Mt. Holiday Launches Retired Recess Social Ski Program for 50+

Mt. Holiday in Traverse City has introduced Retired Recess, a new weekly social and recreation program aimed at adults age 50 and over. The resort announced the program on Jan. 3 and will begin hosting Retired Recess every Thursday from noon to 4 p.m., with the first session on Jan. 8.

Organizers describe the offering as a welcoming place for older residents to socialize, ski, eat, and spend time with peers. During Retired Recess hours participants will be offered discounted lift tickets and rental equipment, and the program will feature guest speakers on the fourth Thursday of January, February and March. For those who prefer indoor activities, the resort is making space for cards, games, movie viewings and meals at the T Bar. Participants can find a Retired Recess group on Facebook to coordinate attendance.

For Grand Traverse County, the program serves several local objectives. It expands recreational options for a demographic often overlooked by outdoor recreation programs and creates predictable midweek traffic for the resort and its on-site food and beverage operations. Weekday midday programming can help smooth the pronounced seasonality of ski-area demand, converting historically lower-utilization hours into steady, targeted activity. That matters to nearby businesses that see spillover spending on dining, fuel and small goods when community members visit the hill.

Retired Recess also responds to broader trends in aging and leisure. Many older adults maintain active lifestyles and discretionary income, and recreation providers increasingly design weekday programs to attract them. For individuals, the program offers a social outlet that can mitigate isolation and encourage physical activity during winter months. For the resort, discounted lift tickets and rentals are a revenue-management tool: lower headline prices for off-peak hours can stimulate additional purchases of food, rentals and lessons, enhancing overall per-visitor spending even as ticket revenue per customer declines.

Local policymakers and service providers may see ancillary benefits: increased demand for accessible transportation to midweek activities, opportunities for senior-focused health and safety programming on the slopes, and potential partnerships with community organizations that serve older residents. Those connections could improve access for residents without private transportation and help ensure programming is inclusive of varying mobility levels.

Practical details: Retired Recess runs Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m., begins Jan. 8, offers discounted lift tickets and rentals during that window, and schedules guest speakers on the fourth Thursday of January, February and March. Indoor options include cards, games, movies and meals at the T Bar. Residents interested in attending can locate the Retired Recess group on Facebook for updates and coordination.