What Supporters Helped Us Accomplish This Past Year

• 4-Season Expansion & Bike Trail: Donors like Northbound Outfitters, Paddlehard Brewing, The Green family, The Folz family, The Mullins family, The Frame Family, and many others helped to bring the first mile of bike trail to the corner. The trail was built by Flowtrack out of Marquette.
• Equipment & Debt Management: Michael Bourassa donated $35,000 to pay off part of the groomer loan and $5,000 for a Tidd Tech to help spruce up the trails between Pisten-Bully Grooming. We were also able to pay off the remaining groomer loan to David Hubbard. Our only remaining debt is a $62,500 SBA loan from the low snow year of 23/24.
• New "1871 Fire Trail": We opened this new re-route to take part of the Pines loop trail off of Townline road, lengthening the loop slightly and moving it off a shared road with snowmobiles. It passes by the historic stumps from the great 1871 fire and features a fun downhill section.
• Storm Recovery: A generous anonymous donor allowed us to purchase a dump trailer and chainsaw chains needed to clear debris from the ice storm. Months of exhausting work cleared downed trees, widened several trail spots, and resulted in a better overall system layout.
• Infrastructure Improvements: Frank Nizio and Linda Allen donated funds for a snowmobile (for snowmaking and touch-up grooming), a heavy-duty shop hoist, costly air compressor repairs, a new diesel fuel tank, and a new shop furnace. Donors also funded a new shop AED.
• Facility & Flag Upgrades: Carole Mueller-Braumbaugh and Ernie Braumbaugh funded new shop carpeting and changing room materials (built by Blair Zordell, Glenn Goodman, Michael Bourassa, and Ann Wagar). The flag campaign brought 20 new poles, installed by Michael Bourassa. Donors also helped construct a new ski school wax room and purchase v-boards for race markings.

Improvements Slated for the 2026 Off-Season

• Skills Park & Jumps: Developing a youth skills park in the Lil’ Coaster/Linda’s Link area with grant funding from the Otsego County Community Foundation (Cwik Holly by Golly fund, Kiwanis, and Khonert Family Fund).
• DNR Trust Fund Grant: We submitted an application for a $400,000 grant (including a $120,000 match requirement) to construct 7 additional miles of bike trails, a changing station, a repair station, signs, and accessible parking. Procedural hurdles and site visits have passed successfully, with final recommendations arriving in early fall. Construction will be slated for Summer/Fall 2027.
• Ski Trail Adjustments: Working with a forester to implement a more gradual climb on Badlands via a "Two-Step re-route". Fine-tuning turns on Crybaby and Dorothy's Dip, alongside pending state approval for West-system improvements on Screamer, Hammerhead, and a safe access route to Interval Hill.
• Fencing Updates: Repairing the split-rail fence along County Road 612 and installing additional safety fencing at the Ridge exit to systematically direct skiers toward Linda's Link.
• Snowmaking Retrofit: Retrofitting old snowsticks to above-ground controls to simplify vault operations. Generously funded by Frank Nizio and Linda Allen.