Preps continue for Great Bear Chase
The Portage Health Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon and Swedetown Trails Club is partnering with Trail Genius, to create what is being called ‘the best darn trail mapping company the world has ever seen!’
“This technology is amazing,” said Michael H. Babcock, marketing guru for the Great Bear Chase. “We’re ecstatic that we can give our racers a complete look at the Great Bear Chase course before the race.”
Trail Genius takes video cameras equipped with GPS technology out on the trails and records the entire course of the map. The video and GPS coordinates are then integrated into Google Maps to produce an interactive map that allows viewers to actually see every kilometer of the course. The map is split into sections, and allows racers to see the elevation changes and cut offs for the different races.
“We’re excited to bring Trail Genius to the Swedetown Trails,” said Jason Manders, one of the co-founders of the company. “Supporting races and trails like the Great Bear Chase and Swedetown Trails is what our company is all about.”
Manders founded the company with Chris Marr. Both of them are graduates of Michigan Technological University and love the trails Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula has to offer. They have mapped out courses in Copper Harbor, Lake Linden, Hancock and Houghton.
“We love the trails up here,” said Marr, who filmed the GBC course with several race organizers. “This map turned out beautifully.”
Trail Genius specializes in bike races, but also has mapped out downhill ski resorts, running events, triathlons, tough mudders and now a cross-country ski event. They’ve mapped out dozens of races and trail systems throughout the United States.
Learn more about Trail Genius by visiting trailgenius.com. See the Great Bear Chase map and video on our website at greatbearchase.com/racemap.