Michigan Ice Fest

09/08/2026

Pick yours up from Barry Blanchard at this year’s Ice Fest!

09/08/2026

Now that summer is winding down we are about to get serious about winter!
Registration is open at the link in our bio!

09/04/2026

Time to start thinking ice- Registration is open!

08/19/2026

Art and adventure are inseparable parts of the human experience that help us define who we are. Many consider the performance of climbing as an art form in itself, so it only seems natural to bring a climbing artist to Ice Fest highlighting our new program Artist on Ice. Look for a gallery showing, morning coffee talk, live art, and other workshops!

Come browse the amazing artwork and meet this year’s Artist on Ice at Down Wind Sports 114 Elm Ave. in Munising!

2027 Artist: Lizzie Wenger

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Lizzie Wenger (b. 2001) has long been captivated by the colorful, fragile, and unique landscapes of the southwest. After her father’s passing when she was 12, Lizzie began to rely on her relationship with the outdoors to inform her journey through grief and healing. Climbing, canyoneering, biking, and hiking were some of the activities that empowered her throughout this period, and continue to do so. Now an avid mountaineer, rock climber, and general action sport enthusiast, her free time is spent exploring the mountains and canyons of the West. Participating in natural landscapes in these ways has shaped her perception of them – she’s captivated by movement, rhythm, and color.

Lizzie’s perspective on western landscapes is playful, vibrant, and inviting. She considers herself a student of land and believes that we have many lessons to learn from our natural world if we’re keen to listen and pay attention. Her work is intended to inspire connectivity between people and places, to share the healing forces of nature, and communicate her own relationship with the outdoors. She views painting as an act of storytelling and is particularly interested in engaging her community with art and the outdoors. Lizzie’s “psychedelic cubist” style has been developing for many years as she navigates different ways to see the world around her.

08/12/2026

Not only is he one of the most accomplished guides in the world, he just happens to also be one of the nicest humans you will ever cross paths will. Pretty excited to announce Barry Blanchard will be back !
BARRY is a world-renowned alpinist and mountain guide from Canada who has climbed the steepest and most complicated faces of the world’s great glaciated peaks. Among his many accomplishments are the first ascent of The Andromeda Strain, 1983; the North Ridge of Rakaposhi, 1984; the first ascent of the apocalyptic North Pillar of North Twin, 1985; the West Ridge of Mt. Everest, 1986; surviving the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat, 1988; a solo first ascent on the North Face of Kusum Kanguru, 1991; an attempt on K-2, 1993; first ascents in the St Elias mountains; M-16, a first ascent -in winter on the East Face of Howse Peak, 1999; the third ascent of the Infinite Spur on MT Foraker, 2000; the first ascent of Infinite Patience on the Emperor Face of Mt Robson, 2002. He is an internationally certified UIAGM mountain guide and has appeared in Hollywood features such as “K-2,” “Cliffhanger,” and “The Vertical Limit” as a climbing double. In 2024, Blanchard was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, a prestigious honor in Canada. He is a founding member of Mountain Muskox, a non-profit formed to support and care for those who have been impacted by loss or trauma in the mountains. His life was recently profiled in the documentary, “Spindrift: The Barry Blanchard Story.” He is the father of two adult daughters and lives with his partner in Canmore, Alberta.
Big thanks goes out to Patagonia for sending Barry!

08/05/2026

Calling all past Sue Nott Scholarship winners! We are having a reunion as we will be celebrating 20 years of the scholarship!
If you were a past winner or know of a past winner please contact Bill at [email protected] for some exciting news!

The Sue Nott Scholarship celebrates 20 Years with a reunion gathering of past scholarship winners at the Michigan Ice Fest. This will be a heartfelt celebration of community, mentorship, and the enduring legacy of Sue Nott. Scholarship recipients from past and present are invited to come together alongside mentors, guides, and friends to share stories from the ice, reflect on personal growth, and honor the opportunities the scholarship has provided!

07/27/2026

Our trees are planted! Last year during registration our participants donated to our sustainability program and we partnered with veritreeofficial and with the funds planted 329 trees in Michigan!
Thank you to all who donated!

07/26/2026

We just finished the Michigan Ice Fest Kids Climbing Camp where 16 absolute crushers spent 6 days in the Upper Peninsula learning the craft of climbing! Super fun group of supportive, polite, eager to learn kids from all over the Midwest. So much fun! Hope to see you all next year!

07/16/2026

07/16/2026

Can you believe it- our Sue Nott Scholarship turns 20 years old this coming Ice Fest! We have a lot of exciting programming happening and we would love to connect with all of our past winners. One problem….our record keeping in the early years was a bit lacking and we are missing contact information from some folks. If you were a scholarship winner please email us at: [email protected] so we can share some exciting news!
As a teaser, we are planning a reunion !

Sue Nott Scholarship Reunion Gathering- Sponsored by Mountain Hardwear

The Sue Nott Scholarship celebrates 20 Years with a reunion gathering of past scholarship winners at the Michigan Ice Fest. This will be a heartfelt celebration of community, mentorship, and the enduring legacy of Sue Nott. Scholarship recipients from past and present are invited to come together alongside mentors, guides, and friends to share stories from the ice, reflect on personal growth, and honor the opportunities the scholarship has provided!