Winter in Sault Ste. Marie | I-500 Snowmobile Race

How much snow does Sault Ste. Marie have? They have snow. They have a lot of snow. In fact, there are times when this area leads the entire country in annual snowfall. When we were younger and growing up in Sault Ste. Marie we got 5 feet in one weekend! Not only did we get a snow day, we got a snow week! 

So, what does all of this mean? It means that if you like snow, this is a place for you. We started with a winter experience while using The Soo (as it is called by many) as our home base for winter adventure. With this much snow, an easy way to be able to get outside for an adventure is with a pair of snowshoes and that is how we started. There are many spots in the region to snowshoe with trails right in The Soo and along Lake Superior all the way to Tahquamenon Falls. 

There are also the lighthouses in the area that are great to visit during winter. Yea, the insides are not open but the landscapes are so different than summer and fall that it is worth stopping by Point Iroquois Lighthouse and Whitefish Point during the winter season. 

Another big thing in Sault Ste. Marie is hockey. We decided to bring back some childhood memories by going to skate at Kaine's Rink. Kaine's is am indoor, naturally chilled ice rink. What that means is that this barn has a roof and walls around it but the ice surface itself is frozen based on the seasonal cold temperatures. We decided to have a skills competition against each other and you can check out the full video below!

Another thing we enjoy doing in The Soo is going to the Sault Seal Recreation Area to go tubing. These are amazing tubing runs that have some major speed! There is also hiking trails, sledding and an area to ski and snowboard. 

You can check out our winter adventures while we use Sault Ste. Marie as our home base below! You can also see our winter bucket list here!

Now, let's talk about the main event of winter in Sault Ste. Marie and that is the International 500 Snowmobile Race, or the I-500 for those who know. This annual event is like nothing else and brings snowmobile race teams to the mile oval for a 500 lap endurance race that lasts all day. Not only are there race teams, the city is full of racing fans and people who are just looking to have a good time. This winter was the 53rd year of the I-500 and you can check out our entire experience of the race and from a fans perspective below!

Overall, The Soo has a lot to offer for fans of winter and if you're a fan of freighters you can even catch them going through the Soo Locks into mid January and starting up again in March. 

If you are a fan of Sault Ste. Marie, you can get a MI Playground shirt here!

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