Iceman Cometh Challenge 2026
- Date
- Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Start time
- 8:15 AM start (Detroit)
- Location
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Entry fee
- From Free
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
Registration is open.
Likely to sell out. 3,811 finished the Mountain Bike in 2025, and this year's cap is 4,450.
We earn a small commission when you register through this link, at no cost to you. Details
Add to calendar: Apple or Outlook · Google
Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meijer Slush Cup | Mountain Bike | Nov 7, 20268:15 AM | $90 | 700 |
| Tandem - Meijer Slush Cup | Mountain BikeRelay or team | Nov 7, 20268:15 AM | $90 | – |
| Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by TREK | Mountain Bike | Nov 7, 20268:45 AM | $140 | 4,450 |
| Tandem - Iceman Cometh Challenge | Mountain BikeRelay or team | Nov 7, 20268:45 AM | $140 | 35 |
| Iceman Junior (18 & under) | Mountain Bike | Nov 7, 202612:00 PM | $70 | 350 |
| Meijer Pop-Cycle | Mountain BikeBike 1.5 mi | Nov 7, 20262:30 PM | Free | 300 |
| Pro/Elite - Iceman Cometh Challenge | Mountain Bike | Nov 7, 20262:30 PM | $140 | – |
| Meijer Sno Cone | Mountain Bike | Nov 7, 20263:00 PM | Free | 300 |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- Meijer Slush Cup and Tandem - Meijer Slush Cup: $90 until Nov 7.
- Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by TREK and Tandem - Iceman Cometh Challenge and Pro/Elite - Iceman Cometh Challenge: $140 until Nov 7.
- Iceman Junior (18 & under): $70 until Nov 7.
- Meijer Pop-Cycle and Meijer Sno Cone: Free until Nov 7.
Online registration closes Nov 7, 2026, unless the race fills first.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:28 AM, and the Meijer Slush Cup starts at 8:15 AM.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
521 S Union St, Traverse City, MI 49684
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2025 results
All resultsBell's Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by TREK
Meijer Slush Cup
Iceman Junior (18 & under)
Aggregated from official results (Classic Race Management) for Iceman Cometh Challenge. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at Iceman Cometh Challenge?
At the 2025 Bell's Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by TREK, the fastest tenth finished in 2:16:33 or better, the top quarter in 2:30:10, and half the field in 2:53:23; the last tenth came in after 3:57:29.
At the 2025 Meijer Slush Cup, the fastest tenth finished in 46:29 or better, the top quarter in 51:42, and half the field in 58:34; the last tenth came in after 1:24:52.
At the 2025 Iceman Junior (18 & under), the fastest tenth finished in 2:10:41 or better, the top quarter in 2:20:31, and half the field in 2:35:07; the last tenth came in after 3:14:24.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | n/a | 3:21:20 |
| 20-29 | 2:37:15 | 1:58:45 |
| 30-39 | 2:19:48 | 1:56:17 |
| 40-49 | 2:22:03 | 1:56:39 |
| 50-59 | 2:22:32 | 2:00:58 |
| 60-69 | 2:43:19 | 2:05:40 |
| 70+ | n/a | 2:39:04 |
Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.
What would my time get me?
Where a finish time would have placed in 2025.
Race details
- Where
- 521 S Union St, Traverse City, MI 49684Map
- Course
- Road
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- Mountain Bike
- Editions
- 2026 (Nov 7, 2026), 2025 (Nov 8, 2025), 2024 (Nov 2, 2024), 2023 (Nov 4, 2023), 2022 (Nov 5, 2022), 2021 (Nov 6, 2021)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is Iceman Cometh Challenge?
- Saturday, November 7, 2026, starting at 8:15 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at Free before processing fees.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Nov 7, 2026, unless the race fills first.
- Can I donate to a cause when I register?
- Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
- What distances are offered?
- Mountain Bike.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2025, 3,811 athletes finished the Bell's Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by TREK; the median finish was 2:53:23 and the winner finished in 1:54:54.
- Does it sell out?
- It can. 3,811 athletes finished the Mountain Bike in 2025, close to this year's cap of 4,450, so register early.
- Where does it start?
- 521 S Union St, Traverse City, MI 49684.
From the organizers
The Iceman Cometh Challenge, presented by Trek, takes place on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The Ice Cycle Expo and packet pickup, presented by Michigan Bicycle Law, will be held Friday, November 6 at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, MI.
More than 5,400 men and women, along with 600 children across 77 age divisions, participate in Iceman weekend each year. The signature event is a roughly 30-mile point-to-point cross-country mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Traverse City, Michigan.
Additional events include the Meijer Slush Cup, Sno-Cone, and Pop-Cycle races, featuring a 9-mile beginner-friendly course and youth races for children 10 and under. Nearly 12,000 spectators line the course annually to experience the excitement of Iceman weekend.