Birkie Tour
Saturday, January 21, 2023

Exciting Changes for the 2023 Birkie Tour! Tour by Day – Race by Night!

The Birkie Tour course is changing AND a night race is now part of the event! Ski the Birkie Trail and revamped trails around Mt. Telemark at a relaxed pace during the day. Enjoy a nice meal, rest up, and then come back for racing under the stars! Choose both events or just one- create your own adventure!

The Birkie Tour is pure fun, plain and simple. Whether you just want to tour, just want to race, or experience both- we’ve got options for you. It’s a great way to experience the wonderful Birkie Trail system on your own or with family and friends, now during the day or night.

Tour the Birkie Trail and trails around Mt. Telemark. The Birkie Trail Crew will be reviving trails around Mt. Telemark to create new skiing options. Ski the marked courses during the Tour to get a glimpse of all the fun to be had! Birkie Tour skiers choose their own distance and pace, and park, start, and finish at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead. Courses will be marked and you create a short or long ski – just enjoy the day!

Perfect for:

• A skier thinking about a Birkie event, but unsure about being ready;
• A skier who loves to ski, but isn’t interested in ski racing;
• A skier looking to try new trails;
• Or, a skier just looking for more time on their skis in a fun and safe atmosphere.

But, wait, there’s more! After your casual afternoon tour, return for a race under the stars! Race with a headlamp (required) on a 10K individual course or 20K with a teammate (both ski the 20K course). Experience the flying sensation of skiing the trails at night!

Night Race:

• Headlamps are required
• Ski the 10K as an individual
• Ski the 20K with a teammate! Must ski together as a team. Time is calculated after the second team member crosses the finish line.

Participant Gift

First 400 Tour and Race participants will receive an engraved waterbottle to remember their Tour by Day/Race by Night experience!

Protect Your Registration!

Get reimbursed up to 100% on your registration if you can’t compete for a number of reasons.  Next Wave Insurance offers Regsaver so you can insure your non-refundable registration fee in the case injury, illness, or another covered peril occurs.* Please see policy for complete list of covered perils at www.registrationsaver.com/birkie. Limitations and exclusions apply. Next Wave Insurance, CA License #: OF00755.

Learn More About RegSaver Registration Protection!

Getting There

Check in for the Birkie Tour at the Derksen Great Hall at American Birkebeiner Trailhead, Cable, Wisconsin.

GPS Coordinates: 46.193510, -91.249866

Arrive at the start from Telemark Rd. Take Hwy M east from Cable for 2 miles, then take a right (south) on Telemark Rd. and follow the signs to parking and/or check-in.

Tour Course

The 2023 Birkie Tour will start and finish at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead.  You choose the distance you want to enjoy! Venture far or stay close by the Trailhead- you’ll have the option to ski Birkie Skate and Classic trails, Mt. Telemark trails, and the competition trails right at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead. Timber Trail Aid Station will be open for skiers that venture out on the Birkie Skate and/or Birkie Classic trails. Smaller loops (10K or less) will be marked around the American Birkebeiener Trailhead. The Night Race course will also be marked and ready for skiing during the day.

Race Course

The Birkie Tour Night Race course will start at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead, wind through Birkie Skate and Classic trails, up and down trails on Mt. Telemark, and finish at the Trailhead. Wear a headlamp- it will be dark!

Schedule

• 9:00am-11:00am: Bib pick-up (Derksen Family Great Hall)
• 10:00am-11:30am: Birkie Tour Start
• 10:45am: Timber Trail Opens
• 11:30am: After Party Begins!
• 2:00pm: Timber Trail Closes
• 3:00pm: Birkie Tour Cut-off
• 4:30pm-6:00pm: Night Race Bib Pick-up (Derksen Family Great Hall)
• 6:00pm: Team 20k Start
• 6:05pm: 10k Start
• 6:30pm: Post Race Party Begins!
• 6:45pm: 10k Award Ceremony
• 7:00pm: 20k lap Aid Station Closes
• 7:45pm: 20k Award Ceremony
• 8:30pm: Night Race Cut-off

Bib Pick-Up

Bib pickup is at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead in the Derksen Family Great Hall on Saturday, January 21 from 9:00am-11:00am and from 4:30-6:00pm. Pick up your tour and/or race bibs at any time!

Tour Start & Cut-off Times

Start your Tour anytime between 10am-11:30am. Tour is officially over at 3pm.

Night Race Start & Cut-off Times

Turn on your headlamps! 20K race starts at 6pm, 10K at 6:05pm. All participants must complete the race by 8:30 pm.

Birkie Tour Ambassadors

The course will be patrolled throughout the day by Birkie Tour Ambassadors.  Ambassadors have a lot of Birkie Trail experience and can assist with waxing and share their knowledge of the Birkie Trails and Birkie Races. Look for the white Ambassador bibs.

Aid Stations

Your Tour will be supported with 1 Aid Station along the course at Timber Trail. Feel free to stop in the Derksen Family Great Hall at any time for water. More information on aid station offerings will be available soon.

After-Ski Snacks and Beverage

After your Tour, enjoy a lunch and drink inside the Derksen Family Great Hall. We’ll again be serving beer from Earth Rider Brewery, the Official Beer of the Birkie!

After the race, enjoy a beverage and snacks out by the fire!

Night Race Awards

Awards will be presented to the following finishers in the Night Race:

• 10k – top 3 male and female finishers
• 20k –
  • Top Male team
  • Top Female team
  • Top Mixed team

Results

2023 Night Race Results

Volunteers make this event possible!  We always need help at aid stations, parking cars, assisting participants and course support. If you are interested in helping out, click HERE or contact Ronda Tworek, Director of Volunteers, at 715.634.5025, or ronda.tworek@birkie.com.

Click Here to Volunteer!

Presenting Sponsors of the Birkie Tour

Supporting Sponsors of the Birkie Tour

Gold Circle Elite
Gold Level Sponsors of the Major Birkie Events Year-Round