Winter Fun

Hanson Hills Recreation Area hosted a variety of outdoor winter events on Saturday, February 4, during Blizzardfest.

Hanson Hills offered normal downhill skiing and tubing operation on Saturday, and Blizzardfest also featured a cornhole tournament, a big air competition, a cardboard sled box race, and an evening snowshoe hike, according to organizers.

Justin Andre, Director of Operations for Grayling Recreation Authority/Hanson Hills, said the second annual Blizzardfest cornhole event had fewer participants than last year but it had enough to conduct a short tournament. Tournament organizers left the boards in place after the event to allow people to play during the afternoon.

Andre said the big air competition had low participation numbers overall but it featured “a lot of talented kids” performing tricks and jumps off the ramps during the 10-minute “jam session” event.

The cardboard sled box race featured solid participation numbers and a good number of spectators, organizers said.

“I think it went really well,” Andre said. “Everybody followed the theme. We’ll definitely be doing it again next year.”

The theme this year was “military/first responders,” and the sled boxes – made of cardboard, duct tape, and color decorations – included nods to the military, the ski patrol, and firefighters. Participants ran the sled boxes down the learner hill and organizers timed them for the fastest sled award. A panel of judges picked a winner for the best design award.

Andre – after the cardboard sled box race – said Blizzardfest participants planned to end the day with an evening snowshoe hike featuring a campfire and s’mores.

Andre said the 2023 Blizzardfest event went well.

“Decent day. Weather turned out okay. It warmed up. Sun popped out,” Andre said. “It was a good day overall.”