Popular resort area gets make-over

By Staff Writer: Rachel Brauer

When the autumn season changes to winter, most are excited for the holidays and presents, but the snow boarders and skiers are excited for a different kind of holiday: the beginning of winter sports and activities. This year is bound to create a new experience for Michiganders due to the changes at Mt. Brighton.

Mt. Brighton has gone through over ten million dollars in renovations for the 2013-2014 snow board and ski season since it was bought out by the Colorado ski resorts, Vail, last year. These renovations include a multitude of indoor and outdoor changes.  Junior Josh Holcomb, who is employed at Mt. Brighton and an avid snowboarder, comments on the differences.

“They completely changed the locations of the cafeteria and added a bar in it. All of the bathrooms got redone and they added a fireplace in the middle of the cafeteria with couches around it. The rental department got all new Burton gear…As for the outside goes, they installed all new chairlifts and they put the first four-person chair lift Mt. Brighton has ever had and will be running all of the chairlifts throughout the hill this season,” says Holcomb.

Other notable changes include heightened learning terrain, new snow blowers that can make up to three times more durable snow, and children’s ski and ride school center. All these new changes are sure to attract more attention and customers to the facility.

“The inside has [gotten busier]… and the four chair lift is the only one open so nobody has really gotten to experience the whole [outside] yet,” says Holcomb.

A lot of students are very excited about the changes, especially senior Madalyn Vest.

“I’m really excited for snowboarding this year. I think the renovations will make a huge difference to our area,” says Vest.

In-season hours of operation include Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m..