Rebecca Davis brings it home for the win at Black Mountain Classic! (Photo: Rachelle Howe)
Wax recommendations for the this weekend's races! Recommendations for the Bear Chase are out, but nothing is currently available for Sunday's Michigan Cup Relays. As soon as I have a recommendation, I'll update this article.
Four teams from the upper peninsula and three from the lower peninsula competed this past weekend at the 2026 Michigan High School and Middle School Nordic Ski Championships at Hickory Hills in Traverse City, Michigan.
HHCCSS won 8 of the 13 Brumbaugh Cup races, led by Jorden Wakeley and Rebecca Davis and supported a roster of very strong skiers. Grand Rapids Nordic was second, holding off Team NordicSkiRacer who took third.
Ryan Harris and Sarah Newmister were the top finishers on the new course at the 2026 Black Mountain Freestyle.
It seems that every Friday before the Black Mountain Classic, Mother Nature throws a doozy of a curve ball at the Black Mountain trails.
Wax recommendations for this weekend's Michigan Cup races: Black Mountain and the HS Championships!
Hanson Hills/Cross Country Ski Shop continues to lead the Brumbaugh Cup as of the Muffin Race, with 705 points. Grand Rapids Nordic is in second with 934 points, just 12 more than third place Team NordicSkiRacer.
Check out the overall individual Michigan Cup standings with corrections and current team rosters as of Feb 23, 2026 (PDF). This includes all races through the Muffin Race and includes any corrections.
We had 42 young skiers compete at the 33rd Annual Junior Muffin races this year! Some truly fast skiers out there, and everyone competed with Heart!!
The Skate race on Sunday will feature a New 12km Skate Course located entirely on the Presque Isle Side of the trail system. It will be shorter, but nobody said it had to be easier.
Michigan native and former Michigan Cup skier Reid Goble was the overall winner of the Men’s Super Tour 10K Classic mass start race held at Wirth Park in Minneapolis MN.
Ernie and I agreed to start and finish the 2026 Korteloppet together as our first XC ski race skiing together in our 45 years of racing.
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
Spring forward!
Michigan Cup Relays at XC Ski HQ
Cross Country Ski Headquarters, 9435 N. Cut Rd., Roscommon, MI 48653 (800-832-2663)
2026 Cross Country Junior National Championships - 7.5/5K Freestyle Interval Start
American Birkebeiner Trailhead, Cable, WI
2026 Cross Country Junior National Championships - Classic Sprint
American Birkebeiner Trailhead, Cable, WI
2026 Cross Country Junior National Championships - 14.6/11.3/8K Classic Mass Start
American Birkebeiner Trailhead, Cable, WI
2026 Cross Country Junior National Championships - 4-Person Mixed Gender Freestyle Relay
American Birkebeiner Trailhead, Cable, WI
Cross Country Ski Headquarters: Relay Course Update:
The trails took a hit over the past several days, but we have our snowmoving crew coming out this afternoon and working through the night to create the best and most ski-able race course we can. The course will be 2 loops of the Trappers Cabin trail per skier. Expect it to be wet and wild! Just like every year, we plan to make the most of it and have a heck of a party afterwards with plenty of food and a cold keg of beer which will make sitting on the sun deck at 50 degrees with the sun shining simply divine! See you tomorrow!
Boyne Mountain: Due to the deep base we've accumulated, trail conditions are holding up pretty well, considering the rain overnight. We have a few icy spots, but overall decent skiing. The season is winding down, so get out there one more time!
Forbush Corner: We will be closed starting Saturday March 7th until the warms temps and rain ends around Wednesday March 11th Looks like temps drop on Wednesday March 11th and some possibility of snow. We will reassess the trails at that time and decide when we can open again. We have a lot of base on the the trails and fully expect most of it to survive.
Founders day is next Saturday March 14th We will have hot dogs, black bean burgers, drinks and some sides. We usually do a potluck if you want to bring something to share. $10 trail fees for the remainder of the season.
Stokely Creek: Great skating conditions this morning! The small uphills seemed non-existent with the free momentum rollercoastering me over the crests. Big hills had enough loose corn from the ginzu that they were perfectly controllable. Skating might be ok for a couple more hours, but touring skis will definitely be fine all day.
Cross Country Ski Headquarters: We will be closing the trails today, Friday, and tomorrow, Saturday, to preserve the base for the Michigan Cup Relay Race on Sunday.