Part speed skiing, part sledneck, The Arctic Man is event I would describe as “uniquely Alaska.” I actually found out about it because a friend of a friend will be competing in this year’s event, which is taking place at mile 196 of the Richardson Highway, near Summit Lake, Alaska, from April 11-15. The format of the race is pure insanity– The skier begins at a summit elevation of 5,800 feet and drops 1,700 feet in less than two mile to the bottom of a narrow canyon where he meets up with his snowmobiling partner. The snowmobiler meets the skier, on the go, with a tow rope and pulls the skier 2 1/4 miles uphill at top speeds of up to 86 mph. The skier and the snowmobile then separate and the skier goes over the side of the second mountain and drops another 1200 feet to the finish line. Take it from someone who’s been towed behind a snow machine going close to that speed: it is rough on the body. But for a prize purse beginning at $25,000, and growing with each team entry fee of $900, the racers are more than willing to risk life and limb. I’m hoping that some video footage from this year’s event ends up on YouTube. This is something I think you just have to see to believe. For an account of one participant’s Arctic Man experience, read this– supposedly, it’s quite the party as well.
