Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race
February 4-6, 2011
The excitement felt throughout the grounds of the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Races is simply electrifying. As the sun rises over the hills the dogs are singing with excitement to begin their race. The chill in the air is not even felt as volunteers are helping the mushers get their dog teams to the starting line, and the crowds cheer for their favorite team. "The best thing about a sled dog race is that you can feel the excitement in the air! The dogs love it, the mushers love it, the volunteers love it and all that energy ignites the crowd," states John Thiel of Wolfsong Adventures in Mushing - Theil has been actively involved in assisting in the planning of this race for 15 years. The 15th Annual Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race will be held on Saturday and Sunday, February 6th and 7th, 2010. Races begin at 10am Saturday and Sunday with half of the total race distance completed each day. There are two main races: an 8 dog, 80-mile race and a 6 dog, 60-mile race. A 40-mile Sportsman's Race and a 16 and under 8 to 10-mile Family Race will also be held over the weekend. Multiple spectator locations with amenities including warming tent with concessions and bonfire.
Interested in a volunteering? We offer a voluntourism package that may be just for you. Check here for details.
The start and finish line is located 15 miles north of downtown Bayfield at the Echo Valley Gravel Pit on Hwy. 13. The course is The Sand River Trail System of Bayfield County. Programs with a map of the course will be available at the Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau Visitor's Center and at the start/finish line location.
Pre-race activities begin at 6 pm in the Lakeside Pavilion on Friday with a "Meet the Mushers" dinner that is open to the public. A pre-race musher's meeting will follow with bib numbers assigned and instructions from race officials handed out. Following this meeting, mushers will have their teams inspected and approved by the race veterinarian who will ensure that all teams are in good health.
Don't miss the Mushers' Mix and Dinner at the Bayfield Inn starting at 5pm on Saturday. The awards ceremony will be held on Sunday and will begin immediately following the races at approximately 4pm.
For more information on the the race, choose one of the links below:
2010 Musher Registration Form (pdf)
2010 Volunteer Sign Up Form (pdf)
2010 Race Map (pdf)
2010 Rules and Regulations (pdf)
2010 Required Equipment (pdf)
2010 Race Times (pdf)
2009 Race Times (pdf)
2008 Race Times (pdf)
2007 Race Times (pdf)
Special thanks to our 2010 sponsors:
Northern Wisconsin Dog Musher's Association
Snow Ryder Dog Sled Adventures
