Mike King had fallen into a good routine. He’d spend his summers and falls working on his family’s farm in Michigan, scraping together just enough cash to spend his entire winter and spring skiing in faraway places. His career was taking off. He was gaining notoriety and getting sponsorships. Then, COVID shut the world down and King’s momentum ground to a halt.
Suddenly uncertain, his sponsors weren’t planning big trips for ski shoots. Travel was complicated. Organizing any event, project, or gathering was almost impossible. So King had to find other ways to scratch his skiing itch.
The Teton Gravity Research (TGR) film “Lake Effect, A Michigan Ski Film” follows King as he rediscovers the untapped terrain and ski culture in his home state of Michigan. It documents how he and his friends and family scratched a ski season out of the Midwest winter, building jumps, tearing up tiny resorts, and venturing out in search of backcountry terrain where few skiers have gone before.
From backyard kicker sessions to shredding sand dunes and learning from masters of the region, King uses creativity, curiosity, and his undying love for the sport to find his bearings and keep his skiing fire stoked. Check out “Lake Effect, A Michigan Ski Film,” the latest from TGR. It’s a feel-good ski movie about recognizing what’s important in life and taking your chances to seize upon it.
Runtime: 36 min.