Ski de SheSki with friends. Ski for health. Ski with confidence.

2024 Participant Guide

2024 Race Results

Join us for the second annual Ski de She, a ski event created just for women! The camp and race were a huge success in 2023, with over 400 women coming together to ski, learn, race, and grow together! Participate in the entire 3-day camp or register for just the races on Saturday. The Ski de She camp is limited to 100 women – don’t wait to register!

Ski de She is a time for women to come together to expand their skills, build race confidence, and connect with fellow women skiers.

Private Lesson Opportunity

Exciting news to share! Unlock new levels in your skills with Advanced Lessons by the incredible duo, Holly Brooks & Jennie Bender! Join us this Friday morning (1/19) from 10 am to 11:30 am for an unforgettable experience.

Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn from the best! Limited spots available, so secure yours now for just $150.

Race Schedule

Changes are being made to the race schedule to accomodate low snow conditions. Please stay tuned for exact timing of races and course changes!

Saturday, January 20 Anticipated Schedule

  • 8:00-12:30pm: Bib Pickup
  • 9:00am: Backroads 20K Classic Race
  • 11:00am: Riverbrook 10K Freestyle Race & 5K Freestyle Race
  • 11:00am: After Race Party Begins!
  • 11:30am: Backroads 20K Classic Awards Ceremony
  • 12:15pm: Gear West 30K Skate Race
  • 12:30pm: Riverbrook 10k Freestyle & 5k Freestyle Awards Ceremony
  • 2:30pm: Gear West 30k Skate Awards Ceremony
  • 3:00pm: All good things must come to an end – camp activities to resume!

Included in registration: Snacks, Tattersall happy hour, and a participant gift!

3-Day Camp – limited to 100 women!  *Update: a few spots in the 2024 Camp have opened up! Register now for your opportunity to have fun-filled, ski-filled weekend!

Throughout the weekend, camp attendees will enjoy health and wellness workshops, hear from ski industry experts, and dine on delicious food and drink to fuel the weekend. Camp registration includes a race entry to your choice of distance.  All participants must be 18 years of age or older to register for the Ski de She Camp.

  • Indoor & outdoor sessions
  • Wax clinic
  • Saturday races
  • Post-race party & happy hour
  • Recovery yoga

Race Only

Don’t have time for the 3-day camp? Register for the Ski de She races only on Saturday, January 20 at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead in Cable, WI.

A women-only race is the perfect place to build your race confidence in an encouraging, yet competitive environment!

  • 30k Gear West Skate Race
  • 20k Backroads Coffee Classic Race
  • 10k Riverbrook Bike and Ski Skate/Classic Freestyle Race
  • New!  5k Skate/Classic Freestyle Race

All participants must be 13 years of age or older on race day to register for the 20k or 30k.

Age-based pricing is available for participants 18 years of age and younger on race day for the 5k & 10k.

Registration

June 1 through August 17August 18 through December 7December 8 through January 18January 19 and January 20
Ski de She CAMP
*Race registration included
$325$325$325$325
Ski de She RACE$65$75$85$95
Ski de She 5k or 10k RACE 18 & under on race day$40$40$40$50

Need to switch your race? To change your event/technique:

  • Login to your RunSignUp profile.
  • Scroll down to your event and click “Manage Registration”
  • Click on “Transfer Event” (along either top or bottom menu)
  • Select the event you want to transfer to and complete the registration

Registrations are non-transferable between participants.

Wax Policy

The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation has joined U.S. Ski and Snowboard in banning the use of fluorinated ski wax in competition beginning the 2020-2021 season.  We encourage all competitors to abide by this policy for all events on the Birkie Trail and at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead.  All athletes are subject to random ski testing at events and penalties will apply to any US Ski and Snowboard licensed or citizen skier that is found to be non-compliant.

Protect Your Registration!

Get reimbursed up to 100% on your registration if you can’t compete for a number of reasons.  Vertical Insure offers Registration Cancellation Insurance so you can insure your non-refundable registration fee in the case injury, illness, or other unexpected events occur.* Please see policy for complete list of covered perils at https://landing.verticalinsure.com/birkie. Limitations and exclusions apply.

Learn More About Vertical Insure Registration Protection!

Venue Directions and Parking

Getting There

All of the camp activities and races will take place at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead.  Arrive at the start from Telemark Rd- take Hwy M east from Cable, take a right (south) on Telemark Rd., and follow the signs to parking and/or bib pick-up.  Exit the start/finish area on McNaught Rd.  There is ample parking at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead.

Parking

Camp Schedule

The Ski de She camp is a time to come together to learn more about cross country skiing, health, training, and community. This camp is reserved for women only.  All participants must be 18 years of age or older to register for the Ski de She Camp.

Camper Schedule – Ski de She 2024

Friday, January 19

  • 1:00pm: Check-in, Meet and Greet
  • 1:30-3:30pm: Outdoor ski sessions
  • 3:30-4:00pm: Warm-up and Snacks!
  • 4:00-6:00pm: Indoor sessions
    • Welcome to Ski de She with Kristy Maki, ABSF Event Director
    • Changing the Clothing Game: Dressing for Distance with Abby Drach of Indura Athletic
    • Gear for Every Wave with Nichole Bathe
    • Race Strategy for every Age and Stage with Jennie Bender
  • 6:00pm: Dinner with Friends!
    • Provided by Lakewoods Resort & Lodge
  • 6:30pm: Wax and Wine Tasting
    • Wine provided by Clarity Wine Shop
    • Wax Clinic presented by Jan Guenther and Cindy Swift
  • 7:30pm: Close for the day

Saturday, January 20

  • 8:00am: Breakfast and Race Prep
    • Breakfast and coffee provided by Backroads Coffee
    • Bakery items provided by Vibes Bakery
  • 9:00am: On Snow Warm-up and Wax Prep
  • 9:00am: Ski de She Races begin
  • 11:00-2:30pm: After Race Party
  • 2:00pm: Late-Camp Lunch (be sure to re-fuel immediately following the race at the aid station!)
  • 3:00pm: Afternoon Stretching and Post Race Reflection
  • 3:30pm: Indoor sessions resume for campers
    • Oh, the Places Skiing Can Take You! with Kim Rudd of Endurance Adventures
    • Three Tiny Exercises Everyone Should Do (and why they are relevant to skiing!) with Dr. Cara Battles
    • Fuel a Faster Ski with Julie Shobe
    • Five Keys to Mastering your Menopause and Beyond with Sara Larson
  • 5:30pm: Close for the day

Sunday, January 21

  • 8:00am: Yoga
    • Provided by Hayward Fitness Fanatics
    • Bring a yoga mat!
  • 9:00am: Breakfast
    • Breakfast and coffee provided by Backroads Coffee
    • Bakery items provided by Vibes Bakery
  • 9:30am: Holly Brooks Keynote Session
  • 10:30am: Coaches Q&A
  • 11:00am: On-snow Ski Time
  • 1:00: Head home tired, happy, and full of plans to meet up with friends to ski!

Keynote Speaker

Ski de She is pleased to welcome Holly Brooks as our 2024 Keynote Presenter! Holly Brooks is a former professional athlete, a 2-time Olympian in the sport of XC skiing, and a small business owner. Her athletic accolades include representing the US & Alaska at the 2010 & 2014 Olympics, winning the infamous Mount Marathon race (twice) and North America’s largest ski race, the American Birkebeiner, twice. As a 5-year veteran of the US Ski Team she was part of the first-ever USA World Cup Relay medal which recently culminated in her teammates bringing home the sport’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Seven years ago Holly started her own business, Holly Brooks LLC Counseling, Consulting and Coaching. She describes working with her clients “at the intersection of mental health and performance.” Holly is a licensed psychotherapist (and former executive coach) who specializes in performance practices, stress management, authentic leadership, transition, eating disorders and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She loves working with individuals, teams and businesses to develop thriving, sustainable performance practices.

Holly is a member of the Alaska Sports Hall of fame, was named Top 40 under 40, and is a spokesperson for Healthy Futures, AK. She served on the Board of Directors for the US Ski & Snowboard Team and as an athlete representative to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee from 2016-2020. Most recently she added “Executive Director” in the creation of a documentary called Winning at All Costs, Breaking the Silence on Athletes and Eating Disorders. Additionally she is the mental health consultant for Project Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (PRS) and the Co-Founder of the maternal mental health movement, Moms Matter Now.

In her spare time (!) you can find her running, skiing (yes, still), riding her bike or hiking in the Chugach mountains with her husband Rob Whitney and their six-year-old twins, Ruby Joy and Brooks.

Gear West 30k Skate

Gear West 30K Skate RaceTest your endurance against a competitive field of women. This event is tailored to both experienced racers & those who want to build their distance racing confidence.

Gear West 30k Skate Race Course

All race courses will start and finish at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead. The 30k Skate Race, presented by Gear West will complete 5 laps. Each lap is roughly 5.3k.All race distances are subject to change depending on course and conditions.

From the start, go down the main Birkie Trail to the Birchlegger’s Bell, easy left turn onto the Classic Trail, then make a left at the top to pick up the old Korte outbound. Continue on that trail to the Roller, make a hard left (go down a nice long hill). At the top of the next hill turn left, go past Uller Hytte, take a hard right onto inbound old Korte. Then all the way to/up and over the tunnel, then a hard right on the on the other side.

Continue through the competition stadium, uphill, 180° turn at the top, then downhill. After a short jog to the left look for a harder right onto Nordmor trail (the only two way section). After climbing easy up Nordmor pay attention to the turn around (loop) near Telehenge. Back down Nordmor, again the only two way, then a HARD left onto the Deck Trail which will take you up then down and then back up on your way to the Elevator Shaft. That brings you to the base of the World Cup climb, it’s a left and make a nice long climb up.

At the top it’s a hard right and you’ll be headed down to Twisted Sister, a soft right and hard left – be ready for this one, it’s fun! Get through Twisted Sister and it’s a hard right( at the very top) headed back towards the competition stadium. Then downhill and headed for a trip through the tunnel. Once through there look for a lap or finish lane. It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with how those lanes are marked and/or laid out.

Have fun, be careful & courteous, enjoy!

Backroads Coffee 20k Classic

Take your classic skiing to the next level. Whether you want to challenge yourself in a new way, or just enjoy the trail and camaraderie, the 20k classic race is for you.

Backroads 20k Classic Race Course

All race courses will start and finish at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead. The 20k Classic Race, presented by Backroads Coffee will complete 5 laps. Each lap is roughly 4k. All race distances are subject to change depending on course and conditions.

From the start, go down the main Birkie Trail approximately 600m, then make a left to pick up the old Korte inbound. Continue on that trail all the way to/up and over the tunnel, then a hard right on the on the other side. Continue through the competition stadium. At the top of that short hill it’s a 180° turn, then a short downhill.

After a slight bend to the left look for a harder right onto Nordmor trail. After climbing easy up Nordmor, look for a short left, pay attention to the turn around (loop) near Telehenge, it’s a new piece. Make the loop and you’re headed back on Nordmor, the only (very) short two-way piece. Then a hard left onto the Deck loop, which will take you up then downhill, with a fast bend to the left, to the climb up to the Elevator Shaft.

Then it’s straight down to the base of the World Cup making a left to begin that long climb. At the top it’s a hard right and you’ll be headed down to Twisted Sister, a soft right and hard left – be ready for this one, it’s fun! Get through Twisted Sister and it’s a hard right (at the very top) headed back towards the competition stadium. Then downhill, make a left and head for a trip through the tunnel. Once through there look for lap and/or finish lanes. It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with how those lanes are marked and/or laid out.

Have fun, be careful & courteous, enjoy!

Riverbrook Bike and Ski 10k Freestyle

Riverbrook 10K Open Technique RaceThe Riverbrook 10k Classic/Skate Race is a great option for women who are new to the racing scene and want to give racing a try in an encouraging, all-women setting.

Riverbrook 10k Freestyle Course


All race courses will start and finish at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead. The 10k Freestyle Race, presented by Riverbrook Bike + Ski will complete 2 laps. Each lap is roughly 4k. All race distances are subject to change depending on course and conditions.

From the start, go down the main Birkie Trail approximately 600m, then make a left to pick up the old Korte inbound. Continue on that trail all the way to/up and over the tunnel, then a hard right on the on the other side. Continue through the competition stadium, uphill, 180° turn at the top, then downhill.

After a short jog to the left look for a harder right onto Nordmor trail (the only long two way section). After climbing easy up Nordmor pay attention to the turn around (loop) near Telehenge. Back down Nordmor, again the only long two way, then a HARD left onto the Pond Trail which will take you to the base of the World Cup climb, a short right then left. At the top it’s a hard right and you’ll be headed down to Twisted Sister, a soft right and hard left – be ready for this one, it’s fun!

Get through Twisted Sister and it’s a hard right(at the very top of the hil) headed back towards the competition stadium. Then downhill and headed for a trip through the tunnel. Once through there look for a lap lane, if doing 2 laps, or the finish lane sign. It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with how those lanes are marked and/or laid out.

Have fun, be careful & courteous, enjoy!

5k Freestyle

New!  5k Classic/Skate Race is a great option for women who are at a beginner level and want to start with the basics and have a great time learning!

5k Freestyle Course


All race courses will start and finish at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead. The 5k Freestyle Race will complete 1 lap. Each lap is roughly 4k. All race distances are subject to change depending on course and conditions.

From the start, go down the main Birkie Trail approximately 600m, then make a left to pick up the old Korte inbound. Continue on that trail all the way to/up and over the tunnel, then a hard right on the on the other side. Continue through the competition stadium, uphill, 180° turn at the top, then downhill.

After a short jog to the left look for a harder right onto Nordmor trail (the only long two way section). After climbing easy up Nordmor pay attention to the turn around (loop) near Telehenge. Back down Nordmor, again the only long two way, then a HARD left onto the Pond Trail which will take you to the base of the World Cup climb, a short right then left. At the top it’s a hard right and you’ll be headed down to Twisted Sister, a soft right and hard left – be ready for this one, it’s fun!

Get through Twisted Sister and it’s a hard right(at the very top of the hil) headed back towards the competition stadium. Then downhill and headed for a trip through the tunnel. Once through there look for a lap lane, if doing 2 laps, or the finish lane sign. It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with how those lanes are marked and/or laid out.

Have fun, be careful & courteous, enjoy!

Post-Race Party!

After your race, stop by the post-race aid station for snacks and hydration to re-fuel. Come inside the Derksen Family Great Hall to warm-up with cocktails from Tattersall Distillery, served from 11:00-2:00pm.

Women support women! During beverage service, consider leaving a tip for the WisconSWIM Mermaids, who are fundraising to swim across the English Channel. The WisconSWIM Mermaids are four ladies, including several Birkie skiers, from Barnes, Hayward, and Washburn who will make history in August 2024 as the first all-female relay team from the Badger State to swim (at least 26 miles!) across the English Channel. They’ve been training for several years to overcome challenges like cold-water (no wetsuits allowed!), jellyfish, and night-swimming to showcase the grit of hardy midwestern women! Learn more about them on Facebook and donate on GoFundMe – search WisconSWIM Mermaids.

Awards

30k Skate Race presented by Gearwest

Overall

The top three finishers will receive prize money, podium award, and flowers!

Prize money will be given for the 30K Gearwest skate race winners:

1st Place: $1000
2nd Place: $750
3rd Place: $500
4th Place: $250
5th Place: $150

Age Class

The top three finishers in the following age classes will receive a podium award:

  • 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+

20k Classic Race presented by Backroads Coffee

Overall

The top three finishers will receive a podium award and flowers!

Age Class

The top three finishers in the following age classes will receive a podium award:

  • 17 and under, 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+

10k Freestyle Race presented by Riverbrook Bike and Ski

Overall

The top three finishers will receive a podium award and flowers!

Age Class

The top three finishers in the following age classes will receive a podium award:

  • 14&under, 15-17, 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+

5k Freestyle

Overall

The top three finishers will receive a podium award and flowers!

Age Class

The top three finishers in the following age classes will receive a podium award:

  • 12&under, 13-14, 15-17, 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+

2024 Camp Presentations

Need a Refresher? – 2024 Presentations

Check out the links below to reference the materials from some of our workshop leaders!

Lodging

North Woods GetawayTelemark Northwoods Lodging

Ski de She events start and finish at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead, located about 17 miles north of Hayward, WI, the “Gateway to the Historic Northwoods” in the town of Cable, WI. Within driving distance from Duluth, MN 1:30, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN 3:00, Madison, WI 4:50, and Chicago, IL 7:20.

Lodging Options

For more information, please visit our lodging page to view the different lodging options that are around the area.

Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors of the Ski de She Camp and Race

Riverbrook
Gear West
Backroads Coffee


Supporting Sponsors of the Ski de She Camp and Race

Endurance Adventures
Vibes Bakery
Tattersall Distilling
Lynne Marie's Candies
Hayward Fitness Fanatics
Clarity Wine Shop


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

Salomon
AriensCo
Untapped
Kwik Trip
Tamarack Health
Republic Services
Backroads Coffee
TIOA
Earth Rider Brewery
Maloja
Timber Ford

Be Part of the Birkie and the Markets We Serve!

Andrew Manocheo
Partnership Director
American Birkebeiner® Ski Foundation
andrew.manocheo@birkie.com