Iceman Cometh Challenge Returns to Northern Michigan
The Bell's Iceman Cometh Challenge, a major point-to-point mountain bike race, is returning to Northern Michigan, running from Kalkaska to Traverse City. The 37th annual event is anticipated to draw thousands of participants and spectators, providing an estimated $6.7 million…
Traverse City Cadillac, MI, October 19, 2026 —
The Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge, a point-to-point mountain bike race, is returning to Northern Michigan for its 37th annual event. The route runs from Kalkaska to Traverse City, and organizers anticipate thousands of participants and spectators.
The event is estimated to generate $6.7 million in economic impact for the region. That estimate reflects the race’s role in supporting local businesses during a quieter tourism period, according to the information provided about the event.
The anticipated turnout would bring participants and spectators to communities along the route, though details about where visitors may spend money or how the economic impact was calculated were not provided. The estimate is presented as a regional economic impact, rather than a breakdown of revenue for individual businesses or communities.
The event’s 37th annual edition marks its return to the Northern Michigan route between Kalkaska and Traverse City. The specific race date, organizers’ names, and further details about the event were not provided. The number of participants and spectators is also an expectation; an exact attendance figure was not included.
The projected economic contribution highlights the event’s potential importance to local businesses during a period described as quieter for tourism. The available information does not specify which businesses or sectors are expected to benefit, or whether the $6.7 million estimate refers to spending directly tied to the race or a broader regional effect.
Story summarized from the original created by Kyle Garrison on www.9and10news.com, see more information here.
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