Planning This Mess of a Trip
Okay, so my buddy Mike texts me outta nowhere, “Hey man, heard Snow Snake up in Harrison has cheap beginner deals.” Michigan winter had finally showed up, cold as heck. My brain instantly goes “skiing… but like, without spending my whole paycheck?” Yeah, right. But I figured, why not try. Jumped online, typed in Snow Snake Ski & Golf Harrison MI beginner deals. Spent like two whole hours clicking around, comparing prices. Found their “Discover” package buried under the fancy stuff. Lift ticket, gear rental, and one kinda basic group lesson? For the price they wanted for just the lift ticket elsewhere? Sold. Mike convinced.
Getting There & The First Shock
Morning comes, way too early. Threw some snacks and old water bottles (saves cash!) into my beat-up Honda. Gas ain’t cheap, so Mike threw in for half. Drive felt endless. Seriously, Harrison ain’t around the corner! Finally saw the sign for Snow Snake, felt a small victory. Pulled up… place looked smaller than the website pics. Honestly, felt a tiny bit let down at first. But hey, cheap trip, right? Lowered expectations immediately. Parked the car for free, that was a win.
Dealing with Gear & Lesson Chaos
Walked into the lodge, confused as heck. Place was buzzing. Found the rental counter, line wasn’t bad though. Told the kid behind the counter “Total beginners, got the Discover package.” He barely looked up, just grunted and slid papers over. Tip number one: wear your ski socks already! Changing feet on that bench is not fun when everyone’s watching. Felt like a turtle falling over with those boots on. Got the skis, poles, helmet. Everything looked scuffed but functional. Fine by me.
Found the “group lesson” meeting spot outside. It was freezing! Instructor, Dave, gathered maybe ten of us trembling newbies. Dave was actually great, real patience of a saint. Started super slow: “This is how you walk in skis. Pointy end is the front. Don’t die.” Basics, but essential. Learned how to pizza wedge (French fry later!), how to fall without breaking anything (mostly), how to kinda get on the magic carpet. Group lesson was chaotic but surprisingly helpful. Dave gave individual pointers when he could. Worth every penny of the cheap package.
Actually Skiing (Mostly Falling)
After the lesson, Mike and I stuck to the tiny “bunny slope.” Seriously, the tiniest hill ever. But perfect for us. Spent the next couple hours mostly:
- Getting off the magic carpet sideways (embarrassing!)
- Doing awkward pizza turns (almost nailed it twice!)
- Falling over for seemingly no reason (so many times)
- Laughing our heads off at each other falling (best part honestly)
Legs burned like crazy after an hour. Forgot how much work this is! Took breaks, ate our crappy packed granola bars, hydrated with the free tap water we filled our bottles with.
The Budget Win & Final Thoughts
Checked my wallet midday – barely touched it except gas! Packed lunch saved a fortune. Free parking. The Discover package was the real hero. Yeah, the gear was old, the bunny slope crowded, but it did the job. Total cost for everything (gas split, package cost, snacks)? Way less than $100 each. For a full day of trying something new? Absolute steal.
Was I shredding black diamonds by the end? Heck no. But I slid down a hill without dying, learned the basics, and had a blast doing it without stressing about money. Learned you don’t need fancy resorts to try skiing. You need patience, a cheap package, thick socks, a sense of humor, and a friend who laughs when you faceplant.
