Once again, the Team XLR8 Alpine Racing family found a larger-than-life way to thank us coaches, by commissioning two giant billboards along Interstate 96 leading to Mt. Brighton, the team's primary training area and race venue.  The billboards went up on Wednesday between the Wixom and Milford exits. It's the same place they were displayed last season, which was an incredible one for the team. Last year the skiers, all ages 7-17, placed in the top three at many Junior Development events with many athletes standing atop the podium, making Team XLR8 one of the top Junior Development Teams in …

While many people were thinking the ski/snowboard season was over, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Winter has cometh, once again. After a brief bout of spring weather, the snow has returned in force. Recent storms have dropped 8 inches of fresh snow on Mt. Brighton. There are still many upcoming events to look forward to this season on the slopes, starting Friday. Here's a look at the calendar: SCION SNOW TOUR When: Friday, 6:30 p.m. Why go: Presented by Signal Snowboards, pros Matt Guess, Austen Granger, Spencer Link, Kyle Grant, Kyle Earl and other special guests stop at Mt. …

On Jan. 29, Mt. Brighton hosted our 27th annual Media Ski Challenge, a ski and snowboard race that raises money for Special Olympics Michigan. And what a day it was. Twenty-three teams competed for the coveted cup and Team Darling Wilson were the victors. Congratulations to John Wilson, Douglas Gorton, Caitlin Grabijas, Jack Pippen, Ian Darling, Marcie Rappette and Douglas Darling. The group that raised the most money this year was Team Neither Swedish, Norwegian from Campbell-Ewald. Together, Kevin Hock, Stuart Moutrie, Paula Price, Jim Feltz, Matt Duggan and Keith Pilkey brought in $6,000. …

Twenty-five years ago, Mt. Brighton began a fund raiser to benefit the Special Olympics Michigan skier groups that frequented the ski area. Because we got the media involved, it is called Media Ski Challenge. This year's race is set for Saturday, Jan. 29. The event began small with very few raffle items and donations. As the years went by, the donations grew, as well as the number of participants. The amount of donations in the past five years alone have totaled approximately over $100,000. Mt. Brighton welcomes Special Olympics skiers to ski at special rates. About 40-50 skiers from …

Why is it smart to keep your equipment ready for the snow? The simple answer is that when your skis and snowboard are tuned, they have more control, stop better, go faster, last longer and are simply more fun to be on.One can safely assume that if you've had more than seven days on the snow since your skis or board have been cared for, it's time for a tune up.A Full Tune at the Hot Wax Café, located at Mt. Brighton Snowsports, runs about $28. While we really love to tune your equipment, you can easily do it yourself. Here are some tips for at home tuning and waxing.Supplies Ski vise and brake…

Many people don’t realize that instructors at Mt. Brighton go through extensive training before being released to instruct on their own. Training for new instructors begins in early October at our “dryland training” sessions. At these sessions, the trainers cover a multitude of topics, from the Level 1 introductory lesson, to ski and snowboard techniques, to certification standards and vocabulary. These sessions repeat weekly until we havesnow on the ground, at which point we move to on-snow training. All candidates who are between 16-20 years of age are required to present a letter of …

When most of us think of competition, we think of sporting events and the great rivalries that are created through years of challenges. Rarely do people think of the competition between the companies that supply athletes with their chosen equipment. Skiing is no different. Skiing's nemesis is snowboarding. When snowboarders began showing up at resorts, skiers looked at them as aliens. They had one board, no poles, and they could carve the corduroy as well as any skier could, if not better. Plus, they had an advantage—the hourglass shape and width of the board.  Today's skis are far superior …

Helmet use at Mt. Brighton Ski & Snowboard Area has doubled in the past couple of years. Skiers and boarders wearing helmets are now the norm–not the exception. Why? Helmet design and materials are more user-friendly and more comfortable. And they are accepted by our youth groups as being OK and cool. Helmets can make a difference in reducing or preventing injury from falls or other impacts. They are most effective at slower speeds. Here are some tips on buying and using helmets when you hit the slopes: Find the perfect fit. When you shop for a helment, keep in mind they are not something to…