Trail Center Lodge on the Gunflint Trail has long been a favorite stop on the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon route—for mushers and sled dog racing fans. This year, Sarah Hamilton of Trail Center is offering an extra incentive for mushers to hurry to the midtrail restaurant—the first musher into the Poplar Lake checkpoint will receive $2,000.
Hamilton laughed when asked if she was really giving a lucky musher that cash reward. “Yes, a speedy musher will win a new purse—not a handbag—of $2,000. And he or she will also get a steak and seafood feast!” she said.
In addition, all of the mushers will be offered a free meal at Trail Center during their rest stop.
The John Beargrease starts in Duluth on January 30 at Jean Duluth and Riley Roads, with the first team leaving at 1:00 p.m.
Other Beargrease checkpoints are in Two Harbors, Beaver Bay, and Finland and in Cook County, Sawbill and Devil Track Lodge. Checkpoint arrival times are unknown, because the pace of the marathon depends so much on weather conditions, but it is estimated that the first musher will arrive at Trail Center in the evening on Monday, January 31.
The John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is the longest running race in the lower 48 states. The 390-mile course of rugged, awesome scenery winds its way along the North Shore State Snowmobile Trail on the North Shore of Lake Superior and into remote Superior National Forest. This race commemorates the courage and endurance of John Beargrease, the intrepid Chippewa dog-driver who carried the U.S. mail to outposts along the North Shore of Lake Superior in the late 1800s.
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