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Cindy Gallea
Fans of sled dog racing will be happy to learn the Gunflint Mail Run race will be held on January 7, 2023.
So far, ten teams have entered the 12-dog, 100-mile event, which will leave Trail Center Lodge, run the course to Blankenburg Pit, and back to Trail Center twice. A four-hour layover separates the fifty-mile round trips at Trail Center.
The 65-mile eight-dog race currently has a field of seventeen mushers. These teams will have a three-hour layover at Trail Center.
Twelve dog teams
Local mushers competing in the 12-dog race include Mary Manning, Hovland, who operates the Doodledog kennel when she isn’t busy with her conservation officer duties. Mary has run dogs for “about 20 years-for fun, camping, and racing.”
Matthew Schmidt owns Sawtooth Racing kennel. Matthew has been racing dogs for ten years.
Other mushers in the field are Erin Aili of Ray, Minnesota; Kevin Mathis of Iowa; Nick Vigilante of Ely; Ero Wallin of Two Harbors; Colleen Wallin (Ero’s mom) from Two Harbors; Blake Freking of Finland, Minnesota and Jenifer Freking of Finland, and Talia Martens of Brule, Wisconsin.
Erin Altemus
Eight dog race
Tofte’s Rita Wehsler has more than 25 years of racing experience. She and her husband, Bill, have 30 dogs in their Stoney Creek Kennel, with over half of the dogs two years or younger. Rita’s lead dogs are Mieter, Boo, Ski, and Saber.
Joanna Oberg, Grand Marais, is a veteran racer. She has approximately 20 dogs in her Run Silent Racing Kennel, with 14-16 adult dogs training for racing. “My dad helps with the training and care of the dogs; I couldn’t do it without his help! I love racing in our hometown; one of the funnest races/trails of the season!”
Erin Altemus, her husband Matt and their daughter Sylvia live near Grand Marais. Erin has been mushing for 12 years, and she and Matt operate Sawtooth Mountain Racing Kennel, which has 40 dogs. When she isn’t mushing, she is a mom, wife and works as a nurse at the local hospital. When it’s not mushing season, Erin enjoys the peace and solitude of running on the trails.
Matt Schmidt
Cindy Gallea moved away years ago, but she is still a local. Now living in Wykoff, Minnesota, Cindy operates Snowcrest Kennel. She is a retired nurse practitioner and has been running and racing dogs for over 30 years. She has entered the famed Iditarod race in Alaska 16 times. “I am now in the twilight of my mushing career, but I still have some race-worthy dogs and love running them, so I will be on the trail again, but I will run in the 8-dog race as I make my peace with aging.”
Nathan Schroeder of Goodland, Minnesota, is racing in the 8-dog field. He wrote in his musher’s blog that he started mushing in the 5th grade when his school had “a bunch of outdoor activities and one activity was a sled dog ride. My passion for mushing started that day.”
Joanna Oberg
Other mushers in the 8-dog field include Drew Heskon of Salcha, Alaska; David Hicks of Ely; James Tackleberry of Janesville, Wisconsin; Kirk Weber of Stewartville, Minnesota; Robin Fisher of Cook, Minnesota; Derek Nechuta, Mosinee, Wisconsin; David Bellingar, Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado, Brian Bergen Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Ashley Thaemert, Cook, Minnesota, Ryan Miller, Cook, Minnesota, and Morgan Martens, Brule, Wisconsin.
Want to help out?
Volunteers are still needed to work the race. If you would like to help, go to the online 2023 Gunflint Mail Run Volunteer Sign Up, which can also be accessed by going to the Gunflint Mail Run Facebook page.
Rita Wehseler
Mary Manning
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