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1. SERVICE PARKING SERVICE CENTRAL SHELTER SKk SLOPES TOBOCGAN RUNS CHILDRENS AREA ACTIVITY AREAS Fig 3 An area is easier and safer to use if the layout prevents scattering by directing the flow of traffic in an orderly manner on the site but the business will be limited severe ly without high line power Telephone service to the site Communica tion with the nearby community and its many business places is needed Safety dictates com munication with medical and hospital services Reservations and other aspects of the operation of the business are carried on much more eff ciently by telephone Professional guidance is helpful in selecting locations Expert help on topography soils forests climatology and deep rock geology can save thousands of dollars for the investor in win ter sports facilities Professional assistance from landscape architects architects and engineers may avoid poor site selection and development CHECK THE MARKET AND ACCESS TO THE AREA In contrast to the distribution of manufac tured products to the consumer winter sports businesses depend upon the customers coming to the areas Therefore the number of persons in terested in winter sports their ability to pay for services and the means of transporting them to the areas become important when considering the location of new businesses gt 2 ALLOW AMPLE SPACE FOR MAX SNOW MIN 7a2. PARK AT RATE OF 6 CARS PER 100 SNOWY SURFACE w AND 0 CARS PER 100 30 DEAL CONDITIONS NRA E ie Fig 4 Allow ample room for parking Windrows of snow can act as barriers Consider drainage to prevent icy parking after thawing and freezing Preeti pnu z While no precise prediction of future popu larity can be made present trends indicate that young people dominate the winter sports mar ket The majority of participants are from 15 to 34 years of age Other important age groups are teen age children and winter vacationing families including pre school children and adults over 40 From the potential market standpoint the future of the winter sports business looks bright con sidering that those in the 15 to 34 age group in the U S may number 61 million by 1970 com pared to 46 million today Logically the younger age groups are not able to spend as much as those who are older and have higher incomes However the high patronage in the younger age group indicates a willingness to pay for transportation and basic tow fees The popularity of more complete meal service high quality rooms and extra services seems to parallel increases in incomes The automobile is the dominant means of transportation Therefore in selecting a new loca tion the operator must consider highway routes highway quality and highway upkeep in winter The primary market for winter sports patronage in Michigan
3. 10 sports areas is controversial investigate before doing V Select equipment which will provide ample light for each purpose V Install equipment properly so that it is safe and eliminates glare V Use lamps and wiring of proper size V Use durable equipment reduces early repair or replacement SIGNS V Advertising Signs number size and placement depend upon your advertising budget should have short quickly read message size of let ter color style quickly read for distance and time of viewing V Informative Signs whether such signs are di rectional rules or identifying they should be simple clear brief and properly placed COMMUNICATIONS V Telephone service to central shelter essential V Intercom system between central shelter and outlying services remote shelters power houses for tows or lifts depends upon dis tance and site conditions V Public address system essential Used for an nouncements safety precautions control and music during sports participation V Underground transmission for electrical power and communications preferred Fig 15 proper temperatures snow can be made on the site Cost must be justified by increased business In areas of inadequate natural snowfall but y V V V Vv Building Suggestions DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Obtain professional guidance on the design of all buildings Study your own needs th
4. V The area should be easy and convenient for the guest to use V The layout should make the area easy to main tain V The layout should be free from safety hazards V When properly done the layout should be at tractive and interesting V The layout should make best use of the natural site advantages Fig 7 Several parallel runs using concrete for basic construction Maximum speed is assured by iced chute sprayed nightly during season V Obtain the assistance of a professional skier and a landscape architect V See Fig 3 for a typical functional diagram V See Fig 6 for a typical layout of a winter sports area ENTRANCE DRIVES AND PARKING V Entrance should be clearly marked and provide easy access from main highway ome Fig 8 Typical toboggan run with steel rail sides Note straight route and absence of dips or bumps Proper con struction and layout are needed for safety V Follow specific rules of size shape and design of drives and parking see Fig 4 V Avoid hazardous curves or grades V Separate service drive and parking from public drive and parking V Consider drainage to avoid icy drives and park ing V Direct all new guests to single control point entrance of shelter BUILDING ARRANGEMENT V Should make best use of the site V Building placement should allow for expansion of both buildings and site development V Guest should obtain good fi
5. Several have indi cated that if they were to do it again they would be more careful in the selection of a location Therefore a study of the problems of location site selection site development and building design was begun The results of this research together with recommendations for development are herein presented The intent of this publication is to take some of the guesswork out of future expansion of present businesses or development of new ones It is not intended to promote the establishment of new areas This information should be of equal help to present and prospective operators all those con nected with the development of winter sports areas such as landscape architects architects realtors land planners tourist and resort organiza tions and the suppliers of products and equipment ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express sincere appreciation to all those who so willingly cooperated in supplying information recommendations and com ments which made this circular possible Special credit should go to those people who are so well informed on winter sports development such as Ben Van Sant ski business consultant Frank Dunham publisher Skier and Stan DuRose chairman engineering committee Central U S Ski Association Many operators of established ski areas in Michigan were generous in their analysis and recommendations such as O Lynn Mead Sylvan Knob Holland Capper Manistee Ski Area Fred Bocks Caberfa
6. and capacity No one type is best for all conditions ROPE TOW V Popular because of low first cost ease of in stallation capacity see Fig 9 V Breakage most often caused by improper splicing excessive surface wear caused by dragging rope misalignment of sheaves or sheaves too small excessive tension and mil dew resulting from improper storage Long rope tows are fatiguing Maximum is 1000 Tow speeds are normally 15 mph may be increased to 20 mph on steep slopes 10 mph on beginners tow Power at top of slope is preferred Electric motor power is preferred but gasoline engine may suffice if properly installed and maintained V All power equipment must have safety con trols and positive cut off see Fig 10 PLATTER PULL V Uses stock manufactured parts but is designed to suit specific needs of lift and capacity see Fig 11 V Higher cost than rope tow but has less fre quent breakdowns V Is flexible in capacity because platters are not fixed on cable T BAR V Higher investment but greater capacity than Platter Pull see Fig 12 V Can be purchased with option to replace T bars with chairs V Well suited to longer and higher slopes i i if i OT 4 4 K Y if A w T 2 Bi ani F 5 Esta g n 3 n tirg A mi yd SS iN Fig 11 Platter Pull A durable type takes up one skier at a time Ca pacity can be adjusted to
7. anticipated consider service entrance and stor age areas obtain special help for layout Equipment Rental consider proper storage of equipment for daily rental layout of area should facilitate quick service amount and variety of rentals depend upon anticipated de mand in many areas 20 of the guests use equipment rented at the site Equipment Sales opinions vary but some sales space seems desirable amount of space de pends upon volume of patronage and avail ability of equipment elsewhere Equipment Repair some space should be de voted to repair of ski and other winter sports equipment usually located near equipment rental space Fig 16 The lounge traditionally must have a fireplace Suitable decor durable furnishings and adequate size are desirable features Fig 17 All buildings should be attractive as well as functional easily maintained suitably sited and easily expanded in future 11 V First Aid accessible from both inside and out side shelter heated hot and cold running water equipped with usual needs for first aid follow detailed recommendations in Ski Patrol Manual V Ambulance heated garage housing station wagon or other suitable vehicle to serve as ambulance readily accessible from first aid and service drive LODGING V Young unmarried generally high school and college age dormitory type housing with sep arate or open sleeping rooms for one sex and connected t
8. from cold air waves sweeping down from the north west over Lakes Superior and Michigan Fig 2 The combination of semimarine and continental types of climate results in shorter winters in the coastal regions than in the interior SKATING SK JUMPS CROSS COUNTRY other factors such as width of cleared area and height of forest cover were extremely favorable FOREST COVER Cleared land is less desirable than forested land Tall forests are superior to low forest cover This is related to the damaging effects of both wind and sun With adequate forest protection a slope actually receives more snow as well as retaining it for a longer period of time SUITABLE SOIL Land which is rocky or filled with springs may make development difficult or impossible Soil conditions should support a good grass turf on ski slopes have adequate drainage for good drive and parking area construction and be suited to good building construction OTHER FACTORS Sources of Water When selecting a location for any winter sports business it is essential to investigate sources of water Water will be needed for the many services at the central shelter such as the snack bar first aid and rest rooms If snow making equipment is contemplated quantities of water in excess of 80 gallons per minute may be needed Electrical power supply Minimum light and water pump service can be supplied by a generator ENTRANC d VE GUEST PARKING
9. length V Consider warming shelter intercom at end of trail OTHER ACTIVITIES v Toboggan runs layout design and construction must be accurate and smooth to avoid hazards see Figs 7 and 8 isolate from skiing or other activ Edmund Couch Jr Chairman Ski Hill Engineering Committee National Ski Association 4 Virginia Hills Ave Alexandria Virginia Fig 10 A positive power cut off device is an absolute necessity for all rope tows Ample area for landing ahead of safety cut off is needed ities uphill access and toboggan return by truck or caterpillar vehicle V Skating on any level land about 85 x 200 de sirable size for hockey and exhibition skating wood floored shelter for warming snacks first aid adjacent to skating rink V Children s area gentler slopes for saucers sleds or cardboard slides see Fig 14 isolated from ski slopes and toboggans for safety V Ice fishing an attraction in itself but seldom patronized by those participating in skiing skating or tobogganing V Sleigh Rides Snowshoe Trails Viewing Wild life supplementary activities which require their own special land characteristics V Swimming Pool an added attraction being used by some most satisfactory when enclosed and heated must be built to rigid health re quirements UPHILL EQUIPMENT Your selection of uphill equipment will depend upon initial cost cost of operation convenience site conditions
10. winter resorting CENTRAL SHELTER Fig 6 A site plan of a small winter sports center Ample land must be obtained for parking buildings sports activities and future expansion DEVELOP A PROSPECTUS The minimum investment in a winter sports area nowdays is about 100 000 Before you seek a mortgage or begin spending such a sum of money you should have a clear idea of the entire project you hope to develop Taking the time to prepare a well organized and complete report on your proposed project is worthwhile for many reasons First in obtaining the facts for others to read and understand you will have much better knowl edge of your own project Sometimes our en thusiasm tends to bring us to conclusions which are not founded in fact Next without a prospectus you will find it difficult to describe your intentions to others It is much easier to say to a builder banker or friend take this report home with you and look it over It explains what I have in mind Furthermore it gives all readers the impres sion that you are a good businessman and capable of management because you can present your ideas clearly and in an orderly fashion You are urged to develop a prospectus on the following outline Analysis of the Location and Site Proposed Layout of Development Proposed Buildings and other Construction Estimated Costs and Returns Qualifications of Owner Manager Layout Suggestions DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
11. In either case it would seem ap propriate to make a critical analysis of the loca tion and site you now own or intend to buy There fore the first section of this bulletin Before You Buy the Land below gives you guidance on this very important first step How do you develop the site after you are confident you have a good one While this re quires expert and specialized help some funda mentals are presented in Layout Suggestions page 7 While building design is the province of the professional designer a summary of building plan ning and construction ideas appears in Building Suggestions page 11 Application of these recommendations should result in better planned and built winter sports areas in Michigan More specifically if you are investing in land and buildings for winter vaca tionists you should 1 obtain a more desirable and profitable business for the money you invest 2 make better use of Michigan s recreational lands and 3 provide better service for those who patronize your area Before You Buy The Land DETERMINE THE TYPE OF BUSINESS Most winter sports businesses require similar location and site characteristics Some differences do exist however and should be recognized be fore buying land Because skiing dominates all other activities at winter sports areas suitable hilly land for ski slopes is required If however you hope to provide tobogganing skating ice fish ing
12. MSU Extension Publication Archive Archive copy of publication do not use for current recommendations Up to date information about many topics can be obtained from your local Extension office Planning Winter Sports Areas Michigan State University Extension Tourism Resort Series Circular Bulletin C A Gunn Issued October 1958 12 pages The PDF file was provided courtesy of the Michigan State University Library Scroll down to view the publication y LOCATION SITE y SELECTION SITE y PLANNING BUILDING y PLANNING FOREWORD The recent boom demand for winter enjoyment in Michigan has stim ulated the growth of winter sports areas throughout the state Areas in existence ten years ago have now expanded greatly while the number of areas in the state has increased over ten times in the same period A natural corollary of this growth has been the increasing need for guidance in the physical development of properties The experience and ingenuity of skilled skiers and operators of successful businesses elsewhere as well as in Michigan have resulted in the establishment of some very fine winter sports areas in this state Even so much of the development has been on a trial and error basis Many operators have paid severely for their mistakes
13. Slopes are usually expressed in percent the ratio of height in feet for 100 feet of horizontal distance rather than degrees each category needs a separate slope At present the greatest volume of patronage is from those of little or no skiing experience Hence the greatest number of slopes should be developed for begin ning and intermediate skiers In the future as more skiers gain in skill the more difficult slopes will be in greater demand By coincidence of its glacial history Michigan has hilly land in most of the areas of heavier snow fall Obtain topographic maps to help locate a suitable site See Fig 5 ORIENTATION Several additional weeks of skiing are possible on those slopes which are properly oriented to the sun and wind Prevailing winter winds in Michigan are from the northwest and west Therefore a high per centage of snow blows away when the topography is such that severe exposure to these winds exists Strong winds during severely cold weather cause enough discomfort to discourage use of the slopes High ridges to the west or northwest of the areas to be developed protect the skier and tend to deposit more snow by slowing the velocity of snowladen winds Ideally ski slopes or toboggan runs should face to the north or northeast to avoid damaging effects of the sun Some successful runs have been made in an easterly direction but only when Fig 1 An unusually heavy and non uniform snowfall re sults
14. by the National Ski Association of America 1130 16th St Denver 2 Colorado Dependable Economical Tows A commercial bulletin describing the design and construction of rope tow Ski Ski and prepare a complete prospectus of the busi ness This will avoid costly errors and will result in the development of only those lands best suited to this use When properly planned the layout should make the area easy to use and maintain be at tractive in appearance and allow for expansion of facilities All buildings should be functional as well as attractive subject to low upkeep within your building budget and such that future expansion will be easy ALSO equipment Columbian Rope Company Auburn New York Ski Injuries Their Prevention A paper presented by Vernon D E Smith M D F A C S St Paul Minne sota and printed in Bulletin American College of Sur geons September October 1955 Safety Standards for Ski Tows and Lifts An excerpt from Forest Service Manual Vol 3 Sec G Prepared by the U S Forest Service Washington D C The Skier a midwest paper published at Corunna Mich igan Ski Magazine a nationwide publication Hanover New Hampshire For further information consult your county cooperative extension agent or write to the Tour ist and Resort Service Kellogg Center Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan Cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics Mich
15. e Morton Graddis Mt Holly Albert Quall Ishpeming Winter Sports Park Gilbert Wells Snow Valley Stevie and Al Almon Ski Village and Jerry Fairbanks Au Sable Ranch and Ski Club Among others who assisted materially in the research and preparation of this circular were George Polich formerly Brule Mountain Ray McMullen Cooperative Extension Agent MSU Charles Pennington Otsego County Memorial Hospital Frank Davis East Michigan Tourist Association H Frank Beeman Intra mural Sports MSU Don Thomas sporting goods A H Eichmeier Mich igan Section U S Weather Bureau David Wilcox Parks and Recreation Division Michigan Department of Conservation Gladys Knight MSU Robert McIntosh MSU and manufacturers of equipment for snow making tows and ski lifts Cover photo and Fig 13 Michigan Tourist Council Lansing Figs 1 and 2 data from U S Weather Bureau East Lansing Fig 8 East Michigan Tourist Association Bay City Fig 9 Ishpeming Chamber of Commerce Fig 10 Ski Patrol Manual Denver Fig 11 Pomalift Denver Fig 12 Skiland Photo Eagle River Wis Fig 14 Homberg Photo Ishpeming Fig 15 Larchmont Farms Lexington Mass Figs 16 and 17 West Michigan Tourist and Resort Association Grand Rapids Fig 7 Echo Valley Kalamazoo Planning Winter Sports Areas By C A GUNN INTRODUCTION If you are considering the expansion of your present business or establishing a new one where do you begin
16. exces sive land improvement filling grading draining planting ADEQUATE SNOWFALL Much of Michigan has greater snowfall than any point between the Rocky Mountains and New England This unique aspect of its climate largely due to the influence of the surrounding Great Lakes makes the state very well suited to winter sports Reference to Fig 1 shows that much of Mich igan has over 60 inches of snowfall per year Those areas with lesser annual averages must depend more upon artificially prepared snow Snow making equipment is available but the added costs of installation operation and upkeep must be justified by increased volume of business LONG WINTER SEASON As important as snowfall is the amount of cold weather to retain the snow Fig 2 illustrates relative differences in length of winter season Reference to both Fig 1 and 2 should assist in evaluating a location regarding the influence of weather SUITABLE AREA AND TOPOGRAPHY A good winter sports site includes over 100 acres of both hilly and reasonably level land See Fig 5 and 6 Skiing and tobogganing require elevation differences of over 100 feet and slopes from 10 to 60 percent or over Nearby level but well drained land is needed for building sites parking areas drives and skating rinks In selecting sites for recreation skiing three categories of skiers need to be considered begin ners intermediates and experts For safety s sake
17. igan State University and the U S Department of Agriculture cooperating Paul A Miller Director Cooperative Extension Service Michigan State University East Lansing Printed and distributed under Acts of Congress May 8 and June 30 1914 10 58 5M
18. lies in the metropolitan industrial belt from northern Illinois through northern Ohio Good highway access is also needed for those who come to winter sports areas by bus Fig 5 A typical contour map helpful in determining percent slope orientation to sun and wind and amount of land for parking buildings and activities Ski trains popular in eastern states do not appear to be popular in the lower peninsula but do contribute to business in the Upper Peninsula Air travel to winter sports areas is complicated by ground travel at each terminal the handling of cumbersome equipment and adverse flying con ditions INVESTIGATE NEARBY SERVICES So far only a small number of resorts provide entertainment complete food service and lodging at the winter sports area The majority are highly dependent upon the nearby community for these services Therefore in selecting a location it becomes important to survey the number and quality of es tablishments providing entertainment beverages food service and lodging These services are im portant to skiers and other winter sports enthusi asts In addition to the commercial services those provided by agencies and organizations should be reviewed A more favorable location is one near a community with good street upkeep high stand ards of sanitation active chamber of commerce active youth organizations good medical and hos pital services and general community support of
19. need Fig 12 T bar A durable type which takes up two at a time T bars can be replaced with chairs Fig 13 Chair Lift Deluxe uphill equipment best suited to long and steep slopes 9 CHAIR LIFT V Deluxe uphill transportation see Fig 13 V Most costly of all types V Skier has no contact with the ground hence no accidents from this cause V Capacity not as great as other types SNOW MAKING EQUIPMENT The reasons given for the use of snow making equipment are unusual wear on ski slopes un seasonably small amount of snowfall favorable temperature conditions but normally low amount of snowfall In any case the cost of installation and operation of equipment must be justified by increased volume of business see Fig 15 V Equipment now uses great amounts of water and compressed air Example 80 gpm at 50 65 psi together with air at 1 000 cfm re quired to cover area 100 x 1000 with 3 of wet snow or 6 8 light snow V Air temperatures usually must be below 25 F V Consider layout of distribution piping and placement of equipment when making layout of slopes LIGHTING v Minimum grounds lighting needed around buildings parking entrance V Special layout of lighting required if sports areas are to be used at night Night use of Fig 14 A cardboard slide Hillside is graded slightly and trough is iced in freezing weather Children slide down on flattened boxes Shi 4A eee
20. o a bath V Married couples and others prefer private rooms each with complete bath V Family groups prefer private suites of rooms with bath V Before deciding upon building lodging esti mate the returns on the investment existing motel and hotel facilities may be best solution vV For year around resort consider the attach ment of lodging to the central dining and lounge space V Consider the advantages of inside corridor ac cess to guest rooms SUMMARY Michigan has many natural advantages for win ter sports activities Although the trial and error method has been used to date and some very fine areas do exist most operators agree that a more scientific ap proach should be made when expanding present facilities or developing new ones Before buying the land one should consider the type of business to enter the most desirable site characteristics the market and access to the area the availability of other services nearby SEE U S Geological Survey Maps of many areas of Michigan which indicate the topography with contour lines Con tact the Geological Survey Division Michigan Depart ment of Conservation Lansing Shop Bible A directory of equipment and products relating to skiing Published annually by the Ski Maga zine Hanover New Hampshire Patrol Manual A guide for proper operation of ski areas the National Ski Patrol System safety considera tions in layout construction and equipment Issued
21. or other winter sports suitable land must be obtained If you intend to provide complete food service lodging and entertainment on the site you may wish to attract guests during spring sum mer and fall to justify the added investment To do this requires a location with trout streams lake frontage swimming beach wild game or other all season attractions Four types of winter sports businesses are now appearing in Michigan Basic Ski Center the minimum of facilities providing for skiing only Winter Sports Center as above with other sports added such as tobogganing skating ice fishing Facilities for warming snacks first aid equipment rentals sales and rest rooms are more complete 1Associate Professor Research Extension School of Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management Michigan State University Winter Sports Resort as above with com plete food service bar optional lodging and entertainment on the site rather than supplied by the nearby community Year Around Resort as above with attrac tions and facilities for vacationists during spring summer and fall as well as in winter SELECT THE BEST SITE After determining the type of enterprise you wish to operate you should search for the most ideal site While this may seem costly to you when considering the price per acre the cost of the site should be related to the income it can produce Also a cheap site often requires
22. oroughly before con tacting your architect No evidence is available to prove one archi tectural style more successful than another All designs should be appealing to all who use the buildings suited to snowy and icy condi tions and adapted to the setting Special consideration should be given water supply waste disposal plumbing ventilation heating and kitchen equipment Make sure all building plans are functional as well as attractive subject to low upkeep with in your building budget and such that future expansion will be easy see Fig 17 THE CENTRAL SHELTER Entrance should provide for tagging of all new guests information on services available rules of safety and directions Office should include a business office with counter open to public private office for man ager room for the Ski Patrol The Lounge should have sweeping view of ac eae a V V tivity areas decor which induces rest and re laxation built to withstand rough usage con tain a large fireplace see Fig 16 easily ac cessible and yet not disturbed by traffic Rest Rooms ample number of fixtures for an ticipated trade accessible from both indoors as well as outdoors built to withstand heavy use easy to maintain in sanitary condition Food Service snack bar at one side of lounge is minimum cafeteria or dining room service may be in demand kitchen size equipment and layout should be suited to type of service
23. rst impression and find his way around easily V Grouping should be functional for the man ager ACTIVITY AREAS SKI SLOPES V Beginners area not to exceed 20 slope slow tow for practice isolated from experienced skiers V Intermediate area 25 to 50 on steeper por tions of slope 5 to 15 on lower or out run about 150 feet cleared width reasonably direct route down V Expert area 60 or more for added challenge 20 to 40 slope on major portion of slope Fig 9 Rope tows are very popular because of capacity ease of installation and low cost Proper installation re duces rope breakage minimum of 75 foot cleared width more cir cuitous route down is permissible V Slopes graded to avoid bowls dips bumps edges of clearing bordered with shrubs good grass turf on slopes kept cut in summer V Screen of plantings at base to protect skiers waiting for tow or lift V Grading down toward the hill at beginning of tow so skier is not jerked from a standstill SKI JUMPING V Competitive jumps follow specific rules of lay out and design contact the Ski Hill Engineer ing Committee of the NSA v Provide ample space for spectators both standing room and parking V Consult specialists for design of smaller non competitive jumps CROSS COUNTRY TRAILS V Not less than ten feet wide V Slope not to exceed 10 V Should not exceed two miles in
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