Munising, MI –February 11, 2019 – This Friday a tradition returns to Alger County that has been “running” since 1990.
The UP200 is one of the top 12-dog mid-distance sled races in the Midwest. This Iditarod qualifier covers 238 miles of challenging terrain between Marquette and Alger County taking the mushers and their teams along the Lake Superior Shoreline and through the U.P. Forests.
During the first portion of the race the teams travel from Marquette to Wetmore where they will cross M-28 with State Police assistance to reach the Wetmore Checkpoint. Arriving after midnight in Wetmore, the teams will stay at the checkpoint more a minimum of 5 hours, setting out again sometime Saturday Morning.
Saturday morning the teams will move another 50 miles, up Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and into Grand Marais. When teams arrive in Grand Marais, the will have reached the midpoint of the UP200. At this point, dogs and mushers rest up, eat, and get checked out before being cleared for the next stage of the race where the participating teams will make the final half of the run.
Catch the teams at the starting line in Marquette at 7:00pm or as they come in to Grand Marais for the midway rest stop! The teams will cross the finish line late Sunday Morning and afternoon.
