Graphics by xmatic technical services. Photos courtesy of Adam P. Griffis.
Back for 2013 is the Great Bear Chase Snow Bike Race! With that, your weekend is now planned. Arrive Friday, ski Saturday, bike Sunday!
The second annual Great Bear Chase Snow Bike Race will take place Sunday, March 10 on the Swedetown Trails, same place as the Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon. Just like the ski race, the Snow Bike Race is taking advantage of one of the few areas in the Midwest still snowy enough in March to host an event of this nature. We’re expecting the trails to be hard and fast on Sunday morning. There are two races for this year, a 14k and a 25k.
Do you have questions about Snow Bike Racing? Well, here’s some basics. Participants use specially designed bikes with wider tires to fly through the trails at an extremely high pace. All of the excitement of racing, all of the excitement of bicycling and all the beauty of the Swedetown Trails come together as a mass start gets the bikers going.
The snow bike race is only open to full-fledged snow bike with a minimum tire width of 3.7”. New for 2013, the Swedetown Trails are allowing snow bikes on the course every Tuesday for what they call “Fat Tuesday!” Check back to this website often for a list of other places around Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula for training.
Vital Information About Race
| Race Length | Age Groups | Start Time | Fee (Paid by 3/10) | Fee (Paid on 3/10) |
| 14 Kilometer | Under 40 and 40+ | 9:50 a.m. | $25 (register) | $35 |
| 25 Kilometer | Under 40 and 40+ | 10 a.m. | $25 (register) | $35 |
Registration
Online registration through Active.com is now open.
Download the Registration form PDF and mail it in with a check.
For the latest updates on the event, RSVP on Facebook.
Questions?
Contact Race Director Pat Szubielak – snowbike@greatbearchase.com
History
The Great Bear Chase Snow Bike Race was added in 2012. In its inaugural year, the race was branded as the Midwest Snow Bike Championships, and featured several dozen participants on the beautiful backwoods Swedetown Trails. The race was meant to add more excitement to the Great Bear Chase weekend by allowing an additional group of outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the trails. This event marks the only time of the year that snow bikes are allowed on the majority of the course.
| Year | Results | Photos | Other Media |
| 2012 | Click Here (PDF) | Photos courtesy of Adam P. Griffis | Report from TV6 |
| 2013 | Click Here (PDF) | Photos courtesy of U.P. Panorama | Trail Genius Video+GPS Map Report from TV6 |
