Joanna Oberg, a dogsled racer who hails from Ignace, Ontario, is entered to race in the eight-dog event at the upcoming January 6 Gunflint Mail Run. Oberg will race for Run Silent Racing kennel.
Dog sled racing season in Grand Marais and surrounding Cook County communities is almost here, drawing local and worldclass mushers and their sled dog teams for the upcoming Gunflint Mail Run (GMR) Sled Dog Race on Saturday, Jan. 6 – Sunday, Jan. 7, and the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon Sunday, Jan. 28 – Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018.
The Gunflint Mail Run kicks off the start of the season in Cook County, and features two races: a 12-dog, 100-mile race that includes two runs, approximately 50 miles each, over a two-day stretch, and an eight-dog shorter and faster race (65 miles).
The race will start and finish at Trail Center Lodge, 7611 Gunflint Trail, on Poplar Lake.
For non-locals, Trail Center Lodge is approximately 30 miles up the Gunflint Trail. See www.GunflintMailRun.com for more details.
John Beargrease race stops at Trail Center and Grand Portage Casino on Jan. 29
Dog sled racing fans can also look forward to the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon on Sunday, Jan. 28 – Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2018. This is the longest dog sled race in the lower 48 states and is a qualifier for the famed “Iditarod” in Alaska. Over 60 world-class mushers are expected at this year’s race, vying for cash prizes totaling $20,000. The races will traverse the Sawtooth Mountains in Cook County, going as far north as Gunflint Lake near the Canadian border. For a spectators’ map, visit beargrease.com/driving-directions/
The Beargrease marathon will start just outside of Two Harbors, then head to Trail Center on the Gunflint Trail and back, while the shorter, mid-distance race goes one-way on the route. The marathon typically takes three days to complete. Close to 500 volunteers from around the country come together each winter to support the event. For more race details, visit beargrease.com.
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