CRYSTAL TWP. — Cold temperatures and high winds may have caused a slight decrease in the number of cross country skiers who attended Saturday’s Oceana Cross Country Ski Association's free winter event, where the public could use both adult and children’s ski equipment for free.
The ski event on Saturday took place at the Crystal Valley trails, located off of River Road in Crystal Township.
Oceana Cross Country Ski Association chair Marijo Bakker said on Saturday that the wind would be the biggest obstacle of whether there was a large turnout or not.
“The wind is the big thing. It is not so much the snow,” she said.
She said people do not realize at the Crystal Valley trails, there is a lot of protection from the wind because the trails run throughout the woods.
“That is a real plus for these trails,” she said. “Being in the woods, it also holds the snow a lot longer in the spring. When people think the skiing season is done, a lot of time you can still ski the trails in Crystal Valley.”
Board member Mike Sorensen, who was at the event helping out, said all the trails are on the north slope of all of a set of hills. That is one of the reasons the trails hold the snow a lot longer.
“The sun just does not get in there,” he said. “The snow will stay two to three weeks longer.”
On Saturday, the group brought its ski trailer, which is loaded with skies for both adult and children.
“We brought 75 pair of skis, and that includes boots and poles,” she said.
On Saturday, Marianna Frick of Hart and her son Lukas were two members of the community to take advantage of using the free equipment provided by OCCSA.
Frick said she and her son had a blast a could of weeks ago skiing at the event held by the OCCSA in Pentwater at Pentwater Pathways.
“They host this event twice a year where people can come out and use their equipment for free,” Frick said. “If the weather is good, it’s a great opportunity. If the family does not have skis, (it’s good) to try it out before you buy.”
Frick said she tries to encourage her children to try everything and Lukas wanted to come back and ski.
Crystal Valley offers almost 2,000 acres of consolidated federal ownership, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Bakker said skiers may complete five loops on the trail system for a distance of roughly 15 miles.
“That includes skiing every loop and overlapping some loops, too,” she said. “Any one of any skill could ski the course because the first loop off of the parking area is 1.1 miles, and it is all beginner.”
Members of the OCCSA spent a lot of time in the summer and fall prepping the trail at both Crystal Valley as well as Pentwater Pathways. Crystal Valley is open to skiing during the winter months and hiking during the warmer months.
She said the ski trails are well marked and their range from beginner to more difficult are marked on the map located near the first loop off of the parking area.
