People enjoy working here. That's not an endorsement from a grizzled ski writer interested mainly in vertical drop and numbers of trails, but one from a paying guest. Mike Terrell, president of the Midwest chapter of the North American Snowsports Journalists Association and a resident of the Traverse City area, notes that while Michigan resorts remain competitive in trying to attract guests, they also cooperate to attract guests to their region first, then to their specific resorts. An Elegant Resort Shanty Creek certainly gets my share of business. Apart from the view at the Lakeview Dining Room, I like the elegance of the resort at Summit Village, the quaintness of its companion Schuss Village, and the convenience of both being linked together.
Shuttle buses run frequently between the two villages.
The ride covers a few miles and takes five or ten minutes. Each village has a separate identity. Summit is a good area for beginners and also serves as a warm-up for the more challenging Schuss. During a recent two-day visit to Shanty, my two grandsons and I skied an hour in the morning at Summit, then jumped on the bus to finish the day's skiing at Schuss. More of a surprise was the shift in the cross-country operation.