Skiers looking for the best slopes may immediately think of Colorado or Utah, but there's also a plethora of slopes and ski resorts right here in Michigan. Professional skier Mike King, a Michigan native, spends most of his time skiing in the mountains but decided to head back to his roots for a new film project, "Lake Effect."
In partnership with Teton Gravity Research (TGR), the global leader in action and adventure lifestyle media, Mike King created the ski film exploring the untapped and underrated ski opportunities found in Michigan.
The idea for "Lake Effect" was born out of the 2020 pandemic year when King’s life on the road as a traveling professional skier came to a screeching halt. Unable to travel to the high peaks of the American West, he turned his focus closer to home and made an incredible discovery: all the adventure he could ever hope for was right out his back door.
King says "Lake Effect" is an ode to a place, to a local community, and to honoring his roots in the raddest way possible.
The film covers all unique ski areas in the state from inventive, only-in-Michigan skiing on sand dunes, to the King family orchard, to first descents in the Upper Peninsula backcountry. The snow varies from fresh powder to rotten sun-baked mank, but King and his crew give their all on every run.
The film is available to view on TGR's YouTube Channel.
