The Michigan Snowsports Industries Association (MSIA) wants to give Michigan kids an opportunity to get out, have fun and get healthy this winter. This is why MSIA has established a state-wide program which provides every fourth grader in Michigan the opportunity to ski for free. Fourth graders can obtain a “Cold is Cool” Ski & Ride Passport that gives them up to three free lift tickets or trail passes at 20 participating ski areas.  Click here for “Cold is Cool” application.

Read more: Cold is Cool - 4th Graders Ski Free!

Michigan Snowsports Industries Association makes it possible to ski at 31 areas for just $199.

The 2012/2013 White Gold Cards have sold out!  Please check back next September for the 2013/14 cards and purchase early...they sell out fast!    

We've changed it up a bit, we're charging $10 more but we've added 2 new ski areas, 3 hot wax sessions and a coupon for $20 off a purchase of $100 at participating retailers!   We are currently sold out of White Gold Cards from the MSIA offices.  However, they are still available at some ski shops.  Please check the list of shops below and call to be sure they still have some in stock.

The Michigan Snowsports Industries Association (MSIA) has produced a card that allows the holder to ski at 31 different Michigan ski areas this winter for just $199.  Called the MSIA White Gold Card, it entitles the purchaser to ski one time at each of the participating ski areas during the 2012/2013 ski season. 

The cards are now available at participating retail stores throughout the state and on this website. You save the $6 shipping fee (per order not per card) by purchasing at your local ski shop. We only have 400 to sell and they sold out fast last year!  See the list below for a retailer near you.

Also included is one free ski or snowboard tune-up (edge sharpen and wax), three additional hot wax sessions and a coupon for $20 off the purchase of $100 or more at participating MSIA retailers.  "The White Gold Card is an exceptional value,” says Steve Kershner, chairman of the MSIA and director of skiing for Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire.  “If you paid for a lift ticket at each of these ski areas and brought your skis in for a tune-up, you would be spending over $1,100.”

The card looks like a credit card, divided into squares.  Each ski area is assigned to a square and one square is designated for the ski tune-up.  The purchaser takes the White Gold Card to the ski area’s lift ticket window, where the square corresponding to that ski area is punched out.  White Gold Card skiers are allowed to ski one time at each ski area, midweek or weekend.  The card is valid for the entire ski season, except for December 24, 2012 through January 2, 2013.  The cards are non-refundable and non-transferable.  To get the tune-up, White Gold Card purchasers take their skis or boards to one of the over 40 participating ski shops.

MSIA developed the White Gold Card as a fundraising endeavor and limits its production to 400 cards.  “We’ve found from past years’ sales that they go quickly,” says Kershner.  He suggests that anyone interested in purchasing a card should do so as soon as possible.

Participating ski areas:

Alpine Valley
Apple Mountain
Big Powderhorn
Bittersweet
Blackjack Resort
Boyne Highlands
Boyne Mountain
Caberfae Peaks
Cannonsburg
Crystal Mountain
Cross-Country Ski Hdqts.
The Homestead
Hanson Hills
Indianhead Mountain
Marquette Mountain
Mont Ripley
Mt. Bohemia
Mt. Brighton
Mt. Holiday
Mt. Holly
Mt. Zion
Mulligan’s Hollow
Muskegon Winter Sports Complex
Nubs Nob
Pine Knob
Pine Mountain
Shanty Creek
Snow Snake
Swiss Valley
Timber Ridge
Treetops Resort

These retailers are selling White Gold Cards.  We suggest contacting them first, to be sure they have cards available:

Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus - Grand Rapids - (616) 458-1684
Boyne Country Sports - Bloomfield Hills (248) 338-0803, Novi (248) 549-6006, Traverse City (231) 941-1999 (Sold Out!)
Don Orr Ski Haus - Traverse City (231) 946-8810
Don Thomas Sporthaus - Birmingham (248) 626-9503
Lee’s Adventure Sports - Kalamazoo (269) 381-7701
Nichol’s Ski & Patio - Dearborn 313) 565-0044, Waterford (248) 674-5200
Outdoor Action Co. - Sylvan Lake (248) 454-1188
Reliable Sport & Ski Haus - Holland (616) 396-7795
Schummer’s Ski Shop - Grosse Ponte Woods (313) 881-4363
Shumaker’s Ski & Board - Flint (810) 239-6931
The Ski Loft - Charlotte (517) 543-1754
The Stable of Saginaw - Saginaw (989) 799-0601
Sun & Snow Sports - Ann Arbor (734) 663-95515, Plymouth (734) 927-0007
Swiss Valley Ski Shop - Jones (269) 244-5635
Treetops Ski Shop – Gaylord (989) 732-6711

Click Here for links to the websites of all MSIA retailers.

Learn to ski affordably! Ski areas across the state have teamed up with Michigan McDonald’s restaurants to offer a popular and very affordable introduction to the sport of skiing and snowboarding in January. Some ski areas have extended Discover Michigan Skiing into February!  Treetops, Mt. Brighton, Timber Ridge and Swiss Valley are continuing the program into February.  Other ski areas may be doing this as well. Check with the ski area you want to visit.  You may still be able to register!

Try cross-country skiing for $20, downhill skiing for $30 and snowboarding for $40.

Read more: Discover Michigan Skiing

 The Michigan Ski Hall of Fame was created to recognize those individuals who have contributed significantly to the growth of skiing and snowsports in the state of Michigan.

In 2003, MSIA inducted its first members into the Hall of Fame - Everett Kircher, the creater of the Boyne empire and Bill Pearson, who started Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus.  In 2004, Don Thomas, of Don Thomas Sporthaus and George Petritz, the developer of Crystal Mountain were inducted.  Then in 2006, MSIA inducted Al Almon, who improved ski instruction by creating uniform teaching standards throughout Michigan and the US. and James Dilworth, who built and patented the world’s first fan snow making gun.

On August 6, under bluebird skies at Boyne Highlands, we were pleased to announce the induction of John and Joan Bintz, who literally made Apple Mountain out of a mole hill and Joseph Koski Sr., who brought skiing to millions of people in southern Michigan with Mt. Holly, Pine Knob, Bittersweet and more. Click here to read their biographies.