Scott Macartney announced his retirement from the U.S. Ski Team earlier this Spring. That didn’t include Alaska’s Arctic Man competition. He and snowmobile driver Tyson Johnson will divide a $25,000 first place check in what has grown, after 25 years, into one of the biggest spectator sports in the 49th State, despite being among the most difficult events to get to.

The Arctic Man takes teams of snowmobile drivers and skiers (and snowboarders) over a 5.75mile course that starts with a hair-raising downhill of 1,700 vertical feet. But that’s just the start, then they are towed – like a waterskier – uphill behind the snowmobile at speeds approaching 90mph. If the team is really good, skiers are then sling shoted at the top of a 1,200ft. downhill for another run.

Days after the event in the HooDoo Mountains where cel-phones and other means of communication with the outside world are useless, official results had not filtered out but officials confirm Macartney and Johnson were declared winners in the men’s skiing category. Johnson also teamed with snowboarder Jayson Hale to take fourth in the snowboard category won by Ryan McDonald and snowmachiner Julie Thul. Thul scored a tripple by teaming with Kate Morrell in the skiing category and Olympian Callan Chythlook-Sifsof for the snowboard event.

At first five- time Arctic Man winner Eric Heil and driver Len Story were thought to have won the men’s skiing event with a record time right on the four minute barrier. After the official calculations were made, however, the title went to Macartney and Johnson.

Alaskan television reported more than 1, 400 RV’s and 10,000 spectators had trekked into the Alaskan interior for what amounts to a week-long party centered around the unusual competition, ranking the area among the top cities in the state in terms of population for the week.

Founder Howie Thies told KTUU he figures more than $2.5million is spent on gasoline alone and the area’s food vendors likely make more than that when combined.

Macartney said the 2010 race was the closest in the 25 year history with a second separating the top two teams.

GEPA photo