Volunteer Opportunities

How you can help?

Are you interested in being part of Book Across the Bay, but you’re not interested in skiing? We always need volunteers to help with a variety of jobs, from making ice luminaries to grooming the course to stuffing registration bags (and more!)

Here are the main areas where we need volunteers. If one of these jobs appeals to you, please directly contact the person listed as that area coordinator.

  • EXPO activities, Ashland Winter Market, Kite Festival, & the After Party Celebration. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  
  • Event sponsorship. Contact Ben Thoen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  
  • Course preparation and grooming, luminaries, candle-lighting. Contact Andy Matheus at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  
  • Any other questions, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

You may want to participate in other ways as well. In the past we’ve had individuals and groups organize rest and refreshment stops along the race course, play music, or create artwork. While Book Across the Bay can’t fund these sorts of activities, we may be able to help with logistics.

Book Across the Bay is more than just a ski race, and we encourage all kinds of creative community participation. Let us know if you have ideas!

What We Do

Book Across the Bay is the upper Midwest's most unique winter event, open to skiers and snowshoers of all ages and ability levels. The 10-kilometer course, which is groomed for both classic-style and skate skiing, follows a route not on land, but over the frozen surface of Lake Superior, the world's largest lake. The event is held at night, and the course is lit by the stars above and up to 1,000 candles in ice luminaries that line the entire route.