A winter holiday to Michigan offers much more than just downhill skiing.  The Midwest state is home to 6,500 miles of snowmobile trails, 3,000 miles of cross country skiing trails, beautiful terrain for snowshoeing, tubing, ice fishing and dog sledding. Downhill skiers and snowboarders can take advantage of 51 ski areas, boasting more than 260 lifts and nearly 1,000 runs, giving adrenalin junkies some of the most exciting, diverse terrains in the Midwest.

Tubing and sledding are among Michigan's most popular winter activities. Ski resorts offer slopes and hills specifically for tubing and sledding activities. County parks and recreational areas offer toboggan runs. And, of course, there is almost always a nearby hill daring you to sled it. 

Michigan's groomed snowmobiling trails are one of the most extensive systems of interconnected trails in the nation. The diverse terrain through state and national forest and across 11,000 frozen lakes makes the ride a winter adventure worth taking.

Dog sledding is a wild winter challenge. The hot breath of the huskie pack fogs the crisp winter air as they pull you with focused determination across the glistening landscape. Imagine you're racing against another team, over the same frozen terrain that explorers did long ago.

Snowshoe through the woods, breathing air filled with smells of the forest, hearing nothing but the sound of your own footsteps. Snowshoeing in Michigan offers outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers a respite among picturesque trails and terrains. A silent sport, snowshoeing offers a unique opportunity to meld into your surroundings and feel what ancient cultures must have experienced as snowshoeing is one of the oldest forms of transportation. 

Fun Facts About Winter Adventures in Michigan

VOODOO MOUNTAIN Each Wednesday and Saturday, 20 skiers in search of trackless powder climb aboard a snowcat (an enclosed cab with tracks) for the ride to the summit of Voodoo Mountain (10 miles southwest of Copper Harbor). They choose a route through 200 acres of snowy fields and tree runs, opened this winter by the owners of Mount Bohemia. Seven hundred vertical feet below, the cat awaits to take them back to the top of this first-in-the-Midwest destination.

MOUNT BOHEMIA One hundred and three hardcore runs traverse six ski areas catering to advanced skiers and snowboarders only. Besides having the most runs in the state, this Keweenaw Peninsula mountain stacks up impressive stats: It has the state's highest vertical drop and longest run.

MARQUETTE Fat bike enthusiasts churn through snowbanks and over drifts on tyres between 3.8 and 5 inches wide. The extra girth adds the flotation necessary in a region that gets an average snowfall of 200 inches. Local shops rent and sell these bikes, which work best on groomed trails. Marquette has more than anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula.

MUSKEGON WINTER SPORTS COMPLEX Hurtling through the curves and down the straightaways of a luge track at speeds up to 30 mph ends the same for everyone: teeth-gritting, yell-inducing, eye-watering thrills. Novices start at 650 feet, a few hundred feet shy of experts (Olympic hopefuls train here, one of only three such tracks in the country). Weekend classes cover steering and safety. Guests graduate to flying down the hill then getting back up to do it all over again!

-Ends- 

Note to Editors:                 

The State of Michigan is a state blessed with the riches of unspoiled nature: the longest freshwater coastline in the U.S., lakes that feel like oceans, shimmering beaches, miles and miles of cherry orchards, glorious sunrises and sunsets, daytime skies of the deepest blue, nighttime skies scattered with stars.

Home to more than 100 public beaches, some of the highest freshwater sand dunes in the world, stunning multi-colored sandstone cliffs, two National Lakeshores and the only national marine sanctuary in the Great Lakes, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huron. More than 100 lighthouses, numerous maritime museums, ten shipwreck-diving preserves and historic military fortifications rim Michigan's Great Lakes shoreline.

Lakes, campgrounds, wildlife refuges and 102 Michigan state parks and recreation areas create a wide variety of recreational pursuits. Rivers for water sports, and thousands of miles of hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling trails thread their way among some 100 species of trees.

Long days, relaxing weather and more than 650 pristine Michigan courses make for the perfect tee time. Because being able to play all day is Pure Michigan.

For all PR enquiries please contact Georgina Evans-Phillips or Fiona Pettitt - georgina@cellet.co.uk  Fiona@cellet.co.uk , 08456 020 574.