Making a Difference on and off the Trails

When Beth Major and her husband Tim Furbacher first moved to Northern Michigan, they never anticipated that they would become the founders of a Nordic Ski program. "This was never part of our plan," says Major. "But when you see the gorgeous groomed trails in the area with NO kids on them, and then you hear that there's no program for the kids to learn the beauty of Nordic Skiing, well, we didn't really have a choice."

So the Nordic arm of the Crystal Community Ski Club was born. Their goal? Get kids outside in the winter experiencing snow sports with as few barriers as possible. This meant getting grants and donations for skis and equipment, recruiting a team of PSIA-certified instructors and volunteers, and creating a program that takes kids that have never even heard of cross country skiing and building their skills until they are eventually able to compete on the high school nordic team (which they also had to create).

In its fourth year, more than 650 kids participated in the Nordic Program, and the girls high school team placed 4th in the state of Michigan.

"It’s kind of like a miracle really; it’s so amazing to see kids doing this sport. A lot of them never even knew what it was four years ago,” Major says.

Major and Furbacher donate countless hours of their time teaching kids, fundraising and facilitating a sustainable program that can continue to build a culture of cross country skiing for years to come.

"Countless times I heard in our community, 'I've always wanted to try XC' or 'I used to'…" Furbacher says. "Turning thought into action: Step 1, lower the barriers, provide equipment, instructors, a facility. Step 2: Start with the KIDS - they will lead the way!”

Reaching Out with Hamtramck

On a snowy weekend in March, 22 students from metro-Detroit arrived at Crystal Mountain.

“Hamtramck is a unique community whose wealth lies in its diversity of cultures. Many of the students participating in the SOS Learn to Ride program are recent or first-generation immigrants from Yemen, Bangladesh and Poland,” Hamtramck English Teacher Jessica Madden said. “These students have not had the chance to venture much further than the metro-Detroit area to experience the beauty of the Great Lakes that is now their home.”

SOS Outreach is a progressive mentor-driven organization focused on teaching kids the life skills they need to live happy, healthy and successful lives despite social, societal or economic barriers.

One way they do this is by taking kids to the slopes.

“We have lots of big, wide-open spaces at Crystal Mountain,” Crystal Community Ski Club Alpine Coordinator Hunter Steinkamp said. “Being able to work with kids who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to try snow sports – and connecting them with other skiers and riders their age – is a phenomenal opportunity.”

The weekend with the Hamtramck and CCSC kids kicked off with s’mores around a campfire, a snowsports lesson and lunch on Saturday, an overnight at Crystal Mountain, and a snowshoe tour through Michigan Legacy Art Park on Sunday. They also spent time getting to know CCSC students and learning about mountain safety.

One highlight? On Saturday night, the Hamtramck kids prepared their ethnic food for dinner and dined with CCSC instructors and staff. "It was an absolute highlight of the weekend," said ski instructor Allen Parkes.

CCSC: Competition not Required

CCSC is a club that strives to fit all niches in snowsports, forging a path for all youth to participate in a way in which they find enjoyment and fulfillment. We are looking to add to the traditional competitive ski club model, and offer diversity in our programming that is both competitive and non-competitive.

On our alpine side, Master The Mountain (MTM) serves as our “learn to ski & ride” program - although the program provides learning at all levels, not just at the beginner level. MTM often serves as the point of entry for the alpine side of the club; some students stick with MTM to improve their skills in a non-competitive fashion, and others transition to Race Academy, Freestyle Camp, Junior Instructor, or Junior Patroller programs.

“All of the programs mentioned above are about the future of what ski clubs can be,” said MTM Director Marco Dedenbach.

“Ski clubs used to just be all about competition (which is still amazing for many kids), but what we’re doing here is offering each kid a chance to participate in a way that is best for them.”

One example of this is seen when students "graduate" from CCSC programs. Several alumni of our Junior Instructor Program are now certified by the Professional Ski Instructors of America, and use the skills they acquired in CCSC to work as instructors.

CCSC Coach Joe Dasin, who has been assisted by these youth in his groups, often remarks at his satisfaction when seeing them get certified and work as instructors. “It’s so cool to see the evolution of these kids,” remarked Dasin. “What a great way to get the next generation involved. I wish I had a club like this when I was a kid.”

Registration is Live for the 2023 Season!

Registration is now live for the 2023 season, and we can’t wait for you to join us!

Whether your child is a competitive Alpine or Nordic ski racer, has never skiied or snowboarded before and wants to learn, is interested in a career in snowsports or just wants to hang with their friends in a fun environment, we have a program that’s right for you!

Click here to register now!

Our Programs

Kids can participate in one or ALL of our programs. Did you know that several CCSC students participate in two or more programs?

See our full list of Alpine, Nordic and Teen Leadership programs here.

New this year!

Our new program this year is Mountain Movers: Teen Leadership Council!

Play fun games on the mountain, eat great food and join other teens in helping to shape the future of Crystal Community Ski Club programs. You have great ideas, and we want to hear them! In this 8-week program, you’ll team up with other teens, instructors and volunteers to form friendships, ski the mountain, share your ideas and (of course) eat!

Read more about the Teen Leadership Council here!

Scholarships are available!

CCSC is a non-profit organization that strives to remove barriers in getting kids involved in winter sports through our Alpine, Nordic, Teen Leadership and Outreach programs.

Read more about our scholaship opportunities here.

Need a Ride?

New this year! If you live or attend school in Benzie County, transportation to and from practices can easily be coordinated through Benzie Bus - for just $1.50 per ride!

Read more about how to reserve a ride after school or directly to and from your house.

Questions?

If you have questions, we have answers. Be sure to check out the following pages for more information:

FAQ
Ski Pass + Equipment Information
Parent Activities
Scholarship Information
Season Calendar
Transportation

Register Now!

We can’t wait to see you on the slopes! Click here to register now.

Hunter Steinkamp Named Operations Manager of Crystal Community Ski Club

We are proud to announce the hiring of Crystal Community Ski Club’s first employee. Hunter Steinkamp is officially the Operations Manager for CCSC, effective October 1, 2022.

Hunter comes to the position with a wealth of knowledge and experience with snowsports, Crystal Mountain, the local community and CCSC.

“Hunter has been involved with CCSC for the last few years. As a downhill and Nordic ski instructor, an employee of Crystal Mountain and current Revenue Development Chair of the club, we’re excited to see Hunter continue helping us grow and reach more youth,” says CCSC President, Mark Hughes.

Hunter is also looking forward to getting to work. “I’ve been waiting for a  position like this for the past 10 years. I’m able to work in snowsports and make a difference in the lives of kids. It’s a dream.” 

Hunter will be working with all programs within the club to help with overall communication, organization and efficiency. He will also be writing grants, assisting with fundraising, serving as a CCSC liaison with Crystal Mountain and continuing to serve as an alpine and nordic ski coach.

“It’s a big job,” says Nordic Program Director Tim Furbacher. “But Hunter is 100% up to the challenge.”

# # #

About Crystal Community Ski Club

Established in 2018, Crystal Community Ski Club (CCSC) is committed to developing strong skiers, snowboarders and ski racers with a focus on fun and sportsmanship. Our mission is to help kids in our 5-county community and beyond develop a love of outdoor activities, build leadership skills and create transformational relationships through our affordable downhill, nordic and outreach ski programs.

From our student athletes and coaches, to parents and family members, to our local community and beyond, community means a lot of things to our club. In our fourth year, we’ve grown from 100 youth to over 850 kids participating in our programs.

As we look to the future, we plan to continue to attract more local youth to our programs, retain our current membership by improving existing programs, and continue to eliminate barriers to youth participation. 2023 goal: 1,000 kids participating in our programs.

Join Us for the Warren Miller Movie and Fundraiser in Frankfort, MI

We’re thrilled to be hosting a Warren Miller Film Event and Silent Auction, Sponsored by Stormcloud Brewing! Keep reading for all of the fun details. We hope to see you there!

About Warren Miller Films

Warren Miller films are annual celebrations that cross generations and connect us to the comforting constant of snow. Daymaker, the 73rd feature film in the Warren Miller library, will take you on a journey to peaks so high, they’ll replace the mountains in your mind with ones that free your mind.  

Event Details

Date: Thursday, November 17, 2022

Location: Stormcloud Brewing and Garden Theater, Frankfort, MI

Time: Dinner at Stormcloud, 4-6pm (20% of proceeds benefit CCSC)

Theater doors open at 6pm with silent auction on display

Film starts at 6:30pm

Tickets: Movie tickets are $20 per person purchased in advance or $25 per person at the door. You can purchase tickets using the form below.

Silent Auction

Silent Auction: The silent auction will be held from November 10 - 17, 2022, and all bidding will be done online. The auction will close at 9pm ET on November 17, 2022.

Interested in donating an item for the silent auction? Click here for details!

THANK YOU!

A huge thank you to our title sponsor, Stormcloud Brewing Company!

Purchase Tickets!

Use the form below to purchase tickets to the Warren Miller Movie Event. If this form is not working, please click here to purchase tickets.

Volunteer with CCSC at the Crystal Mountain Ski Swap

The annual Ski Swap is taking place at the end of October, and 25% of the proceeds will go to CCSC and local ski teams. In exchange for benefitting from this fundraiser, we are required to provide volunteers.

Please consider volunteering your time at the Ski Swap. More details are below, and you can complete the form at the bottom of this page to volunteer.

Ski Swap

Set up: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28

Event: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 9am-4pm

Where:  Held in the lower level of the Crystal Center

Interested in selling your ski gear or purchasing something at the ski swap? Click here for more details.

If the embedded volunteer sign up form isn’t working, please click here to complete the form.

CCSC Hosts Aid Station at Ironman 70.3 Michigan

More than 50 volunteers spent Sunday, September 11, 2022, volunteering at Ironman 70.3 in Frankfort Michigan. Crystal Community Ski Club (CCSC) hosted an aid station along the run course and spent the day passing out drinks and cheering on the Ironman athletes.

“This was our second year hosting an aid station, and it’s so much fun. It’s a lot of work, but I love seeing our CCSC community and the Frankfort community come together for such an incredible event,” said Anna Luther, Aid Station Team Captain.

The day began before 7 am when volunteers arrived at the aid station to start setting up tables, unloading the box truck and getting organized for the day. Also in the group was program director and coach Marco Dedenbach, setting up his DJ station for the day.

“I spin vinyl, so I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of time to set up my tent and get everything pulled together with plenty of time before the runners came through,” said Marco.

“DJ Marco” played music and made announcements all throughout the day - donating more than 8 hours of his DJ time to keep the volunteers and runners hyped.

“The music was awesome. Several of the runners said they could hear it long before they could see the aid station, and it motivated them to keep on running,” said volunteer and CCSC program coordinator Hunter Steinkamp.

This year’s aid station was a Halloween theme, so volunteers decorated the area with skulls, spooky signs and ghosts. Some volunteers even came in costume.

In exchange for hosting the aid station, CCSC will be awarded a grant from the Ironman Foundation.

“We actively raise money for CCSC throughout the year to keep our program costs as low as possible as well as to help with our many outreach activities to give kids the opportunity to experience winter sports,” Steinkamp said. “Getting to come together at such an inspiring event AND raise money for the club is a win-win!”

Special Thanks

Special thanks to DJ Marco, East Shore Marina (for providing electricity) and Jessica Gilbert (for the amazing Halloween decorations and coffee pot).

Save the Date

Next year’s event will be held on Sunday, September 17, 2023. Mark your calendar to join us and volunteer at our aid station!

HUGE THANKS

This event would not be possible without the volunteers that came and helped. Huge thank you to all of you!

Walter Armstrong
Ashley Armstrong
Mia Armstrong
Elizabeth Armstrong
Ron Bing
Robert Boehm
Nancy Boehm
Luciano Carrella
Jayden Carver
Lisa Clay
Janel Farron
Tim Furbacher
Erin Gilbert
Jessica Gilbert
Wyatt Gilbert
Ada Grubaugh
Katie Hawkins
Natalie Higley
Ava Higley
Anna Higley
Jeffrey Huber
Steven Kermode
Dosie Kermode
Ellis Larsen
Cassie Lietaert
Emilee Lietaert
Alice Luther
Anna Luther
Simon Luther
Miles Luther
Matt Luther
Beth Major
Amy McKinley
Leah McRae
Angela Meyer
Gene Meyer
Owen Mills
Andrea Morin
Brynn Morin
Joseph Morse
Ella Newbold
Sara Padden
August Pityo
Erica Plesha
Cecilia Postma
Michelle Russell
MaryJo Schrank
Barb Sobkoviak
Gloria Sobkoviak
Joel Sobkoviak
Hunter Steinkamp
Carolyn Thayer
Kristen Vigland
Lorenzo Walker

Send us Your Pics

If you were volunteering at the event, we’d love to share your pictures! Please send them to Hunter Steinkamp at HunterSteinkamp@ccskiclub.org.

Send us your Photos and Videos!

We're putting together a video montage from last year's ski season, and we want to feature your family!

Will you please share any pictures and/or videos you have from last season? Ideally these would be featuring CCSC practices and events, but we'd love to see your family ski pictures too!

WHERE TO SEND: Please email all photos/videos to huntersteinkamp@ccskiclub.org or text them to 513-638-0291.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR: We want to see it all! Send us your candid photos, staged photos, long videos, short videos, anything and everything!

PLEASE INCLUDE: Your name and any important details you want us to know.

NOTE: Please know that your photos/videos may be used in a CCSC promotional video that will be posted online, shared on social media and shown to public audiences.

DEADLINE: ASAP!

Join us to volunteer at Ironman Michigan in Frankfort

Ironman Michigan 70.3 will be coming to Frankfort on Sunday, September 11, 2022, and Crystal Community Ski Club is once again hosting an AID STATION on the RUN COURSE!

More than 3,000 participants will be swimming, biking and running to the finish line, and we'll be along the race course to cheer them on and pass out drinks.

We need to recruit more than 30 volunteers to help at RUN Course Aid Station #2 on Race Day. We'll be on the run course between Frankfort and Elberta.

By volunteering, CCSC will receive a GRANT from the Ironman Corporation! All of the details are below. We hope to see you there!

Who: You and your family and friends

What: Volunteer at Ironman Michigan in Frankfort at RUN COURSE aid station #2 with members of the CCSC.

When: Sunday, September 11. There are two shifts you can choose from (9am-1:30pm/1pm-5:30pm) - or you can volunteer for the full day.

Where: More details will be sent out to registered volunteers with exact location and parking information. The aid station will be located along the pathway between Frankfort and Elberta near the East Shore Marina.

Additional Details: All volunteers need to be registered separately in order to get waivers signed, including children. Every single volunteer will receive a race T-shirt and is invited to the Ironman Michigan volunteer dinner held at 6:30pm in Frankfort at Mineral Springs park on Sunday night after the race. Raffle prizes will be drawn. Additionally, lunch will be served at the aid station. It should be a fun and exciting day!

How to Register: Click on this link to register to volunteer.

Questions? Respond to this email to have your questions answered.

Thanks so much! We hope to see you on Sunday, September 11!

Click on this link to register to volunteer.

MOUNTAIN SPORTS LABOR DAY TENT SALE + SKI RACER SALE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2022 - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2022

MOUNTAIN SPORTS TENT SALE

Take advantage of sales up to 50% off 2021-2022 gear and clothing! This will also be the best prices of the season on race equipment. We'll also have a preview of what's coming for the 2022-2023 winter season.

September 3: 9am - 7pm
September 4: 9am - 12pm

Not valid in combination with any other discounts, specials or offers. Some exclusions apply. No early sales.

SKI RACER SALE - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 ONLY

Meet with industry representatives from the top ski brands for our annual Ski Racer Sale! Find the best pricing on race gear for the upcoming season. Grab skis, boots, bindings, helmets and race gear from the following brands:

• Atomic

• Head

• Elan

• and more!

Locations:

• Tent near Mountain Adventure Zone

• Tent by Loki Chairlift

Time:

• September 3: 9am - 7pm

• September 4: 9am - 12pm

For more information, please call 888-968-7686 ext. 4400.

Members of the Junior Ski Patrol are Making a Difference

Members of our Junior Ski Patrol program have been meeting every week to learn the ins and outs of helping everyone stay safe on the mountain. Already, their training has come in handy.

On the third week of practice, the team was called to an incident on the mountain. A boy had fallen and needed to be carried down the mountain on a sled. While the ski patrol members were attending to the skier, members of the Junior Ski Patrol were stationed near the top of the run to tell skiers to avoid the area.

“It was pretty serious. We could tell the boy was in a lot of pain. He fell on a really narrow run with a tight turn. Anyone going down that run wouldn’t know what was happening until it was too late. It felt really good to know that we were actually helping by directing skiers to another area,” said Alice Luther (13), who joined the Junior Ski Patrol program this year.

One of her fellow Junior Patrolers, Sebastian Dunaway (12), put his new skills to use when he was free skiing with a friend just a couple weeks later. “We saw a kid in front of us take a really hard fall. I was able to get to him quickly and assess the situation while my friend skied down to ski patrol to ask for help. I asked him the concussion questions that I had learned, encouraged him to stay still and helped him stay calm until help arrived.

It felt really good to know that I was helping, even if it was just a small thing.”

Alice says her desire to join the Junior Ski Patrol came about after she herself was assisted by them last season. “On my last run of the night, I fell at the top of Buck and broke my thumb. My phone was dead, and one of my skis was gone. I was stuck. Luckily a nice man stopped to help me. He got ski patrol and also called my mom. I rode down the mountain on a sled. It was scary but also really cool.”

This year, Alice and her dad saw a boy take a tough fall while skiing at Shuss Mountain.

“We were riding the chair lift when this kid fell really hard. I was able to call to him and ask if he was okay, but he didn’t respond. I told him to hit the ground twice if he needed help, and he hit the ground twice,” says Matt Luther, Alice’s dad.

Alice and her dad rushed to the boy’s side as soon as they got off the lift, with Matt calling to the lift operator to get ahold of ski patrol. When they reached the boy, Alice directed her dad on what questions to ask and then managed traffic to keep the boy safe until more help arrived.

“Just the little bit that we know gives me more confidence to help people when they need it,” says Alice.

But the kids know more than just a little bit.

Already during their Junior Ski Patrol sessions, they’ve learned how to sweep a hill to close it down, how the toboggan works and some general first aid, including using a cravat, general bandaging, bleeding management and administering splints. They’ve also met with an avalanche guru to learn more about avalanche safety on the mountain.

“Alice and I are definitely going to do this program next year!” says Sebastian.

Nordic Race Team Places 4th in the State!

Congrats to the Crystal Nordic High School Race Team for placing 4th in the Michigan High School Nordic State Championship!

The Crystal Community Ski Club had seven athletes competing over the weekend, including Benzie Central sophomore Mylie Kelly, Benzie Central junior Ella Gaylord, Benzie Central senior exchange student Matilde Torgersen, Frankfort freshman Kate May, homeschooled sophomore Gloria Sobkoviak and Benzie Central junior Hunter Jones.  Representing our Middle School Team was 6th Grader Avery Kelly from Benzie Central Middle School. 

They raced in a freestyle 5k skate, 5k classic and 1k skate sprints.

Matilde Torgersen placed 6th in Sprint and Mylie Kelly placed 5th in Pursuit. Overall, the girls team placed 4th! Middle School skier Avery Kelly placed 3rd in the State Middle School Race. Special thanks to their great coaches and wax techs Ian & Ryan Durand. A generous gift from Benzie Sunrise Rotary provided our team with its own dedicated waxing equipment, an important element in racing!  Thank you Sunrise Rotary!

Thank you to the Manistee Community Foundation

Our friends at Manistee Community Foundation have generously donated funds that are supporting our Nordic Rocks programming for Kennedy Elementary School, Bear Lake Elementary School, and Betsie Valley Elementary School.

Our Nordic Rocks program will reach over 500 kids this season, giving them 4 completely free cross country sessions with equipment and instruction. This wouldn't be possible without the gifts from our donors!

The Manistee County Community Foundation is the only entity serving Manistee County that impacts all aspects of life: youth, education, human services, the arts, environment, community development and more.

Thank you to the PSIA/AASI-Central Education Foundation!

Special thanks to the PSIA/AASI-Central Education Foundation (CEF) for supporting our Nordic Rocks Program.

The CEF provided funds for 78 grade 5th grade students in Manistee, MI, to receive PSIA-AASI certified nordic instruction at their school over a series of four sessions. This program is targeted at providing access to cross country skiing without barriers (no cost to the students), and at growing inclusion in the sport.

Little River Band Outreach: The Central Education Foundation also provided funds for children from the the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians to come to Crystal Mountain two times to provide PSIA-AASI certified nordic instruction at no cost. Nine students will get to receive the benefits of this program.

Thank you to The Share Winter Foundation!

The Crystal Community Ski Club is excited to announce that we are the recipient of a generous grant from The Share Winter Foundation.

Share Winter is a grantmaking organization working to improve the lives, health, and fitness of youth through winter sports.

Share Winter works closely with carefully selected grantees to build efficient, effective, sustainable winter sports programs and pipelines to ongoing winter sports participation.  Through their generous support, we are able to bring the Nordic Rocks program to over 500 elementary school students throughout the community.

Third, fourth and fifth graders are provided cross country ski lessons. They receive four, one-hour sessions at no cost.

Rocking the Community with Nordic Rocks!

Our coaches have been hard at work this year in classrooms throughout the community introducing 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes to the sport of cross country skiing. The goal is to visit each classroom for four different sessions of cross country skiing. At the schools, special skis are utilized so that the kids can strap the skis onto their own snow boots. The skis are also shorter for easier mobility and storage.

New this year: bringing several 4th and 5th grade classes to the Nordic Training Center at Crystal Mountain to use real nordic skis and experience groomed trails. The kids loved this experience, especially the hot chocolate at the end.

Special thanks to Bear Lake, Betsie Valley, Buckley, Crystal Lake, Frankfort, Kennedy and Onekama for participating in this program.

And huge thanks to Share Winter, Manistee Community Foundation, PSIA Central Education Foundation and Every Kid Sports for helping to fund this important program.

Winter Starts Now - Warren Miller Film Festival at Crystal Mountain

Warren Miller’s 72nd ski movie “WINTER STARTS NOW” will be showing at Crystal Mountain!

Date

Friday, December 11, 2021

Time

Movie starts at 5pm.

Doors open at 4pm.

There will be a cash bar, popcorn, and light snacks available for purchase. Door prizes will be announced during this event. All proceeds from this event will go to the CRYSTAL COMMUNITY SKI CLUB.

Location

Crystal Mountain

12500 Crystal Mountain Dr.
Thompsonville, Michigan 49683

Film will be located in Northwest Territories on the main level of the Crystal Center.

Price

$15 / ticket, purhased in advance online. $20 / ticket at the door. All proceeds will benefit the Crystal Community Ski Club.

Questions?

Contact Hunter Steinkamp at huntersteinkamp@crystalmountain.com for more information.

Register Now for Holiday Race Camp

Stay tuned for details on our 2022 Holiday Race Camp!

Dates

Tuesday, December 21 (Slalom)

Wednesday, December 22 (Giant Slalom)

Thursday, December 23 (TBD / All camp race on Cheers in the afternoon.)

Students can sign up for one, two or three days.

Time

9 am - 3:30 pm

Morning Session: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Lunch: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm*
Afternoon Session: 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm

* Lunch for the athletes is “on your own.” Coaches and athletes will NOT be eating together.
Athletes may bring their own lunches or get food from one of Crystal’s dining venues.

Location

Crystal Mountain

12500 Crystal Mountain Dr.
Thompsonville, Michigan 49683

Students will meet at the base of the Loki Lift each morning.

Support CCSC with Amazon Smiles

Did you know that you can support the Crystal Community Ski Club just by shopping on Amazon? When you designate CCSC as your Amazon Smiles Charity, and you shop through your Amazon Smiles dashboard, a percentage of your purchase will be donated to us!

Signing up is Easy!

1. Visit smile.Amazon.com and log into your Amazon account.

2. Hover over Account & Lists on the top, right-hand side of the page, and click on Amazon Smiles.

3. Click Change Charity.

4. Search for Crystal Community Ski Club and select it as your chosen charity.

Moving forward, anytime you want to purchase something from Amazon, be sure to visit Smile.Amazon.Com. When you shop using that link, a percentage of your proceeds will benefit CCSC.

Want to Make an Additional Donation?

We rely on the generosity of our donors to help serve our community. Click here for more information about how your gift can have a huge impact.