The field is filling up fast for the 2016 Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race. The mushers—like Odin Jorgenson, pictured here taking off in 2012—will depart from Trail Center the morning of Saturday, January 10th and return to rest for a layover the same day. They will depart and finish at Trail Center the next day with the winner determined by adding up the two-day finish times.
Last year’s winner, Leanne Bergen of Sioux Lookout, Ontario will be back to defend her crown at the 2016 Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race held January 9-10. The 110-mile sled dog race begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and features teams of 12 dogs and is split between two 55-mile sections.
A new attraction this year will be an eight-dog race of 70 miles. That race will start in conjunction with the longer race on Saturday.
As many as 30 mushers will participate in the Gunflint Mail Run which starts and finishes at Trail Center Lodge on Poplar Lake. Racers and their dogs must take a mandatory layover of six hours after completing the first leg of the run.
So far 11 mushers have entered the longer race and 11 have entered the shorter race, said race co-director Jack Stone of Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply.
As far as the recent freeze that downed a lot of trees across snowmobile trails—which are almost exclusively being used for both races—Stone said the trails are being cleared, and added that the much needed snow is finally here and the trail conditions— except for the downed tree debris—are looking good.
“We still have two weeks to get them cleared, so I don’t anticipate any problems,” Stone said. “We are only going to cross one lake, Poplar, and if it gets too warm and we think it’s going to be a problem, we will bypass it.”
A total purse for both races will be approximately $6,000. Money for the purse(s) is being generated through a raffle for a new ATV, which is displayed at Holiday Station in Grand Marais, and through an online auction. The auction also has generous donations of items from area businesses and artists.
The winner of the 12-dog race will take home $1,400; second $1,100; third $750; fourth $450, and fifth $350. First place in the 8-dog race will come away with $700; second $550; third $350; fourth $200, and fifth $150.
Bergen, age 26, finished the 2015 race in 10:35:52, about 10 minutes faster than second place finisher Frank Moe of Hovland.
Started in the 1970s, the Gunflint Mail Run was discontinued when the John Beargrease Race began in 1980. The Mail Run was brought back in 2012 when the John Beargrease Race was cancelled because of a lack of snow. The race was replaced with the Gichigami Express Sled Dog Race for two years before once again coming back in 2015.
Local mushers entered in the 2016 events include Frank Moe, Odin Jorgenson, Mark Luttinen, Mathew Schmidt, Erin Altemus, Maria Gaffney, Mary Manning, and Adam Treeful.
Road crossing volunteers are still needed. You must be 18 or older (or 14-17 and be accompanied by an adult) to work at one of these crossings. If you are interested in volunteering please email gunflintmailrunvolunteer@gmail.com.
If you would like to bid on merchandise, watch the Gunflint Mail Run Facebook page. The online auction will run from January 1-10, ending at 10 a.m. on the 10th.
“The auction will be phenomenal,” said Stone. “People have donated tremendous photographs, painting, artwork and gift certificates for restaurants and lodging and other items. We will take bids until the last minute.”
The auction will take place on the Gunflint Mail Run’s Facebook page starting January 1, 2016.
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