Events
100K
38K
Place
Lutsen, MN US 55612
Description
Ski North Ultra is an ultra-distance 100K cross-country skiing classic-only event along the North Shore of Lake Superior. The event has 38K and 100K options, following the Norpine, Cascade River State Park and Bally Creek trail systems near Lutsen, MN.
This is a unique cross-country ski event. It is classic-skiing only, and will be on a mix of double-track and single-track ski trails. The trails are incredibly beautiful, and also very technical. State park skiing can mean narrow, sharp turns, and the terrain along Lake Superior can mean long, 20-30 minute climbs, and sharp, steep descents. The 100K race uses advanced courses. The 38K stays on intermediate trails, but please consider if this is the right fit for your skill level. This is a tough course. March snow conditions can be varying, and can also be the most wonderful time of year to enjoy skiing. The event is more of an adventure than a race. Come with an open mind and adventurous spirit, and you will have a great day.
Start and finish in Cascade River State Park. Glide through birch, fir, cedar and pine forests, with overlooks of Lake Superior.
Experience the beauty of the North Shore by ski trail and then keep the vibes going with a post-race celebration. We will have handcrafted prizes from local artists.
Pricing can be a mystery with ski races, so here's exactly what your fees are going toward: 32% coordination/travel, 17% supplies, 10% portapotties, 10% grooming, 10% racer/volunteer gifts (may eliminate these next year, or make them optional, tbd), 8% insurance, 7% aid station food and 6% permits. Grants from Visit Cook County, as well as sponsors - Finn Sisu, Pointed Home Real Estate - cover post-race food at Cascade Restaurant, Norpine membership, awards, transportation (thank you Finn Sisu van!), bibs, wax support, misc supplies (Tailwind, cardamom rolls) and additional aid station food. Ski Hut will be a major aid station hub this year as well!
Price discounts and student pricing available. Please email rykken44@gmail.com for more info.
The What-Ifs: Courses may be subject to change based on snow conditions, and will be made in the best interest of the participant's safety and overall experience. In the case of extreme temperatures or conditions, we may adjust the start times and distances. The goal will be to put on the best race possible with the factors we are given. Partial refunds may be available in the case of a cancellation. Thanks for understanding it's all a bit of a gamble!
Refund policy: Full refunds can be offered up to two weeks after registration. Partial refunds can be offered up to four weeks after registration, and beyond that, unfortunately, we can't offer refunds.
Cut-off Times: In the interest of volunteers' time and keeping everyone to mostly daylight hours, we will have a cut-off time of 12 hours for the 100K.
Safety: There are inherent risks in any endurance event, but please note the following:
• Conditions are subject to change throughout the day.
• Aid Stations may have distances up to 20 km between them and some may be self-served.
• ROAD CROSSINGS: Skiers will need to cross roads during the race, and will be fully responsible for watching for any on-coming vehicles and making their own decisions upon when to cross. Do NOT assume cars will stop for you.
• There are two-way sections in which you will need to be cautious of other skiers and stay to the right side of the trail.
• The trails will be open to the public, so please be mindful of other trail users.
Aid Stations: Aid Stations will largely be run by volunteers. Many have limited parking. You can expect water, energy drink, and a variety of food/fuel options. Please plan to carry your own beverage containers.
The Great Minnesota Ski Pass: We get to ski on wonderful State Park and National Forest Service lands. Thank you to all who currently and have historically cared for this incredible area. All racers should have a Great MN Ski Pass ($10 Day Pass or $25 Season Pass), which gives you access to all state park and state forest ski trails. Please also remember to buy a State Park parking pass if you choose to park inside Cascade River State Park. Thank you!
This event is operated under a special use permit on the Superior National Forest.
We are so thankful to our supporters, and in particular, Visit Cook County, for providing assistance with marketing, local food, and local artisan prizes this year. And for being a fantastic resource.
Course Map
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
Spectator Guide
Find our spectator guide below. This may be updated as the event gets closer.
Click the icon below to download the attached PDF.
Participant Guide
Please read prior to participation. This is required reading for skiers, and may be updated prior to the event. Thanks!
Click the icon below to download the attached PDF.
Lodging
There are many wonderful places to stay near the race course and along the North Shore, but here are a few we'd recommend:
Solbakken Resort: One of our aid stations and right off the race course, this cozy option is right on Lake Superior. A variety of room styles available.
Cascade Lodge: Another on-trail option, and within walking/skiing distance of the start/finish. Lodge and cabin options, with a restaurant on-site, and views of Lake Superior.
Ski Hill Cabins: These beautiful cabins include a sauna experience, and are not far from the west end of the trails.
Poplar River Condos: Located near Lutsen, these short-term stay condos offer a variety of lodging options.
Volunteer!
Want to join the fun but maybe not ski that far? We would love to have you as a volunteer, and we'll have many roles to fill of varying commitments. Please check out our volunteer page, or email rykken44@gmail.com. Also seeking groups to help run aid stations. Thank for you considering!
Results & Photos
2026 Photos - by Jordan Woods, Visit Cook County
2026 Photos - by Ryn Rose Studio
2025 Photos courtesy of TMB Images
Thank you to our sponsors and supporters!
Ski North Ultra press release 2/6/26
Ski North Ultra - one month out update!
The Ski North Ultra is less than one month from its second annual event in Cook County, Minnesota. The classic-technique cross-country ski race on March 7, 2026 features a 100km distance, unique to the region, and a 38km option. Starting and finishing at Cascade River State Park, the race utilizes the State Park, Norpine and Bally Creek trail systems. The course features long climbs up and descents down the terrain along Lake Superior. Skiers cross the bridge at Cascade River featuring the famous waterfall, and experience a day in the northwoods, skiing some of the best trails around. Being a full-day event as well as traversing narrow, intimate trails creates more of an ultra-running event feel: friendly, collaborative, pushing boundaries. Bumpy single-track trails, crossing roads on foot, lack of cell coverage, the occasional beaver crossing, a creek and river crossing, two-way narrow trails, this race is a true Northwoods adventure.
The 2025 inaugural event was a wild one, with low snow prompting organizers and volunteers to shovel for days leading up to the event. 125 skiers from around the region and country came up to see this new thing for themselves. The race began under thin conditions but soon thereafter received an unexpected and charmingly welcome 1inch of snow that changed conditions dramatically. Skiers wove through the single-track trails of Bally Creek under fat, falling flakes, descending down the long trail back to Cascade River State Park. As the day went on, the sun came out, and all of the fresh snow glommed onto the bottoms of skis with such affection that skiers were walking down the trail for miles, or stopping every few minutes to scrape off the bottoms of their skis in hopes of gliding again. Fortunately, the clouds came back and the snow became more agreeable by the time the last big climbs came into play. The snow up on top of the hill was much deeper than snow by the lake (the micro-climate along Lake Superior is a whole fascinating sub-topic), and skiers were able to finish the course in great conditions prior to finishing on a narrow rolling trail back into the park. Skiers were welcomed back with homemade medals and warm food in the State Park building. Other notable challenges included a couple of confusing intersections, in which some skiers ended up skiing ever FARTHER than 100km. Organizers have noted this for 2026! Overall, it was a heroic journey for all involved, and despite some particularly challenging conditions, the resilience and joy of a good day’s outdoor adventure shone through.
Why would anyone want to ski 100K? The biggest ski race in North America lives next door in Wisconsin, the American Birkebeiner hosts thousands of skiers for a challenging course at 50km with an elevation gain of roughly 4600 feet. In comparison, the Ski North Ultra features 5700 feet of elevation gain, over 100km. The idea sparked from other endurance sports that encourage a long day, allowing some people to race, others to try to complete it. Look at trail running, mountain biking, gravel riding. It seems the better question is why doesn’t cross country skiing have a longer option?
There is a 12 hour cut-off time (7am - 7pm) that is fairly challenging, keeping skiers at under 7:12 minutes per kilometer (keep in mind this includes stops to eat, wax, rest, etc). Last year 72 skiers started the race; 52 completed it. We’ll see how things shake out this year!
From the skiers themselves, those who made it through this goose-chase, described the event as “gnarly and different”, ”so inclusive, so welcoming, so encouraging”, “I can't believe how beautiful the trails were up at Deer Yard and Bally Creek”, “a truly wonderful event”. I might be biased, but I think what we have started here is pretty unique and pretty special.
This year, the race will have a new start/finish area and new order to the course. Thanks to Visit Cook County, skiers can enjoy a post-race meal at Cascade Restaurant, awards from local artists, and a Norpine Trail membership. The race is eager to embed itself into the community, and looks forward to bib pick-up at Lutsen Winery and a post-race celebration at Up Yonder.
The event has a 150 participant cap - there are still spaces left, but register soon at skinorthultra.com. Conditions are currently looking good for a full course.
Big thank you to Visit Cook County, the Norpine Trail Association, MN DNR, USFS and Finn Sisu for supporting this event.
See you up north!
Ski North Ultra
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Recap 2026
The 2026 Ski North Ultra was no less of a mystery than the first annual event last year. Last year, we had quite a bit of melt, quite a bit of shoveling, quite a bit of “maybe if we shovel enough, we can scrape this together….” and then later “how many times can I stop to scrape the ice off my skis??” This year, the question mark was “what will happen if it rains all day the day before the race and overnight and will that rain turn into snow?” “Will the course be mush, will it be ice, will it be both?” The chance of snow was pretty minimal, with numbers looking like .3 inches at best. We pushed off making an actual decision until Friday morning (and believe me, I strongly considered making a decision at 5 am race morning but some more thoughtful people than me (Bitner) gently suggested otherwise).
For context, the North Shore had dumped 12-24” inches of snow about two weeks prior, right before the Birkie, and then a week later, had a huge 60mph windstorm that brought down quite a bit of tree debris onto the course. So, fortunately, snow coverage wasn’t a huge concern, although warm temps earlier in the week and a promise of rain on Friday wasn’t helping the situation. But all to say, my concerns were really more focused on this course that was already really challenging and technical and long being a) a sheet of ice or b) full of klister traps (sticks, pine needles, etc). What I DID learn, and the North Shore is constantly teaching me things, is to perhaps be more in tune with if it says .3” of snow, perhaps that means down by the lake will get .3” of snow, and up on the hill, could be closer to 4 inches of snow. And while we have some limitations on grooming, a note to future years to see if we can’t get a couple more passes of grooming leading up to a race if it snows two feet before the race. And perhaps a note to encourage larger baskets!
We had a new course order this year, which was both logistically a little easier to manage, but nice to have a home base to return to twice (once at 37km and again at 75km). We kept the flattest section of the course for last, which seemed appreciated. Although as the temps cooled back down after 5pm, even the “flatter” trails were getting too fast for comfort. But it was interesting to hear reports. Frankly, I had no idea it snowed so much up the hill. We were worried about volunteers getting up there safely due to icy gravel roads, so nobody really “checked”. So we’d get reports of “the first lap took 50 minutes, the second lap took 35 minutes” - thanks to the leaders of the snow for packing that in! And skiers thought the ride back down from Deer Yard was pretty thrilling, and that was in decent conditions, so again, note for the future, it could have been especially thrilling had it been any faster. But the photos of the winter wonderland that awaited up the hill are pretty spectacular!
And then skiers went to Bally Creek, and boy did I hear about those trails! I think at least a few people were ready to write me a stern letter, because it sounded like not only could people not kick*, the snow was so deep and soft, there was no good poling to be had either. Perhaps people crawled through the trails, no one can be sure. A few unfortunate skiers even missed the turn back down the connector and in fact did an extra 10km of Bally Creek. Conflicting reports on how that happened but we promise next year we’ll have a very visible cue.
*Kicking - this has happened two years in a row now, so I think it’s worth addressing. “Zeros” or optis seemed to run well. I think skins or scales were decent - slower, sure - but if you don't have to stop to scrape the ice off your skis, that can’t hurt. Klister alone seemed to be a problem. The unsung hero of the day was, wait what, Power Grip?? Does anyone remember TapeGrip? The best.
Okay, so listen, that sounded a little like listing the issues of the day, and as someone scrutinizing how the race can get better each year, this is me processing. But overall, I think the snow we got was incredible and magical and maybe even just for us.
But what I also know is that are cultivating a very cool community. We have perhaps the best volunteers ever. We have a collection of people from around the region that came together for a love of the North Shore and for a skiing adventure. We must have participants with a sense of humor who don’t mind skiing on a hiking trail for a couple of miles mid-race. We have supporting spectators who show up at aid stations waiting for their people to emerge from the woods with a story or two. We have people who skied literally all day and still want to get together at the end of the day for an awards ceremony. We have banjo playing fans, spectators setting up bonfires mid-trail, we have course marshals, some who skied a long way out to point you in the right direction, and waited a long time because my time predictions are still very speculative. We have aid station volunteers who spent over 12 hours standing outside in winter because these skiers are inspiring.
Congrats to you skiers who signed up, who got to the start line, which was a brave thing to do. Congrats to those of you who kept pushing despite challenges, congrats to those of you who called it a day when you were satisfied or had had enough. Congrats on trying something different and giving yourself space to ski a long way.
A thank you to the Norpine Trail Association, Cascade River State Park, and the USFS for hosting us! Thank you to North Shore Winery, Cascade Lodge, and Up Yonder for having us as well! Thank you to the groomers who I went back and forth with many, many times on the best approach. Thank you to all the volunteers (over 50 volunteers!) who travelled up to help out. Many people helped Friday and Saturday and Sunday. Thank you to Visit Cook County, Finn Sisu, Pointed Home, and Northland Apiary for supporting this incredible event. Thank you to artists Dave Gilsvik, Adrea Davina Beres, Cooper Ternes, Elise Kyllo, and Karl Holub for bringing art into our event. Thank you to David Bitner who really makes the logistics of course marking and race day aid stations happen. And thanks to my family for putting up with me leading into this event.
I love these trails and am already scheming about a fall trail clearing/camping weekend. We can hike and trail run and bike and maybe even jump in Lake Superior.
Hope to see you next year -
Ski North Ultra
