Nearly 2,500 cyclists and 4,000 spectators from across the U.S. and Canada turned out for the 2005 Iceman Cometh, the 27-mile race through the forest near Traverse City in November. Riding a mountain bike at top speed through the pine forests of northern Michigan isn’t everybody’s idea of a good time – especially through a blinding blizzard.
But for some hardy competitors, Traverse City’s annual Iceman Cometh Challenge is about as close to pure delight as a cyclist can get. Over the past 17 years, this grueling 27-mile free-for-all through the Pere Marquette State Forest has become the biggest single-day mountain-bike race in the world.
Every November, competitors from all over the U.S. and Canada gather in this picturesque northern Michigan resort area (better known for its summer beaches and golf courses) to participate in one of the strangest and most grueling cold-weather events in off-road bicycle racing.
When founder Steve “Iceman” Brown organized the first race in 1990, only 35 riders showed up to compete, but by 2005, the event was attracting almost 2,000 registered competitors, nearly 500 junior racers and another 4,000 spectators from 30 U.S. states and the province of Ontario. Competition for the 2,000 available slots is almost as fierce as the rivalry on the trail; 2006 roster was filled in January, four days after Iceman officials started accepting applications.
“It would probably be even larger if we didn’t limit it,” said Brown.
What’s the lure? Sheer adventure, unpredictable weather, and a course whose natural beauty is only exceeded by its orneriness. From its starting point in the backwoods town of Kalkaska, the Iceman route dips and climbs through the forest along two-track lumber roads, abandoned railroad beds, and the route of the North American Vasa cross-country ski race, crossing only a single paved road before reaching the finish line at Traverse City’s Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort.
From year to year (and sometimes hour to hour) the course can be anything from dry and hot, to ice-slicked and muddy. Some Iceman races –2005, for example — have been almost balmy, but it’s not unusual for rain, mud, sleet and as much as five inches of snow to be among the hazards of the course. (There’s been snow on the ground for about half of the races.)
27 GRUELING MILES THROUGH THE GREAT NORTH WOODS
“The spectator base has been growing year by year, too,” added race spokeswoman Susan Wilcox Olson. “And I think that’s due to the nature of the competitors themselves. These aren’t just the elite riders; most of them are recreational cyclists who bring a real ‘weekend warrior’ feel to the race. It’s a big party for them and their friends.”
Competitors, who include both amateurs and professionals, compete for more than $23,200 in cash prizes and $10,000 in merchandise. Last November, the Iceman was also selected as the site of the first annual Midwest Regional Championship, which means that division champions from Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio competed against each other at Iceman for the 2006 regional title.
“The Iceman, as the largest single day mountain bike event in North America, provides a great venue for this event, and the November date is well after the conclusion of all participating state series,” said Ryan O’Dell of the Ohio Mountain Bike Championship series.
For those whose competitive instincts aren’t quite so extreme, race organizers also put together a pair of less punishing events during the same weekend, the Traverse Slush Cup is a “half-frozen” version of the Iceman that offers beginner and recreational riders the chance to test their skill on an eight mile course. For younger competitors, there’s the Traverse Sno-Cone, a free trail event for 100 youngsters between the ages of two and 12. Once the races are over, the North American bike season officially comes to an end with the Ice Capades Awards Ceremony, held in the Michigan Ballroom at the nearby Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
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