The Course

The Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge is a point to point mountain bike race held traditionally on the first Saturday in November. The race starts at the Kalkaska Airport in Kalkaska, Michigan and finishes thirty miles later at Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort on the eastern edge of Traverse City, Michigan. The course consists primarily of dirt roads, two-tracks (the majority of the course), abandoned railroad beds and the world famous Vasa Nordic ski trail. It crosses only one paved road (Williamsburg Rd at mile 17) as it winds through the breathtaking terrain of the Pere Marquette State Forest in Northern Lower Michigan.

The Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge events attract competitive cyclists from all of over the world! Ages range from 1.5 years to 80 years of age. Their ability levels vary from first-time racers to Olympians.

Can we start with what is a race and why the course matters? A race is an event that fairly ranks participants amongst their peers. The two key words are event and fair. The Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge is definitely an event and is clearly the mountain bike event of the year and the course is a VERY significant part. We strive to create a course each year that mixes fun, great scenery and a level of challenge for all riders and skill levels. The effort to fairly rank each participant their peers takes more than a village to do, but the course design tries to do its part by allowing passing where possible, redirecting around obstacles that would require most to dismount and push their bikes and finally blend the distance and terrain to provide just the right amount of challenge for all riders.

Our 2024 course will move us a few steps closer to the ultimate racecourse on public lands which Michigan Department of Natural Resources graciously allows Iceman to use each November.

Here is this year’s course breakdown:

While there will be a lot of trail maintenance, you’ll find no significant changes leaving from the Kalkaska Airport and heading to Sand Lakes Road at mile 14. If this is not your favorite part of the course, do not lose hope because we have a list of great improvements planned for 2025.

The long section on Sand Lakes road has been removed from the previous edition. Racers will now enter the absolutely gorgeous Sand Lakes Quiet Area. This public treasure is a must-see collection of clay bottom lakes that range from emerald green to cobalt blue. The racecourse will take you right by the spectacular lake #1. After the 1.9 mile Quiet Area excursion, racers return to the same route as last year from Broomhead Road to Williamsburg Rd (mile 20).

After the applause at Williamsburg Road fades, racers will redirect away from the old trail along Sand Lakes Road into what is called the Oak Savannah. This is a grassy two track with medium/high speed rolling hills and large oaks loosely knit together. The Oak Savannah transitions into a very short and twisty single track that creatively connects riders to the VASA Pathway 25k at the actual “rock”. The historically Iceman course would travel right at the rock BUT this year the course will turn LEFT…ish at the rock. Riders are then treated with truly high-speed rolling hills on the 25k ski course.

Just as the speed starts to fade, riders will enter the famous ribbon of single track called Intermingling where the single track comes within 4 feet of the 25k many times. Just before intermingling becomes tight and twisty racers exit back to the 25k and connect with the Special K. In a smooth transition riders flow from Special K onto a two-bike wide tunnel of a trail and then back to the 10k as riders make their way to Anita Hill.

In an unexpected 2024 twist, riders exit the course moments before the infamous Anita Hill. The short cut to remove Anita Hill returns racers to the classic course and takes riders directly to the leg burning Woodchip Hill. Madeline’s trail (and hill) will also be left out of the 2024 course. Shed no tears because at the top of Woodchip your odometer will read 32 miles and Steve’s Secret Stash adds about 0.85 miles and can only be described as the most fun finish in Iceman history.

The Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association worked closely with the Festival Foundation and the greatest group of volunteers ever assembled, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, all the great people of Kalkaska and numerous other organizations and individuals to make the 2024 course our best course yet. We hope you love it.