After nearly 80 years as a private ski club, Michigan’s Otsego Club will be fully open to the public for the winter of 2017-2018. Readers may remember that only a few years ago the future of the Club’s ski area was in jeopardy but thankfully they were able to reach a compromise allowing them to continue operating as a private ski club for several more years.

I was fortunate enough to have ridden at the Otsego Club on several occasions in the past when their terrain park may have been among the best in the Midwest. In 2010, The Otsego Club featured a 22’ superpipe which was built to host foreign Olympic teams who trained in norther Michigan ahead of the Vancouver games. But most people are probably not so familiar with the resort, so I reached out to them for detail on the upcoming transition, and exchanged a few emails with General Manager Mike Bedells.

About the Otsego Club

The Otsego Club is located in Gaylord, Michigan, an area known for lake effect snow which averages 155” per winter. Situated just East of town, the ski area boasts a vertical rise of 400 feet and covers 136 skiable acres served by 5 chairlifts (3 double, 1 triple, 1 quad). Plenty of lodging options available at the resort, as well as in Gaylord and the surrounding area, at any price point.

Terrain Offerings and Capacity

When the ski area was members only, part of the appeal was no crowds and no lift lines. According to Bedells, The Otsego Club is capable of handling about 2,500 guests per day during the ski season, and they don’t anticipate any challenges with capacity or congestion as they open the slopes to the public this year.

Bedells confirms that the O-Park will remain a focus for the resort, “but not anywhere near 2010 when we had the 22 foot super pipe,” and they will still have three different parks around the resort. When I rode there last, they also had a 6′ mini pipe, here’s to hoping they build that again! The resort has made infrastructure improvements in the off-season, too:

For the latest updates, follow @agnarchy on Facebook:

We have purchased 3 new groomers this season and 30 new snow guns to make sure that we have the best product possible.

Otsego Club Lift Ticket Rates

Mike has confirmed pricing for the 2017-2018 winter as follows: Season passes are available for early-bird discount at $449 through November 15. After November 15, prices increase to $499. Individual adult day passes will go for $65. Additional rate details & lift hours can be found here.

Service and Amenities

Open to the public is really open to the public. All of the resorts lodging and dining facilities will be available, in addition to the slopes.

So what can you expect in terms of service, amenities, etc., and what will set the Otsego Club apart from other Northern MI resorts?

There will be something for everyone. Food service will be available with table side service, cafeteria style and grab and go. Skiing will be much like other resorts with groomed trails, glade skiing, and terrain parks. Guests will be able to purchase a season pass or daily lift tickets. We have a full service rental department with ski, snowboard, snowshoe and helmet rental. We have several food outlets and bars. We have 6 miles of cross country and snowshoeing. We are still intent on giving all of our guests the same service and experience that we have been giving our members since 1939.

Looking Ahead

This is good news for skiers and snowboarders in Michigan, as The Otsego Club presents another option for their winter recreation and vacations. Uphill capacity may be a concern in the future, but for now I think the only real challenge facing The Otsego Club will be awareness amidst the nearby competition: Northern Michigan is already densely populated with public ski areas, including Treetops (only a few miles away), Nub’s Nob, Boyne Highlands, Boyne Mountain, and Shanty Creek Resorts (all within an hour’s drive). Making significant headway among those competitors could prove difficult, but on the other hand, skiers & snowboarders may eschew the more popular resorts in hopes of finding new terrain and shorter lift lines at the Otsego Club.

I’m going to try and find a weekend to drag the wife & kids, and maybe some friends, up to experience The Otsego Club this winter. If you’ve never visited there, make plans to check it out before everyone else does, it should be a great alternative to some of the other more-crowded northern Michigan resorts.