U.P. MICHIGAN REGION

Calendar

Dec. 3-5 Ironwood – Mt. Zion Snocross Racing Dec. 4 Iron River – Christmas in Lights Dec. 4 Ironwood – NoEL Holiday Craft Market Dec. 4 Ironwood – Jack Frost Festival of Light Parade Dec. 11 Crystal Falls – Crystal Christmas Jan. 7-9 Ironwood – USSA Pro Cup Ironwood Snowmobile Olympus Jan. 7- 9 Ironwood – SISU Nordic Ski Festival Feb. 4-6 Iron Mountain – FIS Continental – Pine Mtn. Ski Jump

Festival of Lights Parade Shines as Bright as Ever

IRONWOOD -- What can be more U.P. than people standing out on a street sidewalk all bundled up against a blowing wind in the dark? Not much -- you betcha, eh? Come to Historic Downtown Ironwood on Saturday, Dec. 4 and discover a family tradition that encompasses those elements. For 27 years downtown Ironwood has hosted the Jack Frost Festival of Lights Parade, where units of all sizes, shapes, and types (dogs included!) adorn themselves with lights and march down Aurora Street past the brilliantly lit marquee of the Historic Ironwood Theatre. The parade units include giant snowmobile trail groomers from the Gogebic Range Trail Authority; hand-crafted floats from the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Coleman Engineering, and Cold Iron Brewing Co.; the famous Precision Snow Shovel Brigade Drill Team and special appearances by Mr. Jack Frost himself, along with Santa and Mrs. Claus riding in a horse-drawn wagon. All this is sure to warm the hearts (if not the fingers and toes) of the hundreds of locals and visitors who gather to celebrate Christmas and Jack Frost wintertime in the U.P.

Ice Shanty Parade, Fireworks Light Up ‘Crystal Christmas’

CRYSTAL FALLS—The Crystal Falls Business Association’s (CFBA) invites all to their annual Crystal Christmas celebration set for Saturday, Dec. 11. There will be sales and specials in stores throughout town. The CFBA is sponsoring a residential and business decorating contest. You’re sure to bring home some great ideas for your own Christmas decorating. Start your shopping day with the craft show at United Lutheran Church, 506 Superior Ave., from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be paintings, pottery bowls, Play Dough and art kits for sale on site. The Crystal Falls Library is having an event just for kids. Beginning at 10 a.m., author Mrs. Dalton will read from her book, “The Cow that Loved the Moon.” The Crystal Falls Contemporary Center’s soup luncheon will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at United Lutheran Church. Santa Claus will be in the Veterans Memorial Pocket Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to hear Christmas wishes. This will be outside, so dress warmly. He makes another appearance from 4-6 p.m. at Crystal Theatre’s Santa Station for visits and photos. Crystella Ski Hill is another place to visit from 2-6 p.m. You can chat with volunteers, families, tow operators, board members and the director who together make this ski hill a fun place for families. There will be food, drinks, “crafty” fun, raffles, Crytella swag, a photo booth and discounted season passes. The popular Ice Shanty Parade will take place at 6 p.m., with the theme: “Free for All.” You can come up with your own theme if you wish. Fireworks will be lit directly after the parade. Kids and parents are invited to Crystal Theatre for the 7:30 p.m. showing of “Adventures of Narnia.” Admission is by donation.

BIG SNO OUTFITTERS

Hi Tech Ski and Snowboard Rentals Ski Tuning and Custom Boot Fitting

US Highway 2 Bessmer, Michigan – In the heart of Big Snow Ski Country!

906-663-4646

U.P. Michigan Region

Snowmobiling in the Upper Peninsula is always excellent because of the large amount of snow that blankets the area with upwards of 300 inches each season due to the lake effect snow off Lake Superior. Some 155 miles of snowmobile trails radiate from Lake Gogebic like a giant spoke wheel, taking riders to all parts of the Western Upper Peninsula and down into Wisconsin if they wish. The scenery is what you would expect for a near wilderness area – expansive forests, cedar swamps and scenic overlooks. Riders often stop on the trail bridges to view the pristine rivers and streams far below. Gogebic Area Groomers do a great job of not only maintaining trails, but also in updates on the trails so that guests know what to expect before they arrive. You can follow Gogebic Area Grooming on Facebook and on their website at gogebicareagrooming.com. There are plenty of opportunities for a day’s ride on groomed and marked snowmobile trails, getting you back to your lodging for an evening meal before resting your head on the pillow and visiting dreamland. But if you want to explore vast distances with an overnight stay before returning, here’s one recommended route: Lake Gogebic to Iron Mountain: Saddle up and take Trail 1 or 13 south to Trail 2, east to Watersmeet, through Iron River and stopping at Iron Mountain for your overnight stay – a trip of approximately 130 miles. The next morning, head north on Trail 5, then east on Trail 16 to Crystal Falls where you head north on Trail 111 to Trail 15 north, to Trail 8 and go west through Kenton, Bruce Crossing, Ewen and Bergland – a trip of approximately 150 miles.

Pine Mountain Ski Jump to Host International Ski Jump Competition

IRON MOUNTAIN – Make plans now to attend the 2022 FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup at the historic Pine Mountain Ski Jump in Iron Mountain. Practice day is Friday, Feb. 4 with competition on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 5 & 6. The venue hosts jumpers from a dozen or so countries, including Austria, Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway and Italy, as well as the host USA. The event, coordinated by the Kiwanis Ski Club, is considered by many as the best such tournament in the United States. The annual competition draws well over 20,000 fans to the venue throughout the three-day event. All classes of records have been set on Pine Mountain, including the U.S. record for the longest jump in World Cup competition at 459 feet, as well as the overall distance record at 472.44 feet. New records will be set as this will be the first time that ski jumpers will have gone off this newly built ski jump since its reconstruction in 2020. The Pine Mountain Ski Jump, originally built in 1937, is one of the highest artificially created ski jumps in the world. The original wood structure was fully replaced with a hot-dip galvanized steel structure. The view from the top is spectacular. The top reaches nearly 600 feet above the surrounding landscape, making the view similar in scope to looking out from a 60-story skyscraper. There are two other significant ski jumps located in Upper Michigan. One is Copper Peak, located near Ironwood. The other is Suicide Hill, located near Ishpeming and near the National Ski Hall of Fame. Food and refreshments will be available on the grounds. Spectators can bring portable grills and tailgate with others. The facility is located at N3330 Pine Mountain Road. Learn more about the Pine Mountain event and purchase your admission button on-line at kiwanisskiclub.com. Buttons are also available locally.

Snow Much Fun at Ironwood

IRONWOOD – Whether you plan to race or glide into winter, Ironwood is the place to be this January when the snowflakes start to pile up. We’re speaking of snowmobile oval races and the cross-country ski races held there that each bring hundreds of competitors and many more spectators. Snowmobile Racing

The first two weekends of the New Year bring exciting snowmobile racing to the half-mile oval track at the Gogebic County Fairgrounds in Ironwood. The weekend of Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 will see ISO vintage snowmobile races at the track. Daily racing both weekends starts at 9 a.m. There is a heated concession area, restrooms, vendors and free parking (trackside parking has a fee). For updates and more information, go to ironwoodsnowmobileolympus.com. The following weekend, Jan. 7-9, is the USSA Ironwood Snowmobile Olympus. There will be more than 20 different classes of ice oval racing including Champ, Outlaw, Pro Lite, Vintage, F500, Sportsman 600, Factory 600, Junior and Youth Classes. For more on the classes and the circuit, visit ussaprostar.com. For the latest information, check their webpage ironwoodsnowmobileolympus.com or like their Facebook page. The Gogebic County Fairgrounds is located at 648 West Cloverland Drive (U.S. Hwy 2). SISU Nordic Ski Festival

If 100 + miles an hour down an ice track isn’t your speed, then the SISU Nordic Ski Festival the weekend of Jan. 7-9 may be your ticket to fun. They will be celebrating the return of in-person cross-country skiing in 2022! Offered is the signature 31K SISU, along with the 15K Heikki Lunta, as well as the 5K Hauska Hiihto and the Depot Dash for kids. Registration and a vendor display will take place Friday from 4-10 p.m. at the Memorial Building Auditorium. On Saturday, they will begin the SISU race on the ABR Trails. The course ends in Historic Downtown Ironwood’s new City Square Park. Racers can expect well-groomed trails that pass through forested landscapes, ups and downs among rocky outcrops, gentle sections along the Montreal River and a former railroad grade, and a few twists and turns through the Miners Memorial Heritage Park. Top finishers will be awarded locally crafted age group awards. But everyone can purchase commemorative SISU souvenirs. Afterwards, stop by at the Historic Ironwood Theatre where you can unwind with the music of the Black River Band, libations and the camaraderie of fellow skiers. For online registration, updates and more information, including Sunday’s fat tire bike event, visit sisuskifest.com.

Upcoming Events

Ironwood: December 4: NoEL Holiday Cra Market Ironwood: December 4: Jack Fr t F tival of Lights Parade Ironwood: December 3-5: Mt. Zion Snocr s Racing Ironwood: December 31 – January 1: ISO Pro Vintage Snowmobile Rac Ironwood: January 7 – 9: USSA Pro Cup Ironwood Snowmobile Olympus Ironwood: January 7 – 9: SISU Nordic Ski F tival

Ironwood Chamber of Commerce

150 N Lowell St. Ironwood, Michigan 49938 1-906-932-1122 chamber@ironwoodchamber.org ironwoodchamber.org facebook.com/IronwoodChamber/

Lake Gogebic Chamber of Commerce

PO Box 114 Bergland, Michigan 49910 1-888-464-3242 info@lakegogebicarea.com lakegogebicarea.com facebook.com/lakegogebicarea

Wake eld Chamber of Commerce

Travel Ironwood

M-28 at US-2 Wakefi eld, Michigan 49968 PO Box 93 1-906-224-2222

chamber@wakefi eldmi.org

UpNorthAction.com | Aug/Sept 2021 47 wakefi eldmi.org

213 Marquette St. Ironwood, Michigan 49938 1-906-932-5050 info@travelironwood.com travelironwood.com