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Brockit, Inc. back as official Great Bear Chase photographer
Free photo downloads once again available to all The Portage Heatlh Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon is proud to announce that Brockit Photography will once again be the official photographer of the Great...
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Read all about our 2014 Course Improvements
The 2014 Portage Health Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon has several changes that will help to improve flow, reduce intersections and provide a better mix of terrain compared to past years. This...
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New for 2014: Sign up here to receive results immediately after race
The Portage Health Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon and our timing partner, Superior Timing, are proud to announce that results can be texted to participants and fans immediately after a racer crosses...
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PHOTOS: 2014 awards and hats!
The 2014 Portage Health Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon is less than two weeks out, and today we’re excited to show you a couple things most racers are hoping to come home with: Your courtesy hat for...
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Junior Bear Chase details finalized
The festivities for Bear Chase weekend haven’t really started until the youth have began chasing the bear through Swedetown Trails. That’s how the weekend will get started again this year as the...
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The GBC is in the Land of Great Snow
It’s been one of those winters in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. When we say that, we mean we’ve had snow, snow and more snow. And just for a little fun, Mother Nature has thrown in some major cold...
View Article2014 Preview: KBC Beer Tasting, Food Truck, Pasta Dinner and more
The 2014 Great Bear Chase is just around the corner, and with that the Portage Health Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon has finalized all of the food and beverage options for this year, including two new...
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Wax recommendations in, latest weather report looks perfect
Hot off the press from our friends at Toko and Swix – wax recommendations for the 2014 Great Bear Chase are in. Wax recommendations from Toko (PDF) Wax recommendations from Swix (PDF) Both...
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Weather and trails perfect as 515 compete in 2014 Great Bear Chase
Photo by Cross Country Sport The trails were pristine, the weather just about the right coldness and more than 500 skiers raced through the Swedetown Trails this morning during the 34th annual Portage...
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Photos, video and everything else recapping the 2014 GBC
It was a busy, busy year for the Portage Health Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon, which was once again host of more than 600 racers between about a dozen events in early March. This year’s event included...
View ArticleWinter has arrived in Calumet!
December 21, 2016 – We are thrilled with the recent winter-like conditions at the home of the Great Bear Chase! The snow started on December 7 and has hardly stopped. Over 10 days, we logged 5 with at...
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Clark Skiing 36th Great Bear Chase This Year
The first Great Bear Chase took place in 1981 and Richard Clark was there. This year marks the 36th annual ski marathon and Richard Clark plans to be there, just as he has for every Great Bear Chase....
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Becky Darling, Volunteer Extraordinaire
The Great Bear Chase would not be possible if it weren’t for the nearly 200 volunteers that commit to helping out each and every year. Becky Darling is one those amazing volunteers and has been for...
View ArticleRecord 740 Skiers in 2018 Great Bear Chase
A record 740 skiers enjoyed a perfect day for cross country skiing Saturday for the 38th annual UP Health System Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon at the Swedetown Trails on Saturday. Temperatures in the...
View ArticleNew for 2019 and Registration Open
Registration is open for the 2019 Great Bear Chase, which will take place Saturday, March 9. The organizing committee has expanded the age range for those receiving a fee discount to age 19. All skiers...
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Who is That Man in White?
Some of you may have seen the “man in white” while participating in the Great Bear Chase. Bruce MacDonald tells us he wears white because “his heart is pure and snow is white.” Bruce missed out on the...
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Hooked, Fitzpatrick skiing in Second GBC
Kelsae Fitzpatrick grew up on a little hobby farm in Minnesota. After becoming a Registered Dietitian, she accepted a position at UP Health System Portage. At that point, she had never been to...
View ArticleWax Recommendations – 2019
Swix and Toko have both posted wax recommendations for the Great Bear Chase. The two local shops are Cross Country Sports in Calumet and Downwind Sports in Houghton – we recommend calling ahead,...
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