The Michigan Ice Fest has always been a place where climbers can come and get a first look at the most innovative new climbing products on the market.

Here’s a look at the latest greatest gear in ice climbing and beyond for the 2023 season! Remember when you sign up for the Michigan Ice Fest you can get 20% off your purchases at Down Wind Sports at the event or pre event over at www.shopdownwindsports.com

Today we feature Skillzboard.

Skillzboard is a portable, modular plywood device that allows you to teach and/or practice a number of roped-climbing techniques, from anchor building and cleaning, to rappel methods, rescue techniques and big-wall tricks. You can set it up outside or inside, and it’s been tested to safely hold bodyweight. And you can clip your phone to it and watch an instructional video while you practice! 

WHAT’S NEW!

The Michigan Ice Fest has always been a place where climbers can come and get a first look at the most innovative new climbing products on the market.

Here’s a look at the latest greatest gear in ice climbing and beyond for the 2023 season! Remember when you sign up for the Michigan Ice Fest you can get 20% off your purchases at Down Wind Sports at the event or pre event over at www.shopdownwindsports.com

Today we feature Karry Krab. The KARRY KRAB is the world’s most compact, flexible gear clipper to organize ice screws on your climbing harness. Giving the climber the ability to comfortably put up to three KARRY KRABS on a single gear loop and adjust the position so it fits their individual climbing style. Offering maximum flexibility and quick access to your gear.

An accomplished Canadian climber with a long list of first ascents, climbs on 5 continents, and a Piolets D’or, Ian has explored and experienced mountains as in his wildest dreams. More and more with the passing of years, the friendships that were formed and the memories that were made in the mountains are more important than any summit.

Join us in welcoming Ian to this year fest!

See The Team’s presentation live at the Mather Auditorium Friday February 11th • 8PM In 1963, the first American expedition reached the summit of Everest. That same year Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his historic “I Have A Dream” speech. It took 40 more years for the first Black climber to summit Everest. The Full Circle Everest Team represents a zenith in generational perseverance. This expedition showcases the tenacity and strength of these climbers, and highlights the barriers that continue to exist for Black communities in accessing the outdoors. This historic adventure inspires the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts, educators, leaders, and mountaineers of color to continue chasing their personal summits.

Throughout history, the search for treasure has led people beyond the edges of the map. Treasure stories abound in the Upper Peninsula. From the riches of the treasure ship SS Comet, to the lure of lost gold mines and the Wall of Silver, the rewards can be fantastic and the adventures unforgettable. This ice season Michigan Ice Fest is getting in on the hunt. We’re excited to send worthy treasure seekers into far flung corners of the U.P.’s ice climbing world.

TREASURE HUNT

Here’s How it works Each week of the ice climbing season leading up to the festival we’ll hide a piece of treasure somewhere in the Munising Area. We’ll release clues each day through our social media to guide hunters to the prize until someone finds the treasure. Treasure will be Michigan Ice Fest gear and prizes from our sponsors. During the Festival we’ll hide the

Grand Prize: A Golden Ticket worth a lifetime registration to the Michigan Ice Fest! A prize equal to the adventure of finding it!

Time to get your team together for Ice Fest 2023!

The idea for Michigan Ice Fest Remote Route Challenge is to see who can get deepest into the depths of the ice climbing in the Upper Peninsula. There is a lot of ice out there, but so much of it doesn’t see much traffic, the challenge is here!

Here’s how it works:

ALL climbers are required to be at headquarters at 6am on Saturday for the official start and final instruction. Each 2 person team will be given a score card with a tick list of climbs found throughout the area that have each been assigned a number of points.

Go climb. Choose climbs from the score card and try to rack up as many points as you can. More remote climbs will be worth more points, but may take longer to get too, so strategy is key. Climbs do not need to be led, but should be climbed in a clean style with no falls or hanging.

Climbers can turn in their completed score card at Ice Fest Headquarters any time before 6pm. No late cards will be accepted. 6:01 is too late.

The winners will be announced at the Saturday evening presentations!

We ask that all climbers participating in the challenge compete with respect and honor. Cheating is disrespectful to climbing. Have fun, push yourself, but please do not cheat. The winning team may be asked to verify their climbs so please document each climb you complete with photos. We prefer phone photos as most of them are geo tagged with a location.

We cannot stress enough that safety is of utmost importance. Stay hydrated and fueled. Double, triple, and quadruple check each other’s knots, belays, and systems.

Here’s what you win:

Every person who participates will get an official 2023 Remote Route Challenge souvenir. Competing is the only way to get one. They will be handed out when you return your score card.

Winners will get their name on the coveted Remote Route Challenge trophy (think Stanley Cup, only cooler). Your efforts will live in infamy on display at the Ice Fest Headquarters. Plus, winners will get a prize package from our sponsors.

At Michigan Ice Fest we know that the climate and landscape we play in is the major factor in what makes ice climbing so amazing.  We also know that we, as individuals and as an event, are having an impact on one of the things we cherish most.  We are striving to lessen and mitigate that impact through several environmental initiatives  including waste reduction, recycling programs, and a move toward carbon neutrality.

As part of our effort to be a be a carbon neutral event, we are purchasing carbon offsets to help cover the what is produced by the hosting nearly 1,500 people in Munising, as well as their travel to and from the event.

It’s estimated that each person coming to the event is responsible for the addition of about 500lbs of CO2 to our atmosphere.  Coupled with the CO2 produced by hosting the event, it all adds up to a lot of carbon, and we’d like to lesson that impact as much as we can.

And we’re not the only ones.  During registration, our participants were given to option to donate to help offset the carbon they produced attending the event and you came through.  With your support, we were able offset over 110 tons of CO2 related to the Michigan Ice Fest.

We purchased carbon offsets through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, which supports verified carbon offset solutions that thoughtfully balance project types, impact, location, and cost.  This non-profit supports carbon offset projects focusing on forest conservation and restoration, regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, and waste reduction.  They have projects ranging from Minnesota to Chile.

We are incredibly excited for our move toward being a carbon neutral event, and the amazing support we’ve gotten from our Ice Fest family.  Thank you all so much.  We plan on continuing this initiative into the future do our part to make the world a little better every year.