Ice Road Challenge

110km of Cold, Snow and Ice - Resourcing the Pikangikum Bike Program

Perhaps you've seen the reality TV show "Ice Road Truckers", and watched as drivers tackle the harshest conditions to deliver much needed supplies to remote northern communities. Places, like Pikangikum Ontario, only have road access in the middle of winter when lakes and rivers freeze solid enough to drive transport trucks over, when temperatures regularly reach -40.

Doesn't this sound like the perfect conditions for a bicycle fundraiser ride? 

When New Hope Community Bikes organizes a fundraiser there's an expectation that it is going to be hard! With two successful Everesting Challenges in the books it seems fitting that the next fundraiser is equally difficult, a 110km bike ride on ice roads and winter roads from Red Lake, ON to Pikangikum First Nation. This challenge will raise money to keep the Pikangikum Bike Program rolling through the next two summers, and deliver 10 Fat Bikes to the program that will make biking possible year round in Pikangikum. 

The Reason

The Pikangikum Bike Program started under a program with the Ontario Provincial Police called Project Journey, when bikes were brought into the community. See a video here. Pikangikum youth have operated a shipping container bike shop and run bicycle based programming for the past two summers. Bikes are loaned out from the shop and group rides get kids active in the community. 

Money raised from the Ice Road Challenge will directly support the Pikangikum bike program by providing additional bikes, tools and consumables to keep the bike shop running and provide youth with part time employment throughout the year and full time work in the summer. 

Partners and Sponsors

Gold $2,500 +

Trek Bicycle Canada | Ontario Provincial Police | Superior Airways | Stay Wild Films | Garneau |

Silver $1,000 - 2,499

Redtag.ca | Air Canada | Red Lake Marine | Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

Bronze $500-999

The Challenge: February 6 – 9, 2020

Total Distance – 110kms

80kms of road (from Red Lake to turn off), 30kms additional gravel and ice road or trail

Average speed – will aim for 15-18km/h, total travel time is estimated at 8 hours including stops to warm and fuel up.