LANSING – Winter is right around the corner with events stacked up for the cold months.
Here are two tourism-and snow-focused events in the Upper Peninsula that might be worth your attention.
Ski Jumping Tournament: Jan. 16-18
The annual Ski Jumping Tournament, marking its 139th anniversary this winter, is hosted by the Ishpeming Ski Club every winter on the Dr. Martin Luther King’s holiday weekend at the UP Nordic Ski Complex.
The tournament lasts three days and starts on the K90 hill, also known as the “Suicide Hill,” followed by a cross-country ski race in the morning with Junior National Qualifiers on the K60 hill. Fans can enjoy the Target Jump event where competitors try to land as close as possible to a predetermined mark on the hill.
The final day features a Nordic combined ski race. The junior competitors close out the weekend in the Junior Ski Jumping Tournament, where young competitors from across the country participate.
“We have these athletes that come off the takeoff at around 60 mph, going about the length of a football field before they land,” said Ishpeming Ski Club Vice President Peter Copenhaver on TV 6.
The event is friendly for fans as it includes tailgating, food trucks and a firework show.
Tiki 600 Mile Challenge: Feb. 19-20
The 600 Mile Challenge is exactly what it sounds like, with participants riding 600 miles – on snowmobiles. This event is not a race, but a challenge for sledders to push themselves to the limit for a good cause.
Sledders will ride on a 100-mile loop that starts at the Sno Shu Inn in Hulbert. Organized by the Illey Knight Initiative, sledders pledge money to families in need.
