The Noquemanon Ski Marathon is well know around the country as one of the premier nordic racing events in the country, but did you know there are many other activities to participate in throughout the weekend?  From snowbiking, sit skiing, ski jouring and snowshoe racing there is an activity for just about everyone at this nordic festival!  Want to join the fun?  We have the gear to get you involved.  What will you be doing January 24th-26th?

Snowshoe 15 Mile and 10K

Enter a race where waxing is not a worry, and it is not the quality of your skis that matters, rather the strength of your legs!  Pass skiers on the uphills, and watch them tumble head over heels on the way down. Snowshoe the beautifully rugged Noquemanon trail.

Snowshoe 15 Mile

The Noquemanon Snowshoe 15 Mile is a point to point snowshoe race utilizing the last 15 miles of the Noque trail. Snowshoers begin along County Road 510 between Negaunee and Marquette and six miles north of U.S. Hwy 41 at 1:10pm. Runners end at the Noque finish line outside of the Superior Dome in Marquette. All runners must be bused to the start line since there is limited parking. Buses will remain at the start line for warmth. The elevation at this area is approximately 1600 feet. The ending elevation at the Superior Dome is approximately 700 feet. There are three aid stations along the way approximately every 3 miles. All aid stations have water and energy drink. The finish line is outside the Superior Dome in Marquette. Inside will be one last aid station with warm food and drink. There will also be a valet where you can keep your snowshoes while visiting with other racers or taking advantage of the shower facilities.

Snowshoe 10K

RACE CHANGE:  10K Snowshoe will be held on Sunday, January 26th.  Race time 10:45 am.  The Noquemanon Snowshoe 10K is a point to point snowshoe race utilizing the last 10K on the Noque trail. Snowshoers start at Forestville at TBA and finish at the Superior Dome. Buses will be provided to the start area from the Superior Dome (there will be no busing back to Forestville after the race). There will be one aid station midway.

Crescent Moon Snowshoes

Fast, and quick. That’s what’s happening in the world of snowshoe racing and running. More and more runners are discovering the joys and rewards of training and competing on snowshoes during the winter. It also happens to be great cross training for cyclists and other athletes. Crescent Moon makes 2 different running shoes, light and lighter – or the Gold 12s and the New Rocket Carbon fiber! Fast and quick. Both offer you state of the art snowshoe technology with exceptionally lightweight choices for running, training and racing.

Crescent Moon Rocket Carbon Fiber

Certified, organic, home grown carbon fiber, harvested under a Crescent Moon from wild techno trees and spun into the lightest weight snowshoes known to man, all the laws of physics are violated in the careful craftsmanship of the Rocket™. Ok, the Rocket™ snowshoes use the latest in nanotube technology to make them stronger, lighter, and more abrasion resistant than carbon fiber alone. The carbon nanotube composite material is engineered to be many times stronger than steel but, incredibly lightweight. We can tell you the application is straight out of the NASA space program and the Rocket is bound to put your snowshoeing experience into a different orbit.

• 8″ x 24″
• 2.2 lbs./pr. Direct Mount (without binding)
• 2.84 lbs./pr. with Binding
• Use with bindings or without bindings as a direct mount to athletic shoes. All hardware included
• Materials: Carbon fiber and carbon nanotube composite frame
• Traction: Aluminum 3 crampons – toe, ball, heel
• Binding: Lightweight race Single-pull-loop Binding with spring loaded cam buckles

Crescent Moon Gold 12

Even though they have won the ‘Winter Gear of the Year’ award for the Gold 12 (Trail Runner Magazine), Crescent Moon decided to make further changes in our pursuit of a better racing/running shoe. You can choose a direct mount in two sizes or, the standard Gold 12 race shoe which comes with the best and most secure binding available.  It has become the Gold standard! The Gold 12 is an athletic, responsive design with a comfortable and easy to use CM race binding which accommodates your favorite running shoe and compliments your natural stride. It’s a winning combination, you and the Gold 12. To keep your feet warm and dry, consider the neoprene booties that fit over your running shoes for complete comfort.

• 3.1 lbs/pair Recommended for anyone running or training
• 8.5 x 24.5 in., tapered teardrop shape
• lightweight race binding, fits up to size 14 with spring loaded cam buckles
• 3 aluminum claw system featuring the intuitive toe claw design

Animoosh Skijor 12K

The Marquette General Health System Noquemanon Ski Marathon would like to introduce the “Wild Side of the Noque” on Sunday, January 26, 2014.   Skijoring is not new to our Nordic trail system but its popularity is growing in our dog-friendly community.  Skijoring is accomplished when one or two dogs pull a cross-country skier.  As you can imagine this involves an increase in speed!

Ruff Wear Omnijore Joring System

Lets face it, the Upper Peninsula is dog crazy and folks just love getting out and exploring with their pets.  These dogs have tons of energy and it’s time to harness that power with the Ruff Wear Omnijore Joring System. Harness up Izzy, hop on your skis and let your canine propel you forth to victory at the Noque skijour race!  This human-to-pooch leash system let’s you go hands free while you get pulled sled-dog style down the trail!

The Omnijore™ Joring System is designed for any dog-pulling activity such as skijoring, mountainboard-joring, skatejoring, bikejoring, or canicross. Enjoy joring all year long in any climate conditions.

This complete system includes dog harness, human hipbelt, and towline. The components are designed to work together to maximize comfort and enjoyment.

Dog harness is available in three sizes and the human hipbelt fits human waist sizes 27-48″ (68-123 cm).

Saturday 50K World Championship Snow Bike

The world championships will take place at Al Quaal, January 25, 2014 on the full Noquemanon course after all skiers have passed through.

Racers must be seasoned riders as we have a time cutoff for race due to lighting and aid.  HELMETS ARE REQUIRED and please also consider wearing a bike light.  Race drop points will be at the 510 Plum Creek Trail head at 3:15 pm and at the NTN Forestville Trail head 4:30 pm. All riders must finish at the Dome at 5:30 pm to have an official time.

Featuring a 24k Snow bike race from the 510 Plum Creek trail head at 10:30am on Sunday!  The 24k race will head down to Forestville and all the way to the Dome for the finish.

The 12K Snowbike will start at the Forestville trail head.  Parking will be available and a shuttle will be provided to bring you back to your vehicle after the race at both start locations. HELMETS REQUIRED.

Fatbikes

Crafted out of 6061 aluminum and offers a host of features to optimize your fat tire experience. Starting with an elongated head-tube and longer chain-stays, the 9:ZERO:7 features six rack mounts, three water bottle mounts, fender mounts, and full cable housing.

The new 907 aluminum frame has the same light weight hydroform tubing but now is wider in the back!  907  now uses a 190mm rear hub which allows the rider to enjoy using the widest rims and tires for winter riding without any chain conflict.

This year Down Wind Sports also added Borealis to an already strong fatbike lineup.  Borealis utilizes a 190mm rear hub and a 15mm QR fork to round out their amazingly smooth carbon frame.  The unique seat/chain stay design gives the bike a smooth but powerful feel!

So remember the Noque weekend isn’t all about cross country skiing.  It’s about everyone getting out and celebrating winter in the beautiful Upper Peninsula.  We would love to help you get prepared for this exciting event!