In Northern Michigan, daredevils wear Speedos and onesie pajamas.
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Each March, a plucky bunch of skiers and snowboarders try to hurtle themselves across a 4-foot-deep, 40-foot-long pond without getting soaked in the frigid 45-degree water. Most fail. But the 50-year Slush Cup tradition at Shanty Creek Resort is one of the best days of the season with wild costumes (so many Speedos); prizes for most epic crash, fastest time; and a crowd of cheering spectators reveling in the warmth of their dry clothing and the splashy scene unfolding in front of them.
“I think one of the most surprising elements for people is they don’t realize just how cold the water is,” says Marketing Director Lindsey Southwell, who has been at the resort, and a Slush Cup attendee, for 23 years. “You can see the shock on their face the instant they hit the water. It is cold.”
There are 80 participant slots, and they fill up every year no matter the weather conditions. This year’s shenanigans will take place on March 8.
Tips to Make it Across: Speed, more speed, tips up, lean back. Southwell has seen a lot of people hit the pond just fine, but they don’t have enough speed, so they sink on their feet. It’s much harder for snowboarders to make it across, but it’s definitely doable.
Memorable Crash: “Last year we had a snowboarder who hit the water wrong and sprayed the entire audience,” Southwell chuckles. “And that’s the thing I love about Slush Cup, it’s
really a spectator sport. There are plenty of people who are watching who are not skiers, and they come for the entertainment.”
Impressive Crossings: “A brother and sister made a tandem pair of skis with two sets of bindings, went down together and made it across. It was amazing,” Southwell says. “People going down backward is always a big accomplishment, too; there are one or two people who try to do that every year.”
