I first graced the slopes of Hickory Hills as a wobbly-kneed two-year-old, nineteen years ago. By ‘slopes’, I mean the tow-roped Bunny Hill... But let us not be derailed by minutia. I may not remember the moment my parents strapped the toddler version of me into a hot pink training harness and let
Category - Skiing
Fleeting Winter Sunshine Brings Everyone Outside!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014 2:00 AM by Traverse City Tourism
By MIKE NORTON
Midwinter sunshine is a precious thing, and here in “lake effect country” it can be especially fleeting. So when that January sun peeks out – especially on a weekend – we tend to drop everything and get outside to
Veronica Valley: Second Career for a Retired Golf Course
Tuesday, October 8, 2013 3:00 AM by Traverse City Tourism
By MIKE NORTON
One of the crazy things about being a travel writer is that you sometimes find yourself doing more writing than traveling. You’re whacking away at a keyboard, answering phone calls and emails and wondering what happened to your joie
Nordic Nostalgia: A Return to the Sand Lakes Quiet Area
Friday, December 28, 2012 2:00 AM by Traverse City Tourism

A skier and her canine companion enjoy the trail at Sand Lakes.
By MIKE NORTON
New Year’s is all about looking ahead, but sometimes it helps to take a little glance at where you’ve been.
That’s what led me and my cross-country skis out to the deep woods east of Traverse City last week – to
A Winter Day at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Monday, January 3, 2011 2:00 AM by Traverse City Tourism
Skiers at the Dunes Overlook
By MIKE NORTON I've lived in the Traverse City area for more than 30 years, but the beauty of this region still has the power to amaze me. Last week, for instance, I spent a day hanging out at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a place I've visited many times