By Chris Lewis
If you were to travel throughout the world, you’d only find a handful of mountain bike trail systems that include long mine passages. Ontonagon County—specifically Greenland—has one of them, which is located in Adventure Mine.
An Innovative Concept
Since 2009, an annual mountain bike competition, known as SöKē Miner’s Revenge, has been held at the mine. At the time, the competition began simply as an idea.
As the new owner of Adventure Mine, Matt Portfleet was interested in promoting his growing business. With this in mind, he began to discuss the concept for a mountain bike race with his friend Rob Peters. The notion was innovative enough that a local TV station learned about it and shared it with the Associated Press.
From there, people began to call Portfleet, intrigued by the idea of a mountain bike competition, which would traverse through Adventure Mine. To meet this interest, Peters and Portfleet created a mountain bike trail system, raised a ceiling in one part of Adventure Mine, and began to plan a competition.
Within a matter of months, they hosted the first-ever SöKē Miner’s Revenge, which has evolved considerably since then. In recent years, Matt Miller became involved, as he now serves as race director. Furthermore, a few miles have been added to the competition’s original trail system.
“Over the years, we’ve removed some overly difficult parts, added the Downhill and Enduro Races, and changed how many laps are included too,” Miller said.
Yet, much of the competition has also remained virtually unchanged for over 15 years.
“The trails have always been quite difficult and rugged,” Miller added. “And the nearly 0.5 mile of underground trail—located 300 feet below the surface—has always been included.”
Arguably, this difficulty and ruggedness are exactly why so many people are drawn to participate now, as the competition’s popularity continues to rise with each passing year.
An Array of Races
As Miller prepares for the 2026 SöKē Miner’s Revenge (set to be held from July 10–12), he believes participants should be aware of each race they can partake in. First, mountain bikers can be involved with the Cross- Country (XC) Race, a six-mile track that’s known for its steepness and rockiness. Available as one-, two-, or three-lap options, the XC Race winds over a mountain and through ruined buildings; it also includes a section in the mine’s underground tunnels.
Additionally, mountain bikers can participate in an Enduro Race that’s available in three options: Beginner, Sport, and Expert. The Beginner option has three stages, while the Sport and Expert options have four and five stages, respectively. During each race, participants will ride on various types of terrain, below and above the ground.
A Downhill (DH) Race is available as well. It features two “runs” that will test participants’ riding capabilities and speed; each “run” is timed. To further test their skills, participants can also partake in the Triple Crown: the Expert XC, Expert Enduro, and Expert DH.
“Participants love SöKē Miner’s Revenge’s uniqueness,” Miller said. “Not to mention, Adventure Mountain is a beautiful place. For that reason alone, more and more people are becoming involved.”
Several other events are planned too, including a fun, mini competition that will have spectator judges, enabling mountain bikers to show off their style. Moreover, SöKē Miner’s Revenge will have an adventure course for children (featuring prizes) and live music. Campsites and food trucks will also be available to help everyone settle in.
“SöKē Miner’s Revenge has always had a very fun atmosphere,” Miller added. “It’s had a bit of an underground cult following as well, which continues to increase.”
A Bright Future
As Miller looks ahead to the future, he’s very excited about what’s to come. After all, SöKē Miner’s Revenge staff members and volunteers may add a new trail to the XC Race soon. They might also create a new Enduro Race route, known as “Rake and Ride.”
“We’d like to increase the length of the trail system too,” he said. “If we do, we’ll be able to reduce the number of laps that are required to make it a competition.”
To increase involvement, particularly among less experienced mountain bikers, the SöKē board is focused on adding some easier loops to the trail system as well. Of course, to achieve these goals, SöKē Miner’s Revenge will require more volunteers, along with public donations.
“Through volunteers’ hard work, we’ll continue to have a safe and fun event,” Miller concluded. “If you haven’t yet, come have fun in Greenland for a weekend!”
