Mushers and their dogs dig recent storms in McCall area

Sled dogs love snow, and the string of storms that have delivered several rounds of it over the past 10 days have helped to ensure the hard-pulling canines are happy.

The McCall-based Idaho Sled Dog Challenge will be held next week. Organizers made that announcement Jan. 8 but it was a close call. Snow levels in the Long Valley were well below normal and the Cascade Reservoir that holds some of the trails had yet to freeze solid.

Later that week, it started to snow and temperatures plummeted. Snow piled up and the reservoir iced up.

“We have been getting a lot of snow — 2 inches and 4 inches — it’s been stacking up for the last several days,” said race organizer Jerry Wortley.

The late start to winter doomed two of the 300-mile sled dog races in the U.S. that serve as qualifiers for the 1,000-mile Iditarod in Alaska. The John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Minnesota and the Eagle Cap Extreme in northeastern Oregon were both called off.

Wortley said the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge has picked up some of the mushers and dog teams that were slated to participate in those races. Race organizers and 170 volunteers are getting ready for them.

“The community just comes alive for this race,” he said. “So many people put their heart and soul and energy in and it’s really rewarding.’

The week of activities kicks off at 10 a.m. MST Wednesday and Thursday with the Warm Lake Stage Race – a no-stakes tuneup where no prize money is on the line as teams race 26 miles per day.

“It’s just a lot of fun with no tension,” Wortley said.

The main events — the 300-mile and 100-mile races — kick off with ceremonial starts at 10 a.m. MST Jan. 28 from the Activity Barn in McCall. But the real racing doesn’t begin until the following day, Jan. 29, when teams will depart in 2-minute intervals from the start at Lake Cascade. Those in the 300-mile race will leave starting at 10 a.m. and those doing the 100-mile route will leave starting at 2 p.m.

Teams in the 100-mile version are expected to cross the finish line Jan. 30 and the 300-milers will finish Jan. 31 or Feb. 1.

Parking at the Activity Barn is limited but shuttle buses will be available from the Idaho First Bank parking lot at McCall. Wortley said there is no parking available for the real start of the race but people can catch shuttle buses from the Hotel Nobo at Cascade.

Along the way, the mushers and their dogs will stop at checkpoints.

“The checkpoints are the place to see what really goes on and to become fully immersed in the race,” Wortley said. “They come in and rest and feed their dogs and take care of them and (spectators) will be able to see the whole process.”

Five of the checkpoints are accessible by car and the directions are posted on the race website idahosleddogchallenge.com. The website also has a page where people can track the progress of the teams. Each sled carries a GPS tracking device and spectators can not only follow the race but use the data to determine the best time to visit checkpoints.

Those who want to support the race and win a chance for a deep dive into the world of mushers and sled dogs can enter a raffle. Tickets are $100 and the prizes are two five-day guided tours of the Iditarod that include lodging and up to $1,000 for airfare.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for somebody who wants to go to the Iditarod,” Wortley said. “The odds are terrific because we haven’t sold nearly as many tickets as we had hoped.”

Tickets can be purchased on the website.

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.