By Clay Diggins: The Gift of a Lifetime ― For You & Forever! The Unique Hearts of ABR’s Eric Anderson & Angela Santini

Clay Diggins

This story first appeared in the November issue of Silent Sports Magazine and has since been updated with new information and links!

Make sure to check out:

• The QR Code and Founder’s Circle Wall at the End of the Story!
• The New ABR Foundation Website, Link Provided Below, Including Video of Jessie Diggins & Her Favorite Memory of ABR!

Not long ago, I got a call from my daughter Jessie who told me that she had been contacted by the owners of ABR Ski Touring Center in Ironwood, Michigan. The owners, Eric Anderson and Angela Santini, explained their dream for the future of a newly formed non-profit Foundation, The Anderson Bluffs and River Trails Foundation, and wanted to know if she could lend her support.

Eric and Angela laid out their plan to donate their land, equipment, and buildings to a newly formed nonprofit Foundation. In other words, the plan is to gift their entire life’s work and ask nothing in return. Their plan intends to preserve ABR as a ski touring center for generations to come.

Jessie’s immediate answer of course was, “Absolutely. How can I help?” Her reaction was consistent with that of just about everyone who had heard this story.

Who Does That?

First of all, who would give away a thriving business without asking for a penny in return?

The answer to that question lies in the history and development of ABR and the culture that has formed around it. Eric was born and raised on the family land where the trailhead sits and his connection to the land is strong. His great-great grandparents were Finnish immigrants homesteading in the area. After graduating with an engineering degree from Michigan Tech in Houghton, Michigan, Eric spent a decade working in the corporate environment, but his heart was not in it. He longed to be back on the land. So, in 1995, he took his savings and 401k and plowed them into forming a business on the family property with his father, Dave. They called the venture exactly what they intended the experience to be for their customers:

Active Backwoods Retreat. ABR, for short.

The first trails were built literally by hand, with axes and saws, and the trails were groomed by snowshoe, but Eric’s engineering background led him on a quest to master the art of trail design and grooming. Over the decades, Eric has become known as one of the top trail groomers in the country and his grooming clinics are attended by groomers from across North America.

Magic Everywhere

From humble beginnings, ABR has grown into a special place. Eric married Angela Santini in 1998 and together they grew the facilities as time and money allowed. Today, ABR is ranked as one of the top touring centers in the country, with 100K of perfectly groomed trails on 1,100 acres along the beautiful Montreal River.

Rustic trailside cabins have been a hit along with the woodfired sauna. The trailhead building has a full-service ski shop with ski and snowshoe rentals. The ski experience has always been the priority. Two PistenBully groomers and a fleet of snowmobiles are out in the wee hours every morning to ensure the tracks and corduroy are ready for when skiers arrive.

ABR sits in the snowbelt just south of Lake Superior and receives nearly 200 inches of snow annually. The snow comes early and stays late, making for a long season. It’s common for ABR to report firm, deep tracks when many trail systems to the south are still brown. This has made ABR the go-to place for early and late-season skiing. The trail system is extensive and has something for everyone. Novice skiers and elite racers alike will find terrain that suits their skill level. Anyone who has skied at ABR will tell you that the trails have a unique flow.

You also don’t need to leave your dog at home. There is an entire network of dog-friendly trails for skijoring. And after a day of great skiing, you can choose to grab your snowshoes and head out on the bluffs to watch the sunset from one of the many snowshoe trails.

The classic singletrack trails draw raves. Some say there is magic involved in the experience of winding your way through the woods along these narrow corridors beside the bluffs and under the hemlocks.

But Why Give It Away?

After three decades of building ABR into one of the premier ski touring centers in the country, Eric and Angela faced the question of what the future of their life’s work should be. There were no family members in a position to continue the operation. Meanwhile, Eric’s health was forcing the couple to plan for a transition. In his early twenties, Eric was successfully treated for cancer, but his heart was left in a weakened condition. He managed this condition throughout his life, but a cardiac event in 2018 eventually led to major surgery in 2023 to rebuild his heart. The good news is that Eric is doing well in his recovery and is looking forward to the upcoming ski season. He will be staying on with the Foundation as chief groomer, enjoying time in his happy place, the cab of the PistenBully.

Eric told me, “It was an easy decision to put ABR into the Foundation. Someone else might change the direction and that is not what we intended.”

What was an easy decision for Eric and Angela certainly flew in the face of the usual model of building up a business and then cashing out. But to Eric and Angela, the value of the ABR legacy is priceless; no amount of cash could compare with that.

The community surrounding ABR has called the move The Gift of a Lifetime. It’s certainly more than generous. This amazing gesture cements the future of ABR’s legacy for generations to come.

New Name / New Exec. Director

The name of the new organization is Anderson Bluffs and River Trails Foundation, ABR Trails Foundation for short. The Foundation recently hired its first Executive Director, Jay Sween. Check out Jay’s bio on the website. Go to: https://abrtrails.com/about/staff-board.

This season, Jay will be on the trails most days to greet and get to know ABR skiers. Eric and Angela are enthusiastic about helping Jay learn the nuances of running the business. You’ll find Angela in the trailhead and ski shop while Eric will be in either the PistenBully or the ticket booth.

Eric and Angela shared this about Jay joining as the Executive Director:

We are really excited to have Jay Sween join our team this fall to get ready for ski season and we look forward to working with Jay this winter and helping him learn the ski business. It is a big relief for us to see that the Foundation has found a great director to carry on after our 30-year run. We have both known Jay for many years from being a season pass holder and skiing at ABR.

Olympian Jessie Diggins’ Favorite Memory at ABR

Check out Jessie Diggin’s Favorite memory of ABR, including video, via the ABR’s new, fun, and informative website. Read about and watch Jessie’s video and then take the full ABR website tour right here: 

abrtrails.com/blog/olympian-jessie-diggins-favorite-memory-at-abr

Ground Floor Opportunity ― For You!

As people have learned about the new Foundation and its vision of sustaining ABR’s legacy, there has been an outpouring of support. Transitions like this don’t happen often within the ski community and many are asking how they can get involved.

The Founder’s Circle fundraising campaign has been initiated to give skiers the opportunity to show their support and get in on the ground floor of the Foundation. For a limited time, donors who meet the Founder’s Circle criteria will have their name etched permanently on the Founder’s Circle wall displayed prominently at the trailhead. They will also be given a limited-edition gift with the exclusive Founder’s Circle logo.

What it means is this: In my experience, the ski community comes together to support organizations that align with their values and offer meaningful experiences. Organizations that support the silent sports lifestyle are worth being a part of. Related organizations that have flourished and become secure as nonprofits include the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation in Hayward, the Loppet Foundation in Minneapolis, and the Minnesota Youth Ski League. These organizations are highly admired for the role they play within the ski community. My sincere hope is to see ABR Trails Foundation become part of this continuum and be admired for staying true to its roots. Operating under the nonprofit umbrella lays the groundwork for a bright future and sustained legacy of ABR.

When Jessie was young, the ABR experience played a key role in developing her passion for cross-country skiing. Wonderful memories have been made while cruising the ABR trails with family and friends. Jessie is eager to support the new Foundation knowing she will be able to bring her kids there one day.

The Diggins family has been a huge fan of ABR for decades and I am thrilled to know that the Foundation is in place to preserve the trails and culture into the future. You’ll see our name on the Founder’s Circle Wall.

Please consider joining us on the Founder’s Circle Wall, and on the trails!

Check out this QR Code to learn more about the Founder’s Circle campaign. Or click on:

https://abrtrails.com/donate/foundation-circle

This is a ground floor opportunity to support the new ABR Trails Foundation. You can email your questions about donating treasure / money, volunteering your talents (or in kind), or time to the Foundation, and discuss your own win-win ground floor solution with the Foundation, please email [email protected].