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Winter has Arrived?! Or has it?!
February 2012

We have decided not to have the Beaver Island Ice Classic this year. There is open water to the NE of the public marina and numerous black patches in the remaining ice. I don't even know if it's safe enough around the area we normally place it to place the tower.

We have sold some tickets and if you did purchase some we will refund your purchase. If you are off the island send them to me at Box 62 and I'll take care of the refund.

This is a fun event and we are sorry we can't do it this year, but hopefully next year will be colder.

 
 
The 2011 PABI Ice Classic Tower finally tips, signalling spring
April 10, 2011
 
 
 
It's over! The tower clock stopped at 12:20 PM on April 10th. Evidentially the South wind blew the tower towards the shore where it slipped of the ice flow it was on. The water is only a foot or so deep but it tipped enough to trip the tilt switches.

The winner this year is the Nilles family. Their guess was 12:32 PM only 12 minutes away from when the tower clock stopped at 12:20 PM.
J Johnson was next with a guess of 1:00 PM.
Others close were Joe Peckins at 11:15 AM and Paul Welke at 11:11 AM.

The ticket sales amounted to $2,095 and the winner will receive 1/2. Thanks again for all those who participated and also to the Beaver Island Marine for the use of their barge and the retrieval of the tower,

The Beaver Island Community Center

 
 
A short movie by Bob Tidmore of the tower after it went in. "If you listen closely you can hear a noise over the wind that must be the ice breaking up or moving, it sounds like cellophane being crushed."
 
 
 

 

 

 

Hints from the first Beaver Island Classic...

Beaver Island Ice Classic
A PABI Winter Fundraiser

In 1917 in a small town called Nenana, Alaska a group bet on when the ice would break up on the Tanana River. Since then they have held an annual contest with increasingly larger prizes.

The Preservation Association decided to begin the Beaver Island Ice Classic in the same vein. The contestants will purchase tickets and enter their guess on when a tower on the ice next to the Beaver Island Marina will goes into the water, with 50% ticket sales going to the winner.

The remainder will be used to fund the Community Center. How does this work? A tower has been placed on the ice next to the Beaver Island Marina. When the tower goes into the water a clock will stop and the time will be recorded.

Those participating will purchase their ticket (s), enter the guess (date, hour, minute). An individual may make as many guesses as they wish for $5.00 per guess or 5 for $20.00. Those matching (or nearest to if none match exactly) will share 50% of the ticket sales. In the case of a tie the 50% will be shared equally among the winners.

Check the website regularly for information on the status and the prize amounts. Tickets are available from PABI Board members and Island stores. Tickets are available from approximately Feb 1 through March 20, 2006.

On the Ice
March 1, 2006 Update  

We launched the Beaver Island Ice Classic tower yesterday and it's next to the Beaver Island Marina. Shown to the right is a photo of the tower taken the following day during the heavy winds that stirred the fluffy snow making the other side of the harbor almost invisible during this otherwise mild winter.

Tickets Available at McDonough's
March 3, 2006 Update  

Tickets are now available at McDonough's Market. Also a new email has been setup - beaverislandiceclassic@yahoo.com

Melting... Melting
March 10, 2006 Update  

The harbor is quickly melting. The ice is thinning. It won't be long now...

Who will guess the best date?!

 

 

Going Down ...
March 30, 2006 Update  

The first annual PABI Ice Classic has come to a close!

Thanks to Cynthia Johnson for taking the following photographs at the Beaver Island Marina:

"I noticed at 6 am the tower was down and snapped a few photos...(see below).  Clock says it went down March 29th, 2006 at 8:56 pm...."

 

 

And the winner is...
March 31, 2006 Update  

The winner is Richie Gillespie with a guess of 4:45 PM on March 29th.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Bob Tidmore