Hay Days and the Grass Drags are nice, but it's summer.
The Jackson Hole Hill Climbs are awesome but the racers are pretty much the only ones who get to ride, and you're in a town that can't decide if it loves you or hates you for being there.
And then there's Arctic Man...
Every year for the past 29 years, in early April a small town (or a really big RV park, depending on your POV) is cobbled together in the middle of nowhere to host a race, and the biggest come-as-you-are snowmobiler party anywhere.
A guy named Howie Thies is the force behind Arctic Man (which was born out of a bar bet). He takes a small army of graders and loaders to an old construction staging area for the Trans Alaska Pipeline at the north end of Summit Lake, about 150 miles south of Fairbanks. The place get plowed and the berms are laid out as the dividers for the different sections of parking areas. One of the cool quirks about this event is there's no limit on the number of spots you can reserve and once you have a spot or spots, you have dibs on those spots for as long as you continue to re-reserve and pay for them. Some groups have been camping in the same spots for 15 or 20 years. On an average year, 12,00 to 13,000 people show up.
There's the race itself--Free ski (no poles) a 1700' descent, including 300 yards of bobsled run creek bottom to where you pick up a tow rope attached to a 600 class sled (stock motor/exhaust) driven by your partner who tows you up another bobsled run creek bottom and onto a wide ridge where you use the sled to slingshot yourself over the ridge and down another 1200' to the finish. About 5 miles total with the winner finishing in around 4 minutes.
Like most big events there are swag vendors and food wagons, and most of the dealerships and accessory shops are present--good place to demo the latest rides. Since we're in the middle of nowhere, there's guys selling firewood, fuel and propane. There's a beer tent that's nearly half an acre by itself.
Of course the cops are there. The reality show Alaska State Troopers usually has an Arctic Man episode (but it does concentrate on the stupidest 2-3%). Most everyone gets along just fine. And there's so many people here AT&T sets up a cell tower just for the event.
Then there's the Party. Think Sturgis on snow, meets Spring Break fused with Mardi Gras, with a bit of Halloween thrown in for good measure...all on top of a week-long Super Bowl tailgate party.
People decorate their camps with all kinds of themes--Christmas, The Beach, Disco's, Barn Dances, Stripper Poles, you name it. Some even bring hot tubs. Yup. They haul in the water, fire up a generator and have a soak after riding. And EVERYBODY has a bonfire every night. Wandering the grounds going from party to party, passing a bottle or some home-grown herbal glaucoma remedy is also popular.
Loading love seats and old couches on 2 place trailers and towing people with ATVs aka the Alaskan Rickshaw is a popular tradition. Some guys mod out old iron with things like straight pipes and ape hangars. It's a blast seeing what some guys come up with.
In our camp we're older so we don't get too wild but we have a blast watching the kids tear it up.
Of course the best part is the riding. There are literally several hundred square miles of rolling valley's to play in and big hills for those that want to climb. This year worries about wind-hammered concrete were allayed by 2 feet of fresh in the past 3 days with more tonight.
Then, once it's over, in another week it's like it never happened. Until the next year.
I've got the enclosed 4 place rigged for spousal comfort and we're leaving tomorrow as soon as she gets off of work.
It's pure awesome. If you ever get a sliver of a chance...GO.
For some more info check out www.arcticman.com
(No, I'm not on the payroll. Just a fan)
The Jackson Hole Hill Climbs are awesome but the racers are pretty much the only ones who get to ride, and you're in a town that can't decide if it loves you or hates you for being there.
And then there's Arctic Man...
Every year for the past 29 years, in early April a small town (or a really big RV park, depending on your POV) is cobbled together in the middle of nowhere to host a race, and the biggest come-as-you-are snowmobiler party anywhere.
A guy named Howie Thies is the force behind Arctic Man (which was born out of a bar bet). He takes a small army of graders and loaders to an old construction staging area for the Trans Alaska Pipeline at the north end of Summit Lake, about 150 miles south of Fairbanks. The place get plowed and the berms are laid out as the dividers for the different sections of parking areas. One of the cool quirks about this event is there's no limit on the number of spots you can reserve and once you have a spot or spots, you have dibs on those spots for as long as you continue to re-reserve and pay for them. Some groups have been camping in the same spots for 15 or 20 years. On an average year, 12,00 to 13,000 people show up.
There's the race itself--Free ski (no poles) a 1700' descent, including 300 yards of bobsled run creek bottom to where you pick up a tow rope attached to a 600 class sled (stock motor/exhaust) driven by your partner who tows you up another bobsled run creek bottom and onto a wide ridge where you use the sled to slingshot yourself over the ridge and down another 1200' to the finish. About 5 miles total with the winner finishing in around 4 minutes.
Like most big events there are swag vendors and food wagons, and most of the dealerships and accessory shops are present--good place to demo the latest rides. Since we're in the middle of nowhere, there's guys selling firewood, fuel and propane. There's a beer tent that's nearly half an acre by itself.
Of course the cops are there. The reality show Alaska State Troopers usually has an Arctic Man episode (but it does concentrate on the stupidest 2-3%). Most everyone gets along just fine. And there's so many people here AT&T sets up a cell tower just for the event.
Then there's the Party. Think Sturgis on snow, meets Spring Break fused with Mardi Gras, with a bit of Halloween thrown in for good measure...all on top of a week-long Super Bowl tailgate party.
People decorate their camps with all kinds of themes--Christmas, The Beach, Disco's, Barn Dances, Stripper Poles, you name it. Some even bring hot tubs. Yup. They haul in the water, fire up a generator and have a soak after riding. And EVERYBODY has a bonfire every night. Wandering the grounds going from party to party, passing a bottle or some home-grown herbal glaucoma remedy is also popular.
Loading love seats and old couches on 2 place trailers and towing people with ATVs aka the Alaskan Rickshaw is a popular tradition. Some guys mod out old iron with things like straight pipes and ape hangars. It's a blast seeing what some guys come up with.
In our camp we're older so we don't get too wild but we have a blast watching the kids tear it up.
Of course the best part is the riding. There are literally several hundred square miles of rolling valley's to play in and big hills for those that want to climb. This year worries about wind-hammered concrete were allayed by 2 feet of fresh in the past 3 days with more tonight.
Then, once it's over, in another week it's like it never happened. Until the next year.
I've got the enclosed 4 place rigged for spousal comfort and we're leaving tomorrow as soon as she gets off of work.
It's pure awesome. If you ever get a sliver of a chance...GO.
For some more info check out www.arcticman.com
(No, I'm not on the payroll. Just a fan)
