Yellowknife’s Frostbite endurance event returns March 21

Skiing around 55 km doesn’t sound so bad after you learn Yellowknife’s annual Frostbite race used to span up to 225 km of ungroomed trails over six days.

The Frostbite started out nearly 20 years ago as a multi-day ski or snowshoe race called the Rock and Ice Ultra, alongside a 45-kilometre option.

While the ultra option has long been defunct, the one-day event has slowly crept up from 45 km to 50 km to nearly 55 km.

Ben Linaker, who sits on the organizing committee, says this year’s March 21 Frostbite will be around 53 km.

The course will be essentially the same as it has been since 2024 – four legs marked by checkpoints designed to be easy for volunteers to access by vehicle.

The course is open to both cross-country skiers and snowshoers. People can tackle the endurance race solo or as a team of up to four, which makes the course more manageable in sections of 10 to 15 km.

“I’m a little bit biased, but this new course is really, really pretty – especially the far side of the bay when you’re skiing in between the Yellowknife River and Dettah,” said Linaker, noting the course will be groomed on Great Slave Lake, Walsh Lake and Duck Lake.

“It’s always really, really incredible. So whenever I’ve skied it, I’ve had a great time, regardless of how cold it was or how miserable it was.

“Obviously, this year it’s a little bit later in March, so I’m hoping it’ll be warmer and we’ve got less day-of concerns. But whether it’s -30C or -3C, it’s always a really, really fun activity.”

This year, the Frostbite partnered with the Yellowknife Ski Club to host a Learn to Frostbite clinic, helping skiers become comfortable with long distances outside the city on cold days. Registration for the program is closed but Linaker said it was a success, with 14 of the 15 available spots filled.

He encouraged people to sign up for the Frostbite early so the organizing committee can better prepare. Current pricing – $100 for people tackling the challenge solo or $90 per person if joining a team – will be in place until March 8. Higher pricing will then be in place until March 16 for people who decide to sign up at the last minute.

From now on, the Frostbite will always be on the third weekend in March to allow people to plan their participation and training well ahead of time.

Linaker said the Frostbite is only possible because of the approximately 50 volunteers who manage the Ski-doo patrol, share snacks and encouragement at checkpoints, time keep and monitor the finish line, and cook and serve chili.

“[It’s] a lot of fun to be had – the volunteering is really, really rewarding, and it’s a great way to meet new people and just help this great event continue going forward,” he said.

To sign up to volunteer, people can email the organizers or submit an inquiry through the event’s website.