Gunflint Mail Run sled dog race will now take place in February
Organizers of the annual Gunflint Mail Run sled dog race in northeast Minnesota have picked a new date for this winter’s event.
The 65-mile race originally was scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 6 — but warm weather and a lack of snow forced the change.
The Gunflint Mail Run will now take place on Feb. 10 along the Gunflint Trail north of Grand Marais.
Organizers are seeking volunteers to help on the new date, including people to staff road crossings and help at the starting line.
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Race officials told MPR News last month that at least a foot and a half of snow is needed on the trails for a safe race — and there also needs to be safe ice for a four-mile stretch of the course across Poplar Lake.
Organizers of another Minnesota sled dog race — the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon — are set to meet Tuesday evening to discuss race plans amid the unusual winter weather. The Beargrease is set to start near Duluth on Jan. 28.
It was the warmest December on record across Minnesota, with little snow.