He’s one of three people to have won the Beargrease marathon four times. Croix Falls, Wis., returns this year to defend his title. There are also mushers from Upper Michigan and one from New Hampshire.ĭefending champion Ryan Anderson of St.

Several mushers are also traveling to the race from Canada, including New Brunswick on the Atlantic coast. The majority of mushers competing this year live and train in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. “From what we see and what we hear, mushing is alive and well in northern Minnesota.” Meet the mushers “We think we've got a good mix of mileage, and a good mix of races to be able to get the most people involved.” “And we’ve really seen the numbers be a lot steadier with that,” said Miller. So a few years ago, Beargrease organizers changed to the existing format that ends at Grand Portage.

But the number of participants began to decline, as the number of mushers with large enough kennels - and the time to put enough training miles on their dogs this early in the winter - dwindled. The race used to span 400 miles, with mushers starting and finishing in Duluth. It commemorates an Ojibwe musher who delivered mail via dog sled up and down the North Shore of Lake Superior in the late 1800s. The John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon was first run in 1980. “The dogs can go a little bit faster, and we don't have to worry quite so much about injuries and things like that when the weather gets warm,” said Miller. The cold temperatures also create firm trail conditions. “Alaskan Huskies are built to be out in the cold and run with their friends in the cold,” said Jeremy Miller, a spokesperson and board member for the Beargrease Sled dog marathon. That makes for uncomfortable viewing conditions for spectators.

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