The historic John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon always has many stories. The 2016 event was no different. Nathan Schroeder of AnderTier Racing in Warba, Minnesota won his fourth John Beargrease Marathon.
As press time approached on Wednesday, February 3, the final racer, a determined Beckie Hacker of McMillan, Michigan, was still making her way to the finish in the 2016 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, an event that was eventful from start to finish. Race Director Jason Rice, reached at the finish line, said the atmosphere was “jubilant.”
Although Rice added there is a tinge of sadness as the race ends, because after cleaning up the finish line and the celebratory banquets, everyone goes his or her separate way—until next year. “But every year there is a story,” said Rice, noting that this year the final racer, Beckie Hacker, was someone to watch.
Suffering a shoulder injury after a tumble on a corner—an occupational hazard for dog mushers—Hacker was determined to carry on. She is working to qualify for the Iditarod, so she didn’t need to win. But she needed to finish.
Rice has known Hacker for years, from when she began working as veterinarian coordinator for the Beargrease. Like he did (Rice was a reporter before entering several Beargrease races himself), Hacker caught the dog sled racing bug and set out to finish the Beargrease. When the News-Herald reached him, Rice was anxiously awaiting her finish. He was confident she would make it, commenting that after all the years she worked with the Beargrease vet team and helped animals in the race, things had come full circle and her team was helping her get to the end of the race. Finally, at 8:18 p.m. on Wednesday, Hacker made it safely to the finish at Billy’s in Duluth to receive the “Red Lantern Award” given to the last racer, along with cheers and tears.
Mid-Distance winner Martha Schouweiler and her energetic team looked strong at the start of the Beargrease on Sunday, January 31.
“This is where you see that the Beargrease is a lot more than a dog sled race. It teaches us so much—about working with others, about friendship, about cooperation. And yes, we’re all a little bit crazy,” laughed Rice. “We’ll admit it!”
Meaningful Grand Portage connection
Erin Altemus of Mush Lake Racing on the Gunflint Trail was the only Cook County racer in the full marathon. Altemus took sixth place, which is a fabulous finish for only her second marathon.
Some of the excitement around this year’s John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Cook County—and beyond— was because the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Grand Portage Lodge were once again major sponsors of the race—and because this year the race returned to its roots, making the trek to Grand Portage.
The special graveside ceremony honoring John Beargrease on Saturday, January 30 had additional meaning with the participation of Beargrease descendants, including Mike Keyport of Grand Portage, a Beargrease board member. The Grand Portage Stonebridge Singers sent mushers off with a drum song and Billy Blackwell gave a special blessing.
Trail Center on the Gunflint Trail and Mineral Center in Grand Portage and many checkpoints in-between had bonfires blazing as mushing fans waited to welcome and cheer on the racers.
Schouweiler wins second Mid-Distance Beargrease
It was fun to see youth participation in the 2016 Beargrease. Julia Cross of Thunder Bay won the junior/recreation race.
The winner of the Mid- Distance race is Martha Schouweiler of Irma, Wisconsin who reached the finish at Trail Center at 6:27:09 on Monday, February 1, claiming her second Mid-Distance championship.
She was followed by Frank Moe of MoeTown Kennels of Hovland at 7:25:04 a.m. Moe and his wife (and handler) Sherri were delighted. Frank said, “Of all the years we’ve competed in the Beargrease, second is by far the best we’ve ever done.”
Rice said Moe also received the John Beargrease Sportsmanship Award, an honor given by vote of his fellow racers. The award is sometimes given for a particular act of generosity or assistance to another musher, but Rice said Moe’s peers wanted him to have the award because of his overall encouraging manner throughout the race.
Moe said, “It’s funny how things work out. We had some trouble at the Mail Run so decided to switch to the Mid-Distance Beargrease, not really knowing how we’d do at the faster race. The dogs really loved being able to run fast and for me it was a thrill to be blasting over those hills as opposed to marching over them.
“I think my excitement was obvious to the other mushers because they gave me the Sportsmanship Award…maybe because I was just having so damn much fun,” said Moe.
In third was Dusty Klaven of Gheen/Togo, Minnesota in at 7:52:52. Klaven was the winner of the 2016 Gunflint Mail Run’s 9-dog race. Alex LaPlante of Esko came in just seconds later at 7:56:08 and fifth was Leanne Bergen of Sioux Lookout, Ontario at 8:03:17. Bergen was the winner of the 2015 Gunflint Mail Run.
Moe noted that Cook County mushers performed well in the Mid- Distance race with Tofte’s Rita Wehseler finishing seventh. Mary Manning of Doodle Dog Kennels in Hovland took 10th place and earned the award of “Best Cared for Team.”
Schroeder wins fourth Beargrease Marathon
Nathan Schroeder of Warba, Minnesota, the man that many Cook County residents rooted for in last year’s Iditarod, claimed his fourth Beargrease title, finishing the race at Billy’s at 5:52:09. Rice said Schroeder’s win meant he was tied with his longtime mentor Jamie Nelson of Togo, who has also won the race four times.
Schroeder told the Duluth News-Tribune that he would now turn his attention to competing in another Iditarod. The race across the Alaskan wilderness starts March 5.
“This is kind of my prep run before Iditarod,” he told the News-Tribune. “If they can handle the hills at Beargrease they can handle the rivers and stuff on the Iditarod trail.”
Schroeder was challenged by Jason Campeau of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada who crossed the finish line in second at 6:34:52. Ryan Anderson of Ray, Minnesota, also a previous Beargrease winner finished in third.
The only Cook County entrant in the Marathon was Erin Altemus of Mush Lake Racing. Altemus finished sixth in the tough field of racers, crossing the finish line at Billy’s at 10:52:32.
Altemus said, “I feel good about our race. By the end, I was glad just to finish. I felt like my team held up really well to the warm conditions for most of the race, but the warm weather and fast trail conditions did take its toll by the last 100 miles, and we slowed down considerably in the last two legs.
“I also had several dogs at the end that just became exhausted and needed to ride into the checkpoint in the sled. Additionally, the added mileage of the race this year I think made it a more difficult race for us than last year. One of the other competitors told me at the end that it’s pretty rare that any musher finishes the Beargrease in their first and second attempts, so I feel great about that.
“On the other hand, we learned a lot from last year and improved in many aspects I think, including our dog care and checkpoint efficiency. The unassisted checkpoint at Sawbill went well for me this year, because I knew what to expect.”
“In general, it’s pretty unbelievable to me that so many people volunteer so much for this race—camping out at road crossings for many hours, operating the radios, running the checkpoints and organizing the race year round—all so that a small group of mushers can do this race for their dogs. The love of these animals goes far beyond just my own love for my team.”
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