Making a Difference on and off the Trails
When Beth Major and her husband Tim Furbacher first moved to Northern Michigan, they never anticipated that they would become the founders of a Nordic Ski program. "This was never part of our plan," says Major. "But when you see the gorgeous groomed trails in the area with NO kids on them, and then you hear that there's no program for the kids to learn the beauty of Nordic Skiing, well, we didn't really have a choice."
So the Nordic arm of the Crystal Community Ski Club was born. Their goal? Get kids outside in the winter experiencing snow sports with as few barriers as possible. This meant getting grants and donations for skis and equipment, recruiting a team of PSIA-certified instructors and volunteers, and creating a program that takes kids that have never even heard of cross country skiing and building their skills until they are eventually able to compete on the high school nordic team (which they also had to create).
In its fourth year, more than 650 kids participated in the Nordic Program, and the girls high school team placed 4th in the state of Michigan.
"It’s kind of like a miracle really; it’s so amazing to see kids doing this sport. A lot of them never even knew what it was four years ago,” Major says.
Major and Furbacher donate countless hours of their time teaching kids, fundraising and facilitating a sustainable program that can continue to build a culture of cross country skiing for years to come.
"Countless times I heard in our community, 'I've always wanted to try XC' or 'I used to'…" Furbacher says. "Turning thought into action: Step 1, lower the barriers, provide equipment, instructors, a facility. Step 2: Start with the KIDS - they will lead the way!”
Registration is Live for the 2023 Season!
Registration is now live for the 2023 season!
Registration is now live for the 2023 season, and we can’t wait for you to join us!
Whether your child is a competitive Alpine or Nordic ski racer, has never skiied or snowboarded before and wants to learn, is interested in a career in snowsports or just wants to hang with their friends in a fun environment, we have a program that’s right for you!
Our Programs
Kids can participate in one or ALL of our programs. Did you know that several CCSC students participate in two or more programs?
See our full list of Alpine, Nordic and Teen Leadership programs here.
New this year!
Our new program this year is Mountain Movers: Teen Leadership Council!
Play fun games on the mountain, eat great food and join other teens in helping to shape the future of Crystal Community Ski Club programs. You have great ideas, and we want to hear them! In this 8-week program, you’ll team up with other teens, instructors and volunteers to form friendships, ski the mountain, share your ideas and (of course) eat!
Read more about the Teen Leadership Council here!
Scholarships are available!
CCSC is a non-profit organization that strives to remove barriers in getting kids involved in winter sports through our Alpine, Nordic, Teen Leadership and Outreach programs.
Read more about our scholaship opportunities here.
Need a Ride?
New this year! If you live or attend school in Benzie County, transportation to and from practices can easily be coordinated through Benzie Bus - for just $1.50 per ride!
Read more about how to reserve a ride after school or directly to and from your house.
Questions?
If you have questions, we have answers. Be sure to check out the following pages for more information:
FAQ
Ski Pass + Equipment Information
Parent Activities
Scholarship Information
Season Calendar
Transportation
Register Now!
We can’t wait to see you on the slopes! Click here to register now.
Nordic Race Team Places 4th in the State!
Congrats to the Crystal Nordic team for placing 4th in the Michigan High School Nordic State Championship! The Crystal Community Ski Club had six athletes competing!
Congrats to the Crystal Nordic High School Race Team for placing 4th in the Michigan High School Nordic State Championship!
The Crystal Community Ski Club had seven athletes competing over the weekend, including Benzie Central sophomore Mylie Kelly, Benzie Central junior Ella Gaylord, Benzie Central senior exchange student Matilde Torgersen, Frankfort freshman Kate May, homeschooled sophomore Gloria Sobkoviak and Benzie Central junior Hunter Jones. Representing our Middle School Team was 6th Grader Avery Kelly from Benzie Central Middle School.
They raced in a freestyle 5k skate, 5k classic and 1k skate sprints.
Matilde Torgersen placed 6th in Sprint and Mylie Kelly placed 5th in Pursuit. Overall, the girls team placed 4th! Middle School skier Avery Kelly placed 3rd in the State Middle School Race. Special thanks to their great coaches and wax techs Ian & Ryan Durand. A generous gift from Benzie Sunrise Rotary provided our team with its own dedicated waxing equipment, an important element in racing! Thank you Sunrise Rotary!
Rocking the Community with Nordic Rocks!
Our coaches have been hard at work this year in classrooms throughout the community introducing 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes to the sport of cross country skiing.
Our coaches have been hard at work this year in classrooms throughout the community introducing 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes to the sport of cross country skiing. The goal is to visit each classroom for four different sessions of cross country skiing. At the schools, special skis are utilized so that the kids can strap the skis onto their own snow boots. The skis are also shorter for easier mobility and storage.
New this year: bringing several 4th and 5th grade classes to the Nordic Training Center at Crystal Mountain to use real nordic skis and experience groomed trails. The kids loved this experience, especially the hot chocolate at the end.
Special thanks to Bear Lake, Betsie Valley, Buckley, Crystal Lake, Frankfort, Kennedy and Onekama for participating in this program.
And huge thanks to Share Winter, Manistee Community Foundation, PSIA Central Education Foundation and Every Kid Sports for helping to fund this important program.
