Once in a while I’m torn about a post. A selfish part of me wants to keep it a secret, and the other half wants to share the stoke with others. This is one of those posts, but Searchmont Resort deserves to have the word spread- so here we are!

A few proud and persistant locals put Searchmont on my radar by bringing it up to Dave and me on Facebook or the snowboard forums that we frequent. I’d visit the website or glance at the trail map and put it in my “someday” box. As the season wound down and options became limited, the locals reminded me (again) that Searchmont was there and that I should go. I pitched the idea to my wife, she took the bait, and we hit the road for Searchmont’s closing weekend.

Getting to Searchmont

Searchmont’s location is probably the number one reason why it is such a hidden gem. In order to get there, you will need an enhanced license or passport to cross into Canada. If this is just a mental barrier for you, get over it- it only takes an extra hour to get to hotels in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (Soo, Canada) than it does to get to Boyne Highlands or Nubs in Harbor Springs. From the hotels, it is about 30 minutes to the mountain depending on weather. It’s worth the trip.

The Soo is easy- take 75 North until you cross into Canada. From there take Great Northern Rd/Trans Canada 17 north until you make a right onto Ontario-556. Take that road 15 miles until you hit the resort. The drive to Searchmont feels like a trip out west. 556 is a winding road nestled in a valley between rock-faced mountains. Yes, mountains.

Conditions

March 31st began with about 3 inches of fresh over hard-groomed, but the snow was falling hard and never stopped. An additional 5-6 inches fell between first and last chair, and it didn’t stop all night. April 1st was a legitimate pow day, with sections of untouched nearing knee-deep. Snow continued to fall through late morning.

About Searchmont Resort

Searchmont says: 700′ vertical drop serviced by 3 lifts, 21 named runs, 1 terrain park, and 100 acres of rolling natural terrain.

Sam says: Ignore what you see on the trail map, because it doesn’t do Searchmont any justice. The place just rides way bigger than it looks on a map. Steeper and longer on average than the runs in Michigan’s ski belt (Northern Lower Peninsula), Searchmont also has acres of tree riding and rocky cliff drops for riders of all levels.

Searchmont reminded me a lot of the terrain at Brighton Resort in Utah, with a Caberfae (MI) vibe and culture. The resort is pretty rustic. The base area has villas available for accomodations, and one cafeteria that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There’s also a bar with a few tap and bottle selections. I mentioned rustic- if you’re at the top and you really have to go to the bathroom- Searchmont has you covered:

Searchmont can be broken down into two distinct areas: The Triple Chair, and the Double/Quad Chairs.

The Triple Chair

The Triple is the first chair you see from the base area, and it services the only greens at Searchmont, along with some blue runs and the terrain park. The runs are long and rolling, and have a few opportunities to get sendy from hips and transitions. The green runs at Searchmont are similar to blue runs downstate Michigan, and blue runs are similar to metro-Detroit black diamonds. The runs are wide open, so even newer riders will be able to manage. I glanced at the terrain park, but didn’t dip in. It looked adequate from a distance- boxes, rails, etc. Honestly though, with all of the terrain at Searchmont, I’d save the park for those weeks without fresh snow.

The Double and Quad Chairs

This is where we spent 80% of our time riding Searchmont. You can get here by hiking a short distance from the cafeteria to the Double or by carrying speed and transitioning from ‘The Main’ to ‘Champs’ from the Triple Chair. This area is all blue and black runs, and it’s also where I found all of the good tree riding and drops. The drops that I saw ranged from a small 3 footer at the top of Goulais to this 6-8 foot drop (depending on send level) alongside Really Meally. I’ve seen edits that indicate that there are larger drops here, I just didn’t see them in my short time at Searchmont.

The tree riding at Searchmont is legit. We got our first taste of trees on by riding down Moose Difficult (locals call it the User Friendly) and dropping into the trees on the left about a 2/3 the way down. If you can’t handle the difficult moguls, ruts, and obstables on the User then don’t bother getting in the trees there, because you’re going to have a bad time.

Beginner trees can be found off of the Quad in the trees between Cougar Trax and Wolf’s Head. It’s labeled a black, but the trees are wide set and the terrain is mellow. More traditional glades can be found by exploring the trees between runs. On principal I refuse to guide you any further than that- find your own damn trees!

For another challenging run, look for Bear Claw. It’s a black diamond that isn’t very steep, but it’s ungroomed and wild. Deep moguls and drops and unexpected obstacles, but so fun in fresh snow.

Final Thoughts

We had a great time riding Searchmont, and I’m considering picking up a season pass for next year- especially because they have a reciprocity deal with Caberfae and Nubs Nob in Michigan.

Searchmont is steeper and longer on average than the Boynes, Nubs, and others in the Northern Lower Peninsula, and it feels a lot like being in the mountains out west. You forget that you’re just an hour north of typical midwest snowboarding. The terrain is rugged and interesting, and you’re covered if you’re looking for trees, cliffs, steeps, technical terrain, or any combination thereof. I am officially joining the chorus of locals: Go. To. Searchmont.

Lodging is available, but minimal, and apres ski options look limited near the resort. We stayed in Soo Canada, and had plenty of options for local craft, good food, and poutine. The drive from the hotel to the mountain is around 30 minutes, and the view along the way is worth every minute.

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