The granddaddy of all 500-mile cross-country snowmobile races won’t happen this winter, thanks to the whims of Mother Nature.
On Monday, January 20, the host Cor Powersports race circuit sent out notice that the Goodridge/Grygla I-500 has been cancelled for 2025, thanks to low snow cover in the area of Minnesota where the race was scheduled to occur. With no major accumulations expected soon according to the long-range forecast, and out of respect to the snowmobile clubs and landowners in that area, the event that was planned for February 8-9 won’t happen this winter.
Not to be confused with the fascinating Soo I-500 enduro race – which has racers complete 500 laps around a one mile oval – the cross-country I-500 has long been a multi-day challenge held on laketops, ditches, trails, firelanes, rivers and more. It has been held under several names and hosted by multiple race circuits over the years, but it’s colorful history dates all the way back to 1966, when Herb Howe won the race from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to St. Paul, Minnesota.
The event is also where legends are made. You can see details on all past winners here.
That fact that the cross-country I-500 runs across so much terrain, though, makes it particularly susceptible to cancellation. It’s pretty hard to make and spread snow to cover a 500 more course, afterall!
Dates have already been announced for the 2026 version of the race, however. And, in the meantime, the Cor PowerSports circuit will continue hosting other cross-country events, including on in the Park Rapids, Minnesota, area this weekend.

Here’s the full announcement from CorPowersports below:
Goodridge / Grygla I-500 Event Update
We have been working closely with the Goodridge – Grygla snowmobile clubs the past year planning for the Goodridge/Grygla I-500 with course routing and logistics, as the scenario last year we once again find the region very thin on snow.
Currently there is barely enough snow in the Goodridge/Grygla area to cover the grass. Some ditches are drifted in but many fields and ditches are bare, the snowmobile clubs have not been able to get out and groom yet so there is no base in the snow and many hazards are barely covered.
When it comes to making decisions on the event, we have to not only look at this year’s event but the future for the trail system and the relationship with these groups and individuals for gaining access for races.
Looking at the current conditions in the region along with the extended range forecast there is unfortunately nothing positive in the long range for cold temperatures or snow forecasted.
Decisions that we have to make do not come easily but at the end of the day we need to do what is best for all the parties involved so the vote was to cancel the 2025 Goodridge/Grygla I-500 due to the conditions.
The entire Cor PowerSports staff, sponsors, and manufacturers want to express our gratitude for the Goodridge, MN and Grygla, MN snowmobile club members for all their work and dedication to keep the I-500 tradition alive.
We look forward to working with the snowmobile clubs for the 2026 Goodridge – Grygla I-500 February 15-16, 2026.
We are working on a possible replacement event for the February 8-9 event date and hope to have that finalized this week. For now, it is Heartland 200 race week, registration closes in two days so get signed up today!!
Sad fact of climate change, less and less snow or snow snow for soo many years.
Not a new phenomenon. We had at least two years of poor snow back in the late 80s and early 90s when I ran in the Thunder Bay to St. Paul version of the XC race. Well di I remember running the muddy gravel road into Beroun with no snow in sight. The ol’ Indy Trail took it all in stride!