Book Across the Bay takes skiers and snowshoers across frozen Lake Superior by candlelight

There are cross-country ski and snowshoe races in Wisconsin, and then there's Book Across the Bay. 

The 10 kilometer trek from Ashland to Washburn has all of the usual race trappings — trim competitors, chipped bibs, a post-race party with chili and beer.

Except the race takes place entirely at night, on water. Well, frozen water, in Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior.

And then there are the bonfires at every kilometer along the race route — on ice, remember.

And the ice luminaries. More than a thousand of the frozen cylinders with candles at regular intervals marking the course.

And the giant snow dragon that shoots fire.

And, if it's a clear night, the dazzling star-filled sky of northern Wisconsin, far from the light pollution of big cities.

It all combines for a pretty fantastic way to beat back winter's long, cold nights.

That's how the race got its start in 1996, when a group of locals had the crazy idea of skiing across Lake Superior by candlelight to make winter a little more bearable.

"Come mid-February, people are really sick of winter up here," said Laurence Wiland, who has been involved with the all-volunteer committee that plans the event since its first rendition.

Wiland, who moved to Ashland from Michigan the same year the race got its start, said one of the other committee members who's been involved since the beginning, Andy Matheus, got the idea for the race from an event in Minnesota that had ice luminaries.

"That sort of got him to thinking these are really cool, and maybe we can do something with that," Wiland said.

Matheus, a skier, pitched the idea to some friends of hosting a nighttime ski event on Chequamegon Bay, which reliably freezes fairly solid every winter. Members of a friends group for the Washburn Public Library got involved, and they decided to make it a fundraiser for the library — thus the "Book" in the event name.

The group thought 100 locals might show up for the first event. More than 350 did.

"It took off — it took on a life of its own," Wiland said. "After that first year, we thought we were on to something here."

Friends told friends, family told family, and without a dime spent on advertising, the race grew.

Four or five years ago, participation peaked at about 3,800 people, Wiland said. They usually expect a couple thousand people each year.

That's a big crowd for small towns like Ashland (pop. 8,216) and Washburn (pop. 2,117).

"That's pretty significant for us," Wiland said. "I figure just about everyone has their couch and extra bedroom full this weekend."

That small-town feel is another thing that makes the race special.

"We've always tried to keep the small-town atmosphere to the race," he said, noting that includes keeping entry fees affordable. "I think people appreciate that. They say this is really a genuine community effort."

That community effort includes hundreds of volunteers, in-kind donations from businesses and sponsors who add their own fun touches to rest stops at every kilometer.

With skiers and snowshoers of all ages and abilities, the event does feel more like a fun community outing than race — especially for groups like me and my friends who, when we did the race a few years ago, took our time moseying between rest stops, where the bonfires came with a side of music, Oreos, conversation with strangers and a nip of something to warm the belly.

The finish line in Washburn greets cold and tired skiers and snowshoers with a heated tent, music, food and drinks.

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Even with all of the unique trappings, some might still consider the race in the realm of crazy. It is, after all, a 10 kilometer race across a frozen abyss in far northern Wisconsin in the depth of winter.

So what exactly draws more than 3,000 crazy souls to take part every year?

"I think it's just something different," Wiland said. "There are races every weekend just about everywhere you go. The fact that it's done at night and with the candles … that's really quite a sight to see.

"And being out on the lake — people are really drawn to Lake Superior for a lot of reasons. This is a really unique way to get out on the lake."

More information: Book Across the Bay Kicks off at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 at Maslowski Beach in Ashland.

Race organizers recommend participants park at the finish line at Thompson's West End Park in Washburn and take a shuttle to the start line in Ashland.

Advance registration is $25 for adults and $20 for kids 17 and under. Walk-in registration is $30 for adults and $25 for kids.

For more information, call (800) 284-9484 or see batb.org.

Getting there: The finish line and shuttle area is at Thompson's West End Park in Washburn, about 350 miles northwest of Milwaukee.