Fairbanks, AK - The 300 mile Copper Basin sled dog race gets underway from Glenallen Saturday. Experienced mushers often refer to the Copper Basin as a mini Yukon Quest. The race is known for harsh trail conditions and challenging weather. Drifting snow and poor weather forced the race’s cancellation last year. Race Manager Zach Steer says mother nature appears to be working in the race’s favor this year.
“We’ve been working on the trail about two months now," he says. "As soon as there was snow on the ground, people started doing brush clearing and marking and stuff. We don't have a lot of snow, which makes trail work easy, because you don';t have to go out and pack it each time it snows like last year, but we have an adequate amount and right now the trail is looking in pretty good condition I would say.”
The race this year was initially canceled after the majority of its board members resigned. But outcry from the mushing community brought the Copper Basin back to life.
37 teams are signed up to race, but there’s no telling how many will leave the start line. Three-time champion Allen Moore of Two Rivers will line up next to rival, Hugh Neff of Tok, who bested Moore to win last year’s Yukon Quest by 26 seconds. Other former Copper Basin champs in this year’s lineup include John Shandlemeier, who won the inaugural race in 1990 and Jake Berkowitz who claimed a surprise victory in 2011. Michelle Phillips and Jerry Willomitzer will make the trip from the Yukon. Interior mushers Brent Sass and Dan Kaduce are also signed up to race.
*Thanks to Lorien Nettleton at APRN member station KTNA in Talkeetnafor help on this story.