The Basics
Self-Supported Ethos
FAQ's
Trails
Local Shops
History
Results
The Basics
This page covers who, what, when, where, and why. For a more complete and comprehensive overview of the event, rules, recommended gear, etc., please refer to the passport, which you can download from the top of this landing page. The current year’s passport will be released in June; until then, please reference the previous year’s passport.
CRUSHER – Mass Start
Why: You love adventure, enjoy community gatherings, and welcome an old-fashioned hard-as-heck challenge.
Who: Anyone signed up for the Crusher-MS, their support crews, friends and family, and our sponsors.
What: 40, 100, or 175 miles of gravel; a team event; even a 50-mile “not fun run”
When: July 15-16, 2023
Where: Otter Lake Campground, E7609 Buckhorn Rd, Munising, MI 49862
Camping & Lodging: Every year, we reserve Otter Lake Campground and pay for it. Sites go to participants on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once the campground is full, those who still need to secure a spot must find accommodation elsewhere. They are on their own.
Routes and Event start times: This information will not be available until late May to early June. Crusher routes change every year. That’s part of the fun. You never end up doing two Crushers that are the same.
Event Cut-offs: 24 hours for all event lengths.
Timing company: https://www.superiortiming.com/
CRUSHER – EX
Why: You enjoy isolation, suffering, and riding through the night. Your idea of a good time is fording a river and dragging your heavy-ass bike through a beaver dam. Instead of seeing a therapist, you do Crusher.
Who: Anyone signed up for the Crusher-EX and their support crews.
What: 40, 100, or 225 miles of enhanced gravel. We even have a terrible 50-mile run and a ridiculous challenge called “The Fist”.
When: July 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023
Where: Start and finish at Koski Korners, 13401 US Hwy 41, Champion, MI 49814
Routes: This information will not be available until late May to early June. Crusher routes change every year. That’s part of the fun. You never end up doing two Crushers that are the same.
Start Times: Up to you. Start whenever you want.
Event Cut-offs: Released with the passport in June.
Timing company: https://trackleaders.com/
Again, this page covers only who, what, when, where, and why. Crusher Passports provide a much deeper dive into the nuance and fundamentals of each event. Download a copy and dig in.
Self-Supported Ethos
THE SELF-SUPPORTED STATEMENT
906AT productions are unlike most events you will sign up for. We do not hold your hand. We give you just enough information to point you in the right direction and leave it up to you to get all the details. We share a lot of content through the official Facebook pages, Facebook event groups, and the newsfeeds on our website. Stay connected. If the way we do stuff isn’t your thing, it’s ok. There are a lot of other events out there.
“You are on your own. No one is out there to save you. GPS is required. You must observe and obey the “rules of the road.” We do not sign the course. You should not approach wildlife. In an emergency, dial 911.”
906AT events will expose you to treacherous terrain, inclement weather, fatigue, and hallucinations; the activity is inherently dangerous. At some point, you will likely ride or push your bike through the night, swearing you’ll never do <insert event name here> again. Don’t feel bad; this is normal.
Hype disclaimer: Right now, some people start rolling their eyes because they think some marketing department is trying to scare them. That’s not the case. What we’re telling you isn’t hype. If you don’t respect the inherent danger of an activity, it could kill you. However, with proper preparation and practice, you will learn how to survive and thrive; that’s our goal.
Each event carries a recommended gear list. Find the lists. Make sure you have everything on them. Train with the gear. Learn how to use it. The last place you want to find out you don’t know how to start a fire is on the Peshekee Grade at six o’clock in the morning when it’s 33 degrees. It’s a mistake you might only get to make once.
Some ask, “Why do you make it so hard?” Well, the world is full of people pushing easy things on you and hyping stuff up to be challenging that isn’t. Those folks are just trying to sell you a product. Our mission is to help you find your best version. That’s going to take work – Dedicated, consistent, hard work. We’re not selling you a product; we’re offering you an opportunity.
FAQ's
Please spend some time reviewing the website – all of it. Not just the specific event or events you are interested in but everything. Dig into the “about” pages. Get a feel for who we are, what we do, and our mission. Understand the connection between the Endurance Trilogy (Triple Crown) and Adventure Team youth programs.
Next, get connected to the online community. Look through the posts. Ask some questions. We’ll warn you it can be a tough crowd, but you will not meet a group of people more committed to helping each other. That includes new folks willing to put in the time and work.
There’s a nifty tool called Google. Type in what you’re looking for and hit enter. Google will show you videos, articles, and posts related to your search. It’s handy.
Download a copy of the current Field Manual (Polar Roll) or Passport (Crusher). Read it cover to cover.
One of our community members suggested this question for the FAQ. It is too funny to leave out. The answer is No.
Mass Start: Large community event scheduled for a specific day or weekend. Race atmosphere. Great chance to meet people and make friends. MS events are good training opportunities for EX courses, but success with MS does not directly correlate to EX success. They’re different animals.
EX format: Also called EX-expedition or Crusher-EX. Solo or small group format. You get a time window to complete your event (often 90 days). You can do it as many times as you want. More challenging than MS events. On a scale of 1-10, the adventure rating is about 15.
Yes. You do. Consider the recommended gear list as the bare minimum. Your needs will vary with the weather and other variables. Some people will watch the weather and make gear decisions based on the forecast. Don’t do this. You should gear up for the worst-case scenario.
- What kind of bike should I use?
- What tire pressure should I run?
- Where is early packet pickup?
- What GPS should I use?
- Do I need a snorkel?
- What’s with all the middle fingers?
- Is pain going to chase me?
- How do I keep all the tech charged?
- Will places be open if I get to L’Anse at 3:00 am?
- What kind of lights do you recommend?
- What’s with the green and red dots?
Yes. Here’s a list:
- Crusher-MS events 24 hours.
- Crusher-EX events: EX225 = 40 hours. All the rest are 24 hours. EX-Bikepack cutoff will vary with distance. Refer to the Passport.
We like to underpromise and over-deliver. Where else can you get 25% more miles for free?
No. Our answer is not a statement or position on e-bikes. 906AT events are not e-bike events.
There are no official event-run aid stations.
Neutral support is allowed and must be given to all participants without exception.
We do not handle drop bags.
You must have your contingencies covered.
We don’t sign the course.
For the Mass Start, they’ll be able to track when/if you finish via Superior Timing’s website. EX Crushers are allowed a beacon, but it must be reserved—Trackleaders handles tracking. Crushers can find instructions for securing one in the Passport.
Nothing against traditional Gravel, but it’s boring and predictable. We want to challenge and surprise you. We’d like to see how you handle the unexpected. Enhanced Gravel is the best of the worst we can give you. For clarification, both MS and EX formats are enhanced, with the latter offering much more of everything you don’t want.
Unpredictable and dangerous. It can be 90 degrees during the day and 30 degrees at night. Thunderstorms can pop up with hail and gale-force winds. Ma Nature will turn creeks into small raging rivers overnight. It’s wild out there.
Here are some ideas:
- In a ditch.
- The bench on Arvon.
- Inside the outhouse on da Peshekee Grade.
Yes. Until June 1st.
Yes. Until June 1st.
We don’t offer cash prizes or traditional podiums. Everyone is there for their reasons and goals. Every finish matters.
Terrible.
Trails
THE CRUSHER SUPPORTS ’EM, AND SO SHOULD YOU
The Marji Gesick is a production of the 906 Adventure Team, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit. The organization is based in Marquette County and serves ten communities in three states offering youth Adventure Teams. Its mission is to empower kids through outdoor adventure to become the best versions of themselves.
906AT Productions, like The Crusher, give back to local trail-building organizations, including NTN, RAMBA, Munising Bay Trails Network, and Friends of Harlow.
A portion of your entry fees goes back into the trails on which we hold our events.
Local Shops
LOCAL BIKE SHOPS – THESE SHOPS SUPPORT US, AND YOU SHOULD SUPPORT THEM!
We’ve got some of the best bike shops in the country up here. How else can 5 different shops survive in a region of 33,000 people. When we break stuff (we do that a lot) or just need a beer and a place to hang, we go here. You should too. Make it a point to visit at least one of them every time you’re in our neck of the woods because we could not do any of this without their support.
These are the local shops that have pledged to financially support us, give ’em a visit!
West End Ski & Trail
101 S. Main St,
Ishpeming, 49849
906-204-2498
westendtrail.com
Down Wind Sports
514 N 3rd St
Marquette, MI 49855
Phone: (906) 226-7112
downwindsports.com
Sports Rack
315 W Washington St
Marquette, MI 49855
Phone: (906) 225-1766
sportsrackmqt.com
History
HISTORY OF DA CRUSHER
We were founded originally in 2014 as “The Huron Mountain Crusher” by Matt Beardsley and Mike Beck. Then, a local grassroots event appealing to more experienced riders. No frills, no support. The duo operated the event until 2017, offering new routes and distances each year.
Mike moved on. Matt remained in the area creating and putting routes out around July and August. Current Director of Pain Todd Poquette rode the long Crusher routes in 2016 + 2017. He envisioned Crusher being an event that could appeal to a broader audience than the infamous Marji Gesick.
In 2018 Matt and Todd started working together. 906 Adventure Team took on the event as a 906AT production. Crusher had its biggest year, attracting over one hundred people from a handful of states across the Midwest.
We ran the first point-to-point Crusher in 2019. Enhanced Gravel was born. Riders nationwide tested themselves against a route from Copper Harbor to Marquette – 400 riders took on the Crusher that year. “Da Crusher” officially hit the national radar.
Everything changed in 2020. Lock-downs. No events. To hell with it – ADAPT. Crusher-EX was born. We hosted the first truly self-supported Crusher. It was a summer of “watching dots.” One thousand people took on the Crusher that summer, creating a community that has stuck together and grown stronger every year since.
Today, Crusher offers riders two options. You can ride with us at a mass start event or tackle the EX alone. It’s been an interesting journey as the event has evolved and grown.
#906adventureteam
#enhancedgravel
#dontchasepain
#getoffdacouch
#beuncivilized
#crusherex
#greendot
Results
It’s not a race, it’s an adventure.
Unless your name is Kransz or Tinker The Crusher is not a race.
What really matters is what color your dot is at the end of the event.
Green dot = finished.
Red dot = try again.
But we get it, some people get really worked up about how they did. They were so deep in the pain cave that they didn’t remember what time they finished, or if they finished at all. So, take these results with a few grains of salt and a healthy portion of whiskey, because at the end of the day what matters is that you crushed, or got crushed.
