The handmade sleds flew down Montage Mountain on Friday for the annual Cardboard Classic.

MOOSIC, Pa. — At Montage Mountain in Scranton, engineering takes a back seat to imagination as the annual Preston and Steve’s Cardboard Classic takes over the slopes.

“It’s hilarious. We’re coming up for the weekend. We’re taking off work, we’re leaving everything important to do, to do some dumb stuff on the mountain. It’s fantastic,” said Dustin Ewuing, New Jersey.

It’s no easy feat to dream up these cardboard contraptions. It takes months to have this creativity come to life.

“Couple weeks, hours at a time, up late at night. Just finished it last night,” said Ryan Mauger, Montgomery County.

Some designs are fast, some creative, and some barely make it past the starting line. 

“The sleds do make it across the finish line some crash out on the way down. Which, to be honest, is the fun part. Right now, they’re wrapping up the fastest sled competition. We do the most decorative, we do most on theme, and the fastest ones, and those guys are zipping down the lanes right now,” said Kevin Morgan, Montage Mountain Director of Sales.

That’s part of the charm at Montage Mountain’s Mountainfest that keeps people coming back year after year.

“You have the concert, the race, and everyone’s creativity with the cardboard coming down. It’s pretty cool,” said David Seltzer, Reading.

Part of this year’s elaborate designs included sleds, toboggans, and even a flock of rotisserie chickens. But this poultry-powered team got a little cooked on the way down. 

“We fell. It broke apart, but we made it down. The conditions aren’t great for it. But we still got down there, and if you noticed, two chickens fell back in the sled,” said Ewuing.

But not every sled fell apart; the Care Bears’ colorful cardboard cruiser sped through the finish line as they raced towards redemption.

“It was the best thing to cross the line because we didn’t do that last year. We crapped out right towards the top. We didn’t do that this year. So this year, it was redemption,” said Kristen Marsh, Chester County.

As some cardboard and courage go a long way on this hill, even if the sled doesn’t.

Mountainfest continues on Saturday in Scranton. For more information, click here.