Video: First Tracks at Mount Mancelona

"You wanna ski ... go hike it"! These were the words that greeted me after knocking on the lodge door at Mt. Mancelona seven years ago. The late owner of Mt. Mancelona, Joe Omness, was a big man, with big dreams and an even bigger heart. Five years after his passing, I can't think of a better way to kick off the ski season than to lead a group of friends from Shaggy's on an adventure through the Mancelona backcountry. Blue bird skies and deep pow - I know Joe is looking down on us with a big smile. These tracks are for you Joe!"

-Dan Fredricks

On our never ending quest for snow, our ski adventures took us to Mount Mancelona, an abandoned ski area with a breath of new life. Ambassador Dan Fredricks guided us through the thick, overgrown slopes. Our first backcountry tracks of the 2017/18 season have now been laid and we're hungry for more.

We'd like to give a big shout out and special thanks to the new owner of Mount Mancelona, Sam Porter, for keeping the "Mountain of Dreams" alive and sharing his beautiful property with us! We're excited to see what Mount Mancelona will become!