Great Bear Chase Countdown

The 36^th annual UP Health System Great Bear Chase is almost here! Conditions are looking great, with a packed base of 24” on the course and great temperatures leading up to Saturday, March 5^th.

Online registration will be open until midnight on Thursday, March 3. Last-minute registration will also be available at the Calumet Middle School from 4-8:30 p.m. the day before the race. Registration will not be accepted on race day. Save money by registering before prices increase on March 3rd.

To register now, visit http://www.greatbearchase.com/registration/.

2016 Great Bear Chase Race Details

Before you hang up your skis for the season, consider joining over 500 skiers by participating in one of the last ski events of the year. The Great Bear Chase has earned a reputation as a laid-back, skier-orientated weekend that allows skiers of all experience levels to finish their season with a high-quality event. Some highlights of this year’s race include:

• The 2016 Great Bear Chase will feature seven races: 50 km Skiathlon, freestyle and classic 50 km, 25 km and 10 km races.
• Return of the 50 km Skiathlon – the 50km Skiathlon features a combined competition of 25 km of classic skiing followed by 25 km of freestyle skiing. The Great Bear Chase 50km Skiathlon is part of the CXC Marathon Cup.
• Handcrafted awards – a tremendous amount of time and effort has gone into the creation of numerous race awards. Over 100 wood carved skis will be given to 1^st place finishers in all age groups. Unique copper awards will be given to overall male and female winners of each race in addition to top 10 male and top 5 female finishers in the 50K Freestyle. To see a detailed breakdown of the age groups visit our race guide at http://www.greatbearchase.com/race-guide/.
• T-shirt swag – all participants will receive a cool 2016 Great Bear Chase dri-wicking t-shirt. Both men’s and women’s sizes will be available.
• Races will start an hour later than previous years with the 50 km Skiathlon kicking off the event at 9 m. EST and the 10 km skate race rounding out the starts at 10:00 a.m. EST
• Pasta Dinner – the Copper Country Meals on Wheels program will provide the spaghetti feed for participants and guests at the same location as Registration and Bib Pickup. The dinner is a benefit for this valuable program that serves almost 300 people daily. Talented cooks will be creating this pasta feast and the dedicated staff will be on hand to serve. The price is $10. Plan on enjoying a good meal with fellow skiers and fuel up for a great race!

We hope to see you at the 36^th annual Great Bear Chase on Saturday, March 5^th, 2016!