Arctic Man cancelled, citing permitting issues

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A decades-long Alaskan tradition, the Arctic Man, known as one of the toughest and exciting ski and snowmachine races in rural Alaska, will not be taking place in 2024.

Arctic Man Founder and Race Director Howard Thies announced the cancellation Saturday. Thies said they’re dealing with permitting issues with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. The DNR said they offered permitting options and the event’s organizers declined.

“We start in November to get ready for this event, its a big event, takes a lot of work and preparation to get ready,” Thies said. “I said to the DNR guy, you know, think with your Alaska hat, these are Alaskans using this property, they’re not hurting it they’re not bothering it, they’re not doing anything wrong there.”

According to Thies, the delay of agreeing on contract terms and resolving those issues he described with the DNR caused the loss of major sponsors and the race to be able to be properly set up on time, which led it to be canceled.

“We start plowing snow the first part of March, that’s a month away, we lost so many sponsors, I mean the public is not happy, Facebook is going crazy,” Thies said. “DNR really did not do their proper work to make this right.”

Thies stated what they were dealing with as “crazy” and “insanity,” as he said he could not understand why the DNR was asking for more money.

The DNR has been asking for more money as the event grows, Thies said, and he added that since the four-day event is not-for-profit they should not have to pay the DNR to use their land.

Event leaders said they are working with state officials on long-term permitting.

DNR’s Director of Communications, Lorraine Henry, issued a statement on Sunday responding to the event’s founder’s comments on the permitting issues.

“The Alaska Department of Natural Resources knows how important this event is to Alaskans and has issued land use permits for Arctic Man since 1996,” Henry wrote. “Organizers for Arctic Man did not accept the terms of an authorization for a new 2024 permit and also chose not to renew their previous permit terms. DNR’s Division of Mining, Land & Water has offered Arctic Man a permit renewal for five years beginning in 2025, and is standing by to authorize when sponsorships are secured and Arctic Man is ready move forward with permitting.”

Henry said event leaders were offered two different contracts for permitting, which were both declined.

Henry said commercial events require a land use permit from the DNR for using land they’re responsible for and Arctic Man’s fees are consistent with similar events.

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