I rode Michigan’s first-ever alpine slide—here are 5 reasons why you should too

Crystal Mountain’s Crystal Coaster is an alpine slide packed with 1,600 feet of twists, turns, and family fun. Riders can book a stay at the resort to extend their fun or pick up day passes for a mountain ride they won’t soon forget!

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to ski slopes in the summer, Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville, MI has the answer with its new Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide. During the summer months, the family-owned, four-season 1,500-acre ski resort transforms one of its ski hills into a thrilling, twist-and-turns-filled ride that the whole family can enjoy. 

My five children and I recently paid a visit to Crystal Mountain to try out the Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide—recently opened and renovated with a historic dual side-by-side slide design—and we had an absolute blast careening down the 1,600-foot dual coaster track. Here’s why we recommend a visit to the alpine slide and what you should know before launching yourself off the side of the mountain. (It’s fun, I promise!)

1. The Whole Family Can Ride

With five kids ranging in age from little kid to teen, finding an activity the whole family can enjoy is always a challenge. So I was thrilled to discover that all of my kids—ages 3 and up—could ride the Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide. All of my children, from our kindergartener to skeptical teenagers, had a blast together, and it was so fun hearing their giggles instead of the normal complaining that occurs when I drag them to “family fun” activities. 

Because our youngest child was under the 52″ minimum height requirement to ride alone, we were able to ride with her.  And I’m not going to lie—moms don’t always get to join in on the fun, so it was wonderful to have the opportunity to make a fun memory with them too. Plus, it was downright refreshing to find an activity that our entire family could do together.

Photo courtesy of Chaunie Brusie.

2. The Chairlift Ride is Half the Fun

To ride the Alpine Slide, you take the Loki Quad chairlift up to the top of one of the resort’s mountains and even if you’re not a thrill-seeker, the chairlift ride up is an enjoyable experience all on its own. We aren’t a family of skiers, unfortunately, so a chairlift ride was thrilling for my kids. 

Plus, the view of the resort and the gorgeous Michigan scenery is breathtaking, and if you’re visiting in the summer, you’ll appreciate the cooling breeze as you cruise through the air. 

Photo courtesy of Chaunie Brusie.

3. You Control the Speed

If you’re nervous about the thought of sending your kids careening down a 1,600-foot-long curved track that runs down the side of a mountain, I hear you. I was nervous to ride myself! But the sleds are specially designed with braking handles that are fully controlled by the rider. 

The handles have to be pushed forward with some force to accelerate—meaning young riders won’t be able to go faster than is safe by design—and can be slowed down at any time. My kids made fun of me for going at a granny pace, but I still had a blast. And if you’re riding with a little rider, you’re fully in control of how fast you go too. 

4. Riders Can Race Side-by-Side

Speaking of my Granny pace, my kids really enjoyed racing me down the track and thoroughly beating me. The Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide originally opened as a dual slide—allowing riders to “race” each other alongside dual tracks, but over the years, it was converted into a single slide. 

This year, however, after undergoing some updates, the slide reopened in July 2024 with its original dual slide design. Side-by-side slides let riders have double the fun and the updates also added some fun new elements like tunnels and turns.

Photo courtesy of Chaunie Brusie.

5. The Slide is Just the Beginning

One cool aspect of the Crystal Coaster Alpine slide is that you don’t have to be a guest of the resort to enjoy the fun—anyone driving through the area or visiting can stop in for a quick single ride, pick up a day pass for unlimited slides, or purchase an Action Activity Pack, which offers slide passes as well even more fun like the bungee trampoline, disc golf, bike rentals, and the climbing wall. 

To extend your fun even further, book a night or two at the resort. Crystal Mountain Resort is conveniently located near Traverse City and Sleeping Bears Dunes National Lakeshore, so it makes a great place to stay to visit nearby attractions or enjoy a fun destination all on its own. 

Our family stayed a night at the resort before heading to the sand dunes and along with the gorgeous accommodations that had plenty of room for our large family, we enjoyed all of the included activities with our stay, like the on-site waterpark, ice cream shop, outdoor game and pizza parlor, and a stroll through the Michigan Legacy Art Park with 2 miles of hiking trails and Michigan sculptures and poetry strokes sprinkled throughout.

Photo courtesy of Chaunie Brusie.

Before You Go

If you’re ready to hit the Crystal Mountain slopes, summer-style, here are some facts to know before you. 

Hours of Operation

The slide runs on select dates through the rest of the 20204 season, weather permitting: 

• August 2 – August 17: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  August 18 – 29: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  August 30 – September 1:  11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  September 2:  11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  September 7, 14, 21, 28: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  October 5, 12, 19: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  October 6, 13: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Rider Information

Riders must be over 52″ tall and at least 80 pounds to ride alone. Riders under that limit can ride with someone 18 years or older, but they must also be at least 3 years old. 

Cost

• Solo riders: 1 ride:  $15/person; 4-ride day pass: $30/person; Unlimited day pass: $50/person
• Child rider: $5

To enjoy any of the activities at the Crystal Mountain Adventure Zone, all guests need to fill out a waiver, so I definitely recommend filling out the waiver ahead of time online. 

You can buy walk-in passes for the slide, but it’s also recommended to book passes to the slide ahead of time—just don’t forget to check in at the desk to get your wristband and Crystal Card to get access to the slide. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.