable Development of Extra-species Relationships). INVADER spokesman Klaatu announced the sale of Sugar Loaf for an undisclosed sum and pledged a massive investment in anti-gravity chair lifts and advanced alien snowmaking technology that would render the hills skiable 10 months out of the year.
When pressed about the selling price, Klaatu said "Long ago, we abandoned the concept of money ... along with war, starvation and reality television but I can tell you that all parties are happy with the outcome."
Alien attorney Zoth the Destroyer dismissed as "outrageous" speculation that the resort would be used as the beachhead for an alien invasion and regrettably ate our photographer, cutting the interview short. We did receive a lovely fruit basket by way of apology, however.
The Enterprise has a little more about Sugar Loaf in this week's paper, but since they haven't posted it, I thought I'd link to this article about Sugar Loaf suitors and Omena residents Brad & Linda Lutz from last week.
I should also link over to the Traverse City Record-Eagle, whose editors say Brad has a steep hill to climb and though:
It's easy to imagine Brad Lutz as just another Sugar Loaf victim in waiting. He's never done this before and he is treading where others have failed.
But a lot of people also wrote off Ray Minervini, the developer who took over the Grand Traverse Commons and, step by step, has revitalized parts of the former state hospital grounds.
In Sugar Loaf deal reached in the Leelanau Enterprise, Eric Carlson reports that Omena resident Brad Lutz has signed an option to purchase Sugar Loaf Resort from Kate Wickstrom.
The resort has been closed for skiing since March 2000. Lutz offered no timetable for reopening the resort, but made it clear that he expects the return of skiing at Sugar Loaf to be "a central focus" of his efforts. The condition of ski lifts and other facilities at Sugar Loaf Resort is such that no skiing will be possible there this ski season.
"Of course, we want skiing to return," Lutz said. "Sugar Loaf has some of the best runs anywhere in the Midwest."
But, Lutz added, he is "going into this deal with some fear and trepidation" and is well aware that he may be facing many obstacles.
"I've heard people in Leelanau County say they'll believe it when they see it when it comes to Sugar Loaf," Lutz said. "Actually, that's just about the right attitude to have in this case. I'm enthusiastic, I'm local, and I believe in Leelanau County – but I have no illusions. This will not be simple or easy."
I have no illusions either, but I am excited to see some new life in a place that was once the winter heartbeat of Leelanau - here's hoping that we'll all be Sugar Loafers once again!
The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers guided snowshoe hikes every Saturday during January and February. Hikes begin at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center on Highway M-72 at the edge of the village of Empire at at 1 PM and you can call the Visitor Center at 231-326-5134, ext. 328 to make a reservation and check here for more about skiing & snowshoeing trails in the Sleeping Bear Dunes.
We have to point out that most of the trails in the Lakeshore are well marked and easy to navigate, so if you can't make a guided tour, don't let that slow you down!
Photo credit: On the lip by jonwilli
The Traverse City Record-Eagle has a report touting the awesome start to the winter season that's got folks booking snowmobile and ski vacations all across the region. Absolute Michigan has a Ski Tour of Northwest Michigan (part of a week-long focus on skiing all across the state of Michigan) and the Northern Express also has a run through of area winter sports and ski resorts.
It's not all silvery lining, as the Express's Rick Coates explains that Travel Michigan seems to have forgotten about Michigan's vital snow sports industry:
For the second year in a row, they are not spending a dime to promote winter tourism," said Steve Kerschner, director of snow sports at Shanty Creek in Bellaire and president of the board of directors for the Michigan Snowsports Industry Association (the group that represents all of Michigan’s ski facilities). "They have invested millions using actor Tim Allen’s voice to create Pure Michigan commercials that promote summertime, but nothing to promote winter. They tell us that they get a better bang for their buck that way. But winter tourism is important to this state. Collectively, our resorts up north spend a ton of money promoting winter. The State could help some."
Photo credit: Ski Jumper from The Homestead. Thanks also to the Michigan Snowsports Industry Association.
We have re-launched our Ski Leelanau! page for the 2007-2008 ski season.
We'll be posting regular ski reports for the Homestead Resort's Bay Mountain ski area and nearby Crystal Mountain. We also have cross-country trail reports and a blizzard of skiing and winter fun links and photos for Leelanau County, Traverse City and the surrounding area.
Check it out at leelanau.com/ski.
The Leelanau Enterprise had an article on the possible sale of Sugar Loaf that addresses skepticism felt by many in the community. It begins:
The co-owner of a restaurant and bar within sight of Sugar Loaf Resort says she isn't removing the "for sale" sign on her business anytime soon despite press reports that the defunct resort may soon be sold to a Leelanau County man who wants to reopen it for skiing.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,†said Karen Bardenhagen, who along with her husband, Pete Bardenhagen, owns the former Sugarfoot Saloon in Cedar...
“We’ve heard so much about what’s going to happen at Sugar Loaf over the past several years – things that turned out not to be true – that I just don’t know what to believe anymore,†Bardenhagen said.
It's probably too early toget excited, but I have to agree with Cleveland Township Supervisor Tim Stein that "At this point, any change at Sugar Loaf Resort will be a good change."
Read the rest of Sugar Loaf sale talk spurs 'cautious' hope in the Enterprise.
The Traverse City Record-Eagle sent out an update yesterday saying that a Deal is in the works for Sugar Loaf Ski Resort. They have the full article today titled Shuttered Sugar Loaf may get new life:
A man with Leelanau County ties is purchasing the long-shuttered Sugar Loaf Resort property.
An attorney for resort owner Kate Wickstrom said his client approved a purchase agreement for the property with Brad Lutz, a seasonal Leelanau County resident. Lutz is working on details related to the resort's sewage treatment system before the transaction is finalized, said his attorney, Robert Parker of Traverse City.
"He's real excited about it ... he's very committed to re-opening the ski hill," Parker said.
So there you go ... let the speculation (and ski waxing) begin.
Last week's Leelanau Enterprise had a feature further illuminating something most people were pretty darned aware of already: Sugar Loaf is a gigantic mess.
Sugar Loaf Resort owner Kate Wickstrom said this week she wasn’t aware that Cleveland Township officials have been ready and are waiting for her to submit formal plans to redevelop and reopen the defunct ski resort.
Wickstrom said Tuesday that she also wasn’t aware that Sugar Loaf Service Company – which is responsible for providing sewer service to the resort – last week filed a lien against the resort for some $94,851 plus interest that the company claims she owes.
Read Loaf delays, troubles continue in the Leelanau Enterprise.
Photo credit: Waiting for Sugar Loaf (2003) by Andy McFarlane
