CANCELLED: Cote Dame Marie and Boyne Vistas Classic

Tue, Jan  17, 2023 - By Mike Muha

This winter in lower Michigan is CRAZY! The severe lack of snow is impacting many cross country ski events. The latest casualties are the Cote Dame Marie on January 21 at Hanson Hills Recreation Area in Grayling, Michigan, and the Boyne Vistas Classic at Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls, Michigan, scheduled for January 22.

Says Justin Andre, Race Director for the Cote Dame Marie:

On behalf of the Grayling Recreation Authority & Grayling Rotary Club it is with a heavy heart that we have to announce that the 2023 Cote Dame Marie Ski Loppet to be held Saturday January 21st is cancelled. At this time we do not have a skiable trail system. There is snow in the forecasted for Thursday, however we do not have confidence that it will provide enough accumulation to provide a skiable trail much less a safe race course. We will issue full refunds to all participants that have pre-registered, at this time we do not plan to reschedule. Thank you all for being so supportive during this rough winter season.

Race Director for the Boyne Vistas Classic, Nick Baic, noted,

There's no snow and the forecast is not optimistic. 

So far, of the first seven Michigan Cup races for the 2022-2023 season, five have been cancelled. Only two have actually run - the Frosty Freestyle and Krazy Klassic races, and only because of heoric efforts to get man-made snow on the course. In addition, the Junior National Qualifer event scheduled for Traverse City in two weeks has been relocated to Wisconson because of snow concerns.

The weather forecast is getting better. Daytime temperatures in the upper lower peninsula drop well below freezing next week and there's a little snow in the forecast. But some upcoming races are working on their Plan B in case their normal courses doesn't have enough snow...