Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
A LARGE crowd gathers at the base of Copper Peak to watch snowmobilers attempt to climb the hill while making several sharp turns around a track, during the return of the annual snowmobile hillclimb event on Sunday.
By CHARITY SMITH
Ironwood - After a 10-year hiatus, the snowmobile hillclimb returned to Copper Peak this past weekend.
Participants had a simple goal to make it to the top of the extremely steep Copper Peak hill, zigging and zagging around gates. The top prizes went to those who made it to the top in the shortest time.
Tyler Robinson, of Afton, Wyoming, was named King of the Hill in the Mod Class with a winning time of 42.06 seconds.
Matt Tingstad of Bessemer claimed the Stock Class King of the Hill moniker with a best time of 42.64.
Other results were not released Monday by press time.
The event drew hundreds of bystanders from across the Midwest. Many of them expressed their joy and excitement that the event was making a comeback.
Some students from Michigan Technological University came down to spend their Sunday camping out and barbecuing in the snowbank as they watched the snowmobilers attempt the climb.
"We've been to one of these before. We know how to tailgate them," said Luke Owens, 22, from Beaverton, sitting next to his grill set next to his chair in a snow bank.
The hillclimb is put on by the Mid America Snow and Terrain Expert Racers. The group was the first snowmobile race circuit to sanction and send its top hillclimbers to the world championship hillclimb in Jackson, Wyoming, according to a press release. This weekend's event was a qualifier for the championships - earned by the Pro Stock, Pro Mod and Spirit King of the Hill winners, along with the top female competitor.
"Copper Peak is a very steep and difficult hill to climb," said Jason Kleinschmidt of MASTERS in a press release.
Kleinschmidt said in past Copper Peak hillclimbs, very few made it over the top and through the timing chute.
"Those that run this hill know the challenge they have, as does the huge crowd," he said.
Kurt Helmstadter, of Merrill, Wisconsin, had been to previous hillclimbs at Copper Peak and was happy to return. He said it was a good time.
Helmstadter last attended the event in 2009 and said the events have always been very popular. "Fox Sports was here (in 2009) and everything, why they ever quit it? ... They had a good thing going. It was a national event. It was just huge," said Helmstadter. "It's going to take a couple of years now to get it built up again."
Helmstadter's nephew, Caleb Thompson, 13, tagged along with them in the hopes of seeing some of the sleds fail to make the top and tumble back down. He said he really enjoyed the event, especially the spills.
"It's like auto races. That's why people go, you know, watch the accidents" said Helmstadter. "Otherwise, it would be boring."
MASTERS will run another snowmobile event in the area on Saturday with Terra-X Racing at the Iron County Fairgrounds in Saxon, Wisconsin. The event will be presented by the Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce and White Thunder Riders. Several different races and classes will be offered, including for vintage machines. For more information, visit mastersracing.net.
