If you are more comfortable doing a snow plow than a mogul run then Mount Brighton Ski Area is your new home for skiing. It is that perfect for beginners to keep a smile on their face and still enjoy a day out in the snow. And for those who want to finally try to learn how to snowboard, it is also a most perfect choice.
The hills at Mount Brighton are small and forgiving. The trails are very well groomed. There are no nasty surprises. This is mostly due to the fact that Mount Brighton is not a mountain and never was. It was a gravel pit made into a mountain. So it was custom designed from ground up to be accessible for easy skiing. Mount Brighton is also the right place for beginners and intermediate skiers to come to take lessons in a non-challenging atmosphere where there is time and lots of space to learn on easy wide slopes.
Easy skiing also is accomplished by really easy navigation. For example, there are seven chairlifts, and each chair lift is the same color as the level of expertise needed to ski the trail you get to at the top of the hill. Brilliant. Very little chance of getting to the top and finding yourself on a run that is too hard for you. There are a total of 18 lifts to 26 trails spread over 130 acres.
The ski area has great programs for kids to learn to ski or snowboard. If you are there long enough, book into the Mogul Mouse or Bump Busters programs which will give your kids a series of three two hour lessons.
Lest you think it is only a bunny hill, it is more than that. It also has some intermediate trails and some jumps for all the snowboarders that use the hill as well. A small terrain park with jumps and half pipes usually keeps most of the snowboarders off the ski trails however.
In the main lodge at the base there is a very comprehensive ski rental service with over a thousand shaped skis and over 600 snowboards in all sizes for all ages. In the Chairlift Ski Shop you can purchase new skis, clothes, gloves, goggles and hats. And at the Hot Wax Café you can have your current skis tuned up, waxed, and repaired.
The lodge also houses a lovely cafeteria restaurant area with full window views of the slopes. The Bauery Bar and Grill, located in the lodge, is a sit down restaurant serving reasonably priced food and snacks. They often offer specials such as "all you can eat cod" or "all you can eat hamburgers." Food is also served in the bar area of the restaurant, after which you can walk over to the big fireplace and cozy up in a chair with your mug of steaming hot chocolate.
If you sign up on their web site they will send you text message updates of ski conditions and there is a live web cam on the web site as well for you to check it out visually.
Located within an easy hour's drive from Detroit in Southeast Michigan, Mount Brighton is then a short hop off highway I-96. For lodging there are several hotels and motels within minutes of the slopes, some offering ski/stay packages at very attractive rates.
View Larger Map
