Ridges' services
Ridges provides four season hikes, and winter skiing for small groups on a premier piece of property in Oceana County, West Michigan. Ridges is a place to escape modernity and embrace living deliberately.
Small groups
Your group will be the only paying tour clients on the property. You will enjoy the streams, springs, pond, ridges, valleys, meadows, wildlife, exercise, fresh air, forest bathing, all free from society's interruptions and at your own pace. Many people cannot even pick-up a cellular phone signal on the property. Trust me that is a good thing. You will enjoy a state park quality tour without the crowd and a break from the noise of modernity. There also is no restroom on property, so plan accordingly for the 2-3 hour tours.
Winter backcountry skiing
Ridges nestles squarely in a lake effect snow belt only a few miles from Lake Michigan. When the snow falls and the temperatures drop the cross-country skiing can be epic. All of my tours require you to bring your own cross-country ski gear. Ridges does not provide rental equipment. There are no groomed trails on property, but Brett will guide you through the property and break a trail for you. Be sure to dress in warm and cool enough clothing to stay comfortable in the variable Michigan weather and the physical effort required to cross country ski. At Ridges you are the ski lift. (Notice my attire at the right, but I didn't stop for a break and that was a 32 degree morning). This truly is a backcountry experience involving steep climbs, quick descents, and lengthy trails. You must possess basic skiing skill and a level of physical fitness to fully enjoy the tour. I can adjust the tour speed, vertical, and pacing to accommodate your needs and comfort. It's not a race, it's life.
Hiking
Hiking at Ridges shines like a multi-faceted diamond as each of nature's seasons brings different treasures to your experience. Spring warms the earth that sprouts countless wildflowers until the canopy opens in verdant splendor. The summer sounds of tree toads and crickets sooth the spirit and awaken the senses that long to taste the wild blackberries or step foot in the cool streams. Autumn waves her paintbrush across the foliage and frosts the breath of the herd of deer. Winter opens the landscape with views through the trees and snowflakes race across the open places to curl in drifts, cresting like frozen waves. Scheduled tours commence in all kinds of weather if roads are open enough for you to arrive. Only thunderstorms make me pause a tour. The hiking can be vigorous or laid back. We could amble or we could charge. We could stop and sit for a spell, snap pictures, or just breathe deeply in the oxygen rich air. Every hike is new, stands on its own, a moment in time not to repeat, so grab your camera, your sketchbook, your journal, your poetry because living deliberately means you traverse the world with a purpose all your own.
Custom tours
I fully recommend you contact me through text, email, or phone call prior to booking a tour. I am open to making your tour a memorable and enjoyable excursion you love for a lifetime. I will also likely have some questions to learn about you because you may never know what surprises await you at Ridges. I cannot wait to know you.
Are you ready to live deliberately?
Ask a question or express interest through email or text today.
