Details

Winter Edition

Camp Roger, Rockford
January 16, 2027
Up to 3 hours
9:30 am

Join us for the 15th annual Winter Edition, the largest winter adventure race in the U.S., presented by the Village of Cannonsburg and the Honey Creek Inn. Run or hike, search for checkpoint flags, and conquer Amazing Race-like challenges in up to three hours of time flying by.

No need to be in tip-top shape; many teams hike rather than run and you can come in at any point. If you try for every checkpoint, expect to travel 4-5 miles, but everything is optional. Knowing how to use a compass (free clinic and online instruction) will be helpful for some checkpoints but you can find a lot of them with just good map reading. Snowshoes provided for the loop.

Capped at 500 racers and expected to sell out.

Watch this 4-minute Go Pro video to get a first-hand feel for the race. Or view hundreds of photos from past races.

This race comes with a lot of great stuff!

• Mid-weight 1/4 zip pullover ($35 retail)! Youth sizes available.
  (sign up by Dec. 27 to guarantee that you get one)
• Goulash (beef and vegan) lunch with breadsticks, fruit and hot drinks
• Chance at $2,000 in top finisher and raffle prizes
• Free navigation/compass clinic
• Free 6-week training plan

Divisions

• Solo Males, Females
• 2-person Females, Males, Mixed
• 3-4 person Females, Males, Mixed
• Family (2-6 person): One person must be 14 years or younger. For teams of 3-6, at least three from the same immediate family.

Schedule

BEFORE THE RACE

Training Plan

Simple, effective 6-week plan to help you get ready for the race. Repeat Weeks 1-3 if you will be starting your training before December. Thanks to Stuart Coaching for the plan.

Required gear

• We are requiring a few items for safety but most other items are at your discretion. See the Required Gear page. No canoeing or biking in our winter race.
• Lots of good shoe, clothing and gear tips on that page as well.

Navigation/Compass Clinic

• Join us for a free Navigation 101 clinic at Seidman Park on Saturday, January 2, 2025. RSVP and print clinic map and notes here.
• “Classroom” instruction followed by in-field practice with map and compass.

Lodging

• If you are coming from the east, your closest option is Candlestone Inn. It’s out in the country but does have a restaurant on site. Other restaurants are in Greenville, 7 minutes north.
• If you are coming from any other direction, there are dozens of options southwest of race HQ (in Grand Rapids). The closest hotels are in Comstock Park and off of Alpine Avenue, just north of I-96 (Map to North Center Dr NW). Lots of restaurant options near those, especially on Alpine.

Directions/Parking

• All racers must park at Lakes Elementary School (or Bostwick Lake Congregational Church if the school lot fills up). Both lots are located at Belding Road and Young Ave. Please carpool if possible as parking is limited. Wait at the school front doors for the bus.
• Lakes Elementary School, 6849 Young Ave NE, Rockford, MI 49341
• We will shuttle you by coach bus to Camp Roger, which has only enough parking for volunteers and staff. It’s about a two-minute ride. Camp Roger is located at 8356 Belding Rd NE in Rockford.

Awards

Members of first place teams in each division will win a beautiful, locally made barnwood team trophy. The top three teams in each division are awarded a wood medal and a pick of a sponsor prize.

Merchandise

(available at early check-in and on race day, limited quantities)

• Hoodie sweatshirt $35
• Skull cap $20
• Neck gaiter/buff $12
• Stainless steel pint $12
• Sticker $3

Rules

• Please read through our standard race rules. Special rules that only apply to the Winter Edition will be listed in one of the race updates you’ll receive or on the race instructions.
• Furry friends aren’t allowed in the race or on site – neither the nature preserve nor camp allow them. Sorry about that!
• We will race snow or shine. In the event of a thunderstorm or blizzard, we will postpone the race until conditions improve.
• Race organizers reserve the right to cancel the event in the case of extended severe weather. We will do everything possible to get the event in, but refunds are not available if it is cancelled due to significant costs we must pay in advance of the race as well as lost wages. We would provide you a small credit for a future race. If we reschedule the event, no refunds are available. You can either transfer your entry to another team (or individual if part of your team can race) or take the partial credit. Our permit extends through the Sunday after the race so our preferred backup is to hold it the next day.
  • Reschedule Date #1: Sunday, January 18
  • Reschedule Date #2: TBD based on Camp Roger availability

Spectators

• Adventure racing isn’t the ideal spectator sport but we offer race maps to spectators before the race so they can check out some of the fun challenges.
• Invite friends and family to check out the race and they can get warm in the lodge.

weather/cancellation policy

• If we can’t race on Saturday due to severe weather that makes travel dangerous, we would attempt to rent camp for the next day or another Saturday in winter. If that won’t work, we will provide a partial credit depending on all the upfront, nonrefundable costs we must pay.
• The 1/4 zip pullover would be kept for the next year to help recoup a portion of the financial loss. If you need to ensure you get a full refund, please purchase the Allianz race insurance available during registration.

AFTER THE RACE

• Honey Creek Inn/Grist Mill goulash (beef and vegan). Breadsticks, fruit, hot cider, hot chocolate and coffee too!
• Awards/raffle. Can’t stay? We will mail a Gazelle Sport gift certificate to top finishers.

Charity Partner

The charity challenge money and a portion of the profits will go to a scholarship fund for kids to attend summer camp at Camp Roger who would not normally be able to afford to.

Questions? Our Facebook page is a great place to ask questions and get answers so others can learn from your question. For questions specific to you, email Mark VanTongeren, race director.

For Beginners: How an Adventure Race Works

Adventure racing is like no other sport! It involves a mix of brains and brawn, individual effort and teamwork, speed and endurance. For such amazing rewards, it requires a little effort to learn how it works and get better over time. The goal of adventure racing is for you and your teammate(s) to find as many checkpoints as you can in the time period.

All checkpoints will be pre-plotted on topographic maps. The race will be broken up so that you’ll do one activity for a while, then another, etc. so your body (and brain) will get nice breaks. Checkpoints may be out of view, tucked behind trees or a hill, but generally are not intentionally hidden (except in public areas to minimize risk of theft). Check your map to see where the point is located and consult your race instructions sheet for the description which will help you determine its more exact location. Some points will require use of your compass, topographical map and an understanding of how to read that map. Others you can find from just looking at the map. Each checkpoint will have an orange and white flag with a punch attached to it.

The goal is to maximize the number of checkpoints on your passport within the time limit. A team that gets 25 checkpoints with seconds to spare will finish ahead of a team that gets 24 checkpoints with one hour to spare.

• Check-in. We recommend arriving to check-in early as we will hand out maps then (many races we will email you a copy of the map the evening before) and you can get most or all of your route complete before the pre-race meeting.
• Pre-race meeting. We’ll go over rules, safety issues, answer any questions.
• Race instructions/clues. The race instructions lists key rules, describes the course and the activities, and provides hints about where checkpoints are located along with the numbers of each checkpoint corresponding to the map, passport and punch.
• Passport. The passport is the piece of waterproof paper you’ll punch at each checkpoint to prove you found it. You must not lose it! You will turn this in as your scorecard when you finish racing.
• Checkpoint flag (aka “control”) and punch. You are looking for orange and white 3-sided orienteering flags (technically called control markers). You must punch the correct box in the passport so we can verify you were indeed there. The punch will have a number on it corresponding to your passport. Check it to confirm you got the right one. Each punch has a unique barb pattern to prove teams made it to that flag.
• Maps. The map(s) are topographic, showing the shape of the land and terrain details. Sometimes the map is lower resolution USGS. Other times it will be high-detail LIDAR. They are pre-plotted with the checkpoints on them. While not every trail in the area will be on the map, the vast majority usually are. You can waterproof your map with packing tape or contact paper and/or keep it in a waterproof map case or zip lock baggie.
• Map reading will be critical. You should also know how to use a compass (baseplate or sighting – with a straightedge), although you may be able to manage without if you can navigate well with your map. Attend our free clinic (see details earlier on this page) or learn online here.
• Order. Checkpoints are usually optional and often times can be found in any order within a section.
• The goal. Maximize the number of checkpoints on your passport within the time limit. If you arrive after the time limit, you will either receive a severe checkpoint penalty or not be counted in the final standings, depending on whether the race is beginner level or not.