Crystal Mountain — Attraction in Weldon Township

We love coming to Crystal Mountain! It is by far the best skiing resort in the Midwest. We arrived after Presidents’ Day & stayed mid-week so it was quieter than a weekend or over a holiday ski trip. All the runs & lifts were open & the snow was fresh & fluffy!

Comments on the amenities we used below:

Ski Equipment - since we brought our own skis, the ski valet was great, there was always someone there to check in/check out our skis. The QR code didn’t work to pick up our ski passes but the attendant was able to help us.

Dining - is definitely over priced, it’s expected being at a resort but the price does not match the quality received.

Bru Bar - we tried the coffee bar 2/3 mornings we were there & the coffee was burnt or old, it was disappointing not to enjoy a fresh cup of coffee.

Mountain Market - had great to-go options like sandwiches or breakfast burritos, great wine selection & small grocery area. The staff in the market is by far the friendliest at the resort!

The Thistle - enjoyed dinner here one night & it was good, didn’t disappoint, much better than our last trip here. We enjoyed two salads, two burgers, two margaritas, one glass of wine & a cup of hot chocolate for under $100. You by far received the best quality for the price you pay here. Our waitress was very friendly & attentive. The only downside is needing a reservation since there are only two options for dinner mid-week.

Wild Tomato - so disappointing this place wasn’t open for lunch or dinner while we were here & we weren’t the only ones! So many people tried to go to this restaurant for lunch or dinner.

Bestie River Pizza & Subs - we ate two dinners here and one lunch. The pizza is mediocre, we ordered one pizza & one cheesy bread and our total was $45, seems high for what you’re getting. The subs are around $12 on average & are pretty large. We had to wait about thirty minutes for our orders where the last time we ordered we called ahead, highly recommend that option since it’s pretty busy for dinner being one of two places open for dinner mid-week.

Waffle Cabin - way overpriced but if you love waffles, it’s worth it! Had this yummy snack way too many times to count.

Lodging - we stayed at Inn at the Mountain in a king room, 3 night stay. Our room was perfect for a couple. There is plenty of storage, a large hanging closet, two deep drawers, mini fridge, glasses, wine opener, kitchen towels, deep soaking tub & standing shower. There’s a boot tray outside your door for your ski boots too. Alicia, our housekeeper was very attentive & kind. Our only complaint with our room, which we didn’t have last time we stayed was the bed. You can tell the bed is old & for the price you’re paying, you expect a better quality bed.

Overall, it is a great ski resort for the Midwest, runs are nice & long. We had another great stay &...

I love photographing at this resort. I have had the pleasure of photographing many weddings, proms, family photo's well as other smaller events here. The staff is always very friendly and knowledgeable. So where to start...lets start from wedding perspective. The pond with small deck is beautiful year around. It can be seen to the left as you enter the facility. Also to the left, is a small wedding seating area with an arbor. Despite the hustle and bustle of the resort this little corner is secluded and and makes it perfect for your small ceremony. I would like to note that there is an adorable little bridge tucked away in the corner. It is worth a photo opt or two. If you are looking for a larger space you should check out the Crystal Center. This is the building located just to the right of the main hotel. It is quite spacious and offers many different rooms. The back off the building is large beautiful windows that offers lots of natural lighting. Though my favorite location is the left back corner over looking the deck. The fire places really add to the ambiance. I have personally shot here for school reunions, weddings and proms. Note: some great photo opportunities are on the back deck and just behind. There is a retaining wall with lots of greenery as well as a nice view of the ski lift. Located behind the main hotel is the Lodge. This building has 2 rooms available for receptions and what not but for this review I will be discussing the Vista lounge. It is quaint, perfect for a smaller reception. The abundance of natural light here is a dream. The large windows over look the ski hills and pines. My couple was quite pleased with this location as well. Photo opts: Mountain top is popular but unless its winter or fall its mostly just scenic green over look. There is a deck up there that has beautiful planters of flowers for a pop of color but for the artist in me, I was not really feeling this. There is a Bar on top of the building that is just perfect with hanging café lights and lots of hard lines. It makes for some amazing black and white images. To the left of the building there is all windows that encase a stair case lit in blue lights. This is beautiful just about any time of year. There is a pergola with the lights. This is located just off the the left hand side of the hotel tucked besides the shops. In the summer it is covered in greenery. In the winter they have a ice skate rental and small ice rink. This made for an adorable couples session. This is located jut to the left of the hotel too. Lastly I was just there shooting night time family shots. The area around the hotel is adorned with Christmas lights and made for the perfect background.

I look forward to Photographing 2024 Proms...

For summer visitors, DO NOT do the Alpine Slide if you, your spouse, and your kids value the flesh on your elbows and knees. These photos were taken 6-days after our visit.

The resort makes you sign all sorts of waivers before using the alpine slide. Then you proceed to the ski lifts where they inform guests about ski lift safety. At the top of the hill an employee gives pointers on how to ride the sled. I fell off and had the skin torn off of my elbows and knees. My left elbow injury went below skin level.

When I reached the bottom of the slide, bleeding, one of the employees mentioned that this happens all the time. When we went to the first aid center because I was not the only one who fell, the young lady inside had a clipboard containing the names of everyone who reported an injury and the list was long!

The final insult is when we departed the alpine slide to do the swimming pool obstacle course. The nice, young employee immediately asked if we went to the Alpine slide after seeing our bleeding flesh. Again, she said it happens all the time.

Question. If this happens all the time why not caution your guests to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants? At the very least, why not warn your guests to go really slow at first because they can get injured otherwise? We interacted with three different employees before going down the slide and no one said a thing.

You cannot get into the swimming pool with injuries like these. You cannot get into Lake Michigan with open sores like these. It is difficult to sleep from the burning with sores like these. I spent 8 years in the Marine Corps and do not mind bumps and bruises provided I know the risks before hand. But seeing your spouse or little ones banged up due to your careless indifference to safety is beyond disappointing. You all knew the dangers and did not say one darn word until AFTER we got hurt.

On a positive note, every employee we encountered who works at the resort is pleasant and the facilities are too-notch. I have two stars because this accident happened on the first day and seriously impacted our...