Tag: Course

2023 Iceman Course

The Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association has been riding, racing and assisting with Iceman course prep for many years, but 2023 marks the first year that NMMBA has officially taken the course reins for this iconic event.  Tom White, trail development lead and NMMBA board member could not be more excited.  We tapped into his insights and designs for the 2023 course and beyond.  We got an earful and lots to share with racers, volunteers, spectators and weekend trail users. 

In the continuing evolution of the Iceman course, NMMBA’s first move was to talk to the founding father of the Iceman, Steve Brown to get his take on how the course and the race has evolved over the decades.  The goal of NMMBA is to maintain the Iceman legacy while keeping up with forestry plans, weather patterns and ever changing forest users and uses.  Thirty years ago the forest between Kalkaska and Timber Ridge was a seldom used network of leaf covered logging roads with some classic Northern Michigan sand traps along the way.  Today, we are sharing the woods with so many other users  and it is a great thing but presents challenges for those pedaling under their own power.  These realities shaped our goals into three buckets:  a safe/rideable course, a sustainable course and a more mountain bikie course.  Roadie body suits, slicks, drop bars and aero helmets are cool and all, but we want to build a course where those things hang in the closet till spring.

So what does the 2023 Iceman course look like?  It breaks down like this:

The start is largely unchanged.  Getting 5000 bikes sorted out and moving rhythmically through the first 3 miles of the race is a huge challenge and keeping the start safe and preventing racer pile ups in the first two minutes is the goal.  To accomplish this we brought in gravel and strategically pulled off sand and placed gravel to allow two lanes wherever we could.  We also created a center mound between lanes to discourage spontaneous and sketchy lane changes that create pile ups.  Nobody wins the race in the first mile, but crashing yourself or others out can lose the race and the ride experience in an instant.

As racers pass through the Dockery Road intersection the course and soil transitions into more luscious loam and delicious single track flavor.  At this point the starting line butterflies are gone and riders are well into their groove and should be traveling with their race day mates.  The single track pieces in this section are mostly flat to down hill and should allow racers to flow and even take advantage of a little recovery.  It should be noted that no single track was added simply for the thrill of it.  Every piece of single track eliminates hub deep sand sections that are no fun for anyone.  Make it Stick is back after the forest management of last year and is in excellent shape.  Be sure to listen for the drumbeats as you climb through that section.  The Hero Section gets chopped into two halves with the first half being replaced by the downhill berms of Uncle Tom’s Cabin as you skirt around the newly and artistically harvested section of beech, ironwood and maple.  The second half of the Hero Section now incorporates a unicorn of a grassy two track with a single hot line through it.  Finally, the Hero Section finishes with a new downhill/flat section of single track known was Tighty Whitie as it glides between two large white oaks as it takes racers off a busy and sandy ORV trail. 

After Broomhead Road the course picks up speed as racers turn left into the newly added Time Saver Two Track.  This is a sand-free two track with a mild hump and drop off that is just enough to make you smile.  The Time Saver 2T transitions into – you guessed it – the Time Sucker Single Track.  The Time Sucker ST is 100% flat and full of turns as it routes racers around a nearly impassible section of sandy gas line trail. 

The next sections are known as the Three Sisters with one sister that is more popular than the others.  However, we added a Step Sister to the mix this year and eliminated a major wash out that would have required most to push their bikes.  The Step Sister is only half the length of a football field, but infinitely better than pushing a bicycle in the lead up to the Williamsburg Road crossing.

As the echoes of the announcer at Williamsburg Road fade racers will notice mile 18 on the dashboard and feel the comfort of the familiar 25K classic Iceman route and the final 10 ish miles until racers get to dance with Steve Brown’s perennial serpentine finish.  Be sure to leave some legs before that for the hills of Boonenberg, Anita’s, the Ice Crusher Climb (CC climb), Wood Chip Hill and the final Icebreaker Climb.

The Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association is honored to be partnered with the absolutely fantastic Iceman group of volunteers, the Michigan DNR, the racers, event sponsors and the Cherry Festival Foundation.   Without which this incredible event would not be even remotely possible.  It must also be noted the entire race from Kalkaska to TC travels entirely on public/state land.  This is the only way this race could exist.  Only the first 60 seconds at the race start and the final 2 minutes at the race finish are on private lands.  Every other inch of the course takes place on shared use public land where hunting, motorsports, hiking, horseback riding, camping and forestry management are ongoing.  Please enjoy the entire 2023 Iceman event while keeping in mind we are all sharing a common space with many other equally important users and uses.

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2021 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Course Information

It’s the Year of the Bear.

This year, the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge is about coming back together. 2020 and much of 2021 saw the unprecedented overuse of the word “unprecedented”, and everything that went along with a global pandemic certainly put the importance of a bike race into perspective.

Suffice it to say that, in the nearly two years since we’ve welcomed 5,000 of our friends to Traverse City for a ride from Kalkaska to Traverse City, we’ve had plenty of time to think about how our race fits not into our lives but into the lives of our racers. We hope this is event, and every mountain bike ride you fit into your busy life, is an indulgence. Even as things get busier, don’t find time, make time to do the things you love with the people you love. We hope that includes pedaling through the Pere Marquette Forest every November, but no matter what that passion is, pursue like a group of riders ten seconds ahead of you on the course.

The Course

That brings us back to the topic at hand. 2019 saw one of the toughest editions of the race yet, with more elevation than any previous course and, at 32 miles, one of the longest Iceman races ever. Some people loved it. Some people hated it. Some people loved it until they hit the twin peaks of Headwaters, then they hated it. Of course, we also had some abysmal weather to deal with, which led to a record-level of rider evacs.

That was 2019. This is 2021. One of our main priorities is to keep this race fresh and different every single time we send you from K-Town to TC. This year’s course is almost a polar opposite of 2019, and we’ll preface it with this: if this year’s course doesn’t suit your “characteristics”, don’t worry. Next year probably will. Or the next year. Or the next year. Real racers race whatever course is put in front of them with the understanding that everyone is facing the same challenges.

The Start

We are back at the Kalkaska Airport this year and we’ll be making the most of the able runway the Village of Kalkaska provides us. We’ll be sending riders off a bit more directly this year, with a bit less “hemming-and-hawing”, as some would describe it. As always, it’s a drag race to get to the woods, with riders staying on the two-track this year all the way to where we re-join the course near JZ’s Party Zone.

There are still plenty of places to pass and make up ground as riders hit Smith Lake Road and the long two-track that eventually brings riders to Dockery.

Dockery to Williamsburg

Ain’t much changed here, the only big alteration from 2019 is that we’re going down the old Water Bottle Hill and staying off the newer bypass singletrack. The goal here is to avoid too much singletrack at this point in the race; according to our math and spreadsheets, the biggest percentage of one wave catching the wave ahead of It (not the first riders, mind you, but the bulk of riders) happens between 37 minutes and 45 minutes. That’s right here for a lot of riders, so keeping it as open as possible is the best way to reduce back-ups that create more back-ups in Make It Stick.

Once across Dockery, Make It Stick is the most selective climb of the race; whoever you’re with over the top is likely who you’ll race with along Sand Lakes Road and all the way to the Vasa.

That comes quickly after crossing Broomhead and hitting the longest section of singletrack of the race. Even for faster riders, it’s nearly 10 minutes of singletrack; if there’s a point in the race to really position for, this is it.

The Vasa and the Finish

After crossing Williamsburg Road, it’s just a few miles to the Vasa. Folks, we’re going left. We were going to go left at the Rock last year, but, pandemic. This is a huge change in the race because it takes away the ripple of climbs preceding the Boonenberg and the Boonenberg itself, a climb that has been used by many a rider in every wave to make their move.

Instead, it’s a flat, fast drag race toward Timber Ridge that is largely downhill until we take a right at the 25K/Special K split. That’s a long, gradual climb to the 10K, followed by another series of long, gradual power climbs the next 25K/10K split. You might immediately spot that there’s no Anita Hill this year. Why? We’ve done it every year. Let’s do something different.

There are still plenty of places to make a move for the Pros, and in a lot of ways, it will make the final 10km of the race even sharper. The non-stop rolling, punchy climbs from the Vasa CC Climb, plus the return of Madeleine’s Trail, all lead into Icebreaker.

We will have to take a closer look at the Timber Ridge finish as we get closer because Gordon has been spending a lot of time playing in the dirt at the camp. You’ll see his handiwork this fall!

Overall, this is a course for bears. One rider that comes to mind is Dan Korienek. It’s about power and the brutish application of strength not just for a few punchy moments but for long stretches. The course is under 30 miles again, with 1,200 feet of climbing, give or take a few to the GPS gods. It will also make for possibly bigger groups of riders than years past, which, should make it more fun; you can ride alone any day, but Iceman should be about racing whether it’s for first or not-last.

Finally, I think this also makes for a more tactical race, but not a negative one. Riders in the hunt for wins across the waves will need to balance their contribution to the group and be aggressive earlier in the race than in previous editions of the race. Leave it late, and it could be a crowded bunch you’re trying to get rid of.

You can nab the file and get it downloaded to your GPS and make sure you keep an eye out for some fall Out’n’Backs this month!

For The Fun Of It: The 2020 Course

Last week, we made the call. No doubt the announcement that this year’s Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge wouldn’t happen disappointed a lot of people, but we’ve been overwhelmed by the positive calls, emails, and text messages in the days since our racers heard the news. Your support has made a very tough time so much better, and we can’t thank you enough for the donations and kind words.  Continue reading “For The Fun Of It: The 2020 Course”

30th Annual Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge Takes Off!

30th Annual Bell's Iceman Cometh Challenge Takes Off!

July. The very height of summer in Northern Michigan. Hot days, warm nights, searing sun and plenty of time between now and November 2…or so you’d think! Today, we had our first full staff meeting to bring you the 30th Annual Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge. From logistics, security, course marketing, shoot, even where we’ll put the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, the first thing I’ve learned over the past six months is that there isn’t a detail, idea, or improvement that we leave to chance! 

One of the biggest things that makes Iceman so exciting are those little changes to the schedule or course. Starting in August, racers are putting in Out’n’Backs to scout out that new turn, climb, or descent that might give them the edge, or at least buy them a handful of seconds. Those recon rides are a part of the buzz, the excitement of the race, and a fixture for locals and a real treat for folks who make the drive to Traverse City to see the course for themselves.

Well, for the 30th ‘gala’, as Steve “Iceman” Brown has taken to calling it, we’ve cooked up something big. I was going to start this announcement with a pun, the best (worst) of which follow below:

  • I hope this new idea has wings!
  • The new start venue has taken off! 
  • 2019 will see all new heights! 

Due to the number of eye-rolls, however, I’ll just let this parachute down and land on you: we’re moving the start venue to the Kalkaska Airport! The Village of Kalkaska has been such an incredible host for years, and when we sat down about the move, they were way ahead of us. Not only was it on their radar, but it was also on their to-do list! They’ll be making some changes to allow for all of our parking, bus drop off, rider drop off, start chute and over a mile of the course to all easily fit on the airstrip! 

The move to the airport, from a racer’s perspective, achieves a lot of good. Logistically, every aspect of race morning will be easier; you’ll be able to park close to the start, warm-up on dirt roads, watch your friends take off (another pun, you’re welcome) for over a mile, and have access to vendors for your support crew. We’ve got packet pick-up and the Pancake Breakfast within site of the start banner, plus Porta Johns right where they’re handy as you line up. 

Additionally, the start has plenty of time to shake out. Since the move to the Fairgrounds, the Iceman start in every wave has felt a bit like riding in a mob of Black Friday shoppers; there’s not much of a lead-in before you slam into a narrow opening. It’s made the opening two minutes of the race more important than ever, but that can be frustrating when you’ve spent months training, just to get buried on the first bit of singletrack. 

Instead, you’ll have nearly a mile and a half of wide, fast riding on grass, gravel, and a bit of paved runway to sort yourselves out before slashing across Island Lake Road and onto a wooded two-track. You’ll have another three-quarters of a mile until you see singletrack, giving each wave roughly two miles to shake things out. The first ten minutes still matter a lot, but you’re going to slot in where you deserve to be. 

We’ve got a lot more to come about the race over the next few months, and we’ll be sure to keep you updated about some exciting stuff from Bell’s Brewery, Trek Bikes, and everything Iceman Cometh Challenge. Are you getting ready for November 2? You better be!

Course updates from NMMBA

Course updates from NMMBA

As the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association works to bring you the best Iceman Cometh Challenge course possible, we’re providing updates on current conditions through race day!

What a difference a week makes! Even with some warm temperatures, we saw just enough rain over the past ten days to have a huge impact on the course. In mid-to-late September, sand was the word, as it always is in early fall. This year was no different, and perhaps a touch worse; sections from Kalkaska to Dockery Road were, in the opinions of many, some of the slowest we’ve ever seen!

Luckily, a mix of cold nights and rain have gotten the course into great shape, and aside from the infamous sand pits that you just know are coming, there’s nothing out there that will make you feel like you’re at the beach.

Tom and the crew were out putting in the finishing touches on the new Water Bottle Hill Bypass. That new section of trail is bench cut and riding faster and faster every week. While it does criss-cross the old bypass, you won’t have any trouble staying on the right trail thanks to a few blue flags places at all the pertinent intersections. While the segment is too close to the previous trail to be accurate, this should give you a good look at where the bypass is on the course.

Another big confirmation from the weekend is that we’ll stick with the same Wall Bypass used in the 2017 edition race, taking a long, lazy bend left before the Wall and hopping on a few bits of two-track and singletrack before rejoining the 25km just about a half-mile from the infamous Boonenberg climb. That one-two punch is always tough, especially after a few fast miles from Williamsburg Road and onto the 25km itself.

Finally, the finale. While it’s unmarked and very tough to follow at the moment, you can count on a serpentine, sinuous sprint through some winding singletrack from the time you enter Timber Ridge, nearly leave it entirely, then come back to the line after going over and under two shipping containers!

While plenty of people were out enjoying the course, Melissa from Michigan Mountain Biking Association was at Timber Ridge helping put on the Iceman Clinic this past Saturday. 30 riders got a little instruction and a lot of confidence ahead of race day, and were treated to hot brats, chips, and a great time by MMBA and Keen Technical Solutions.