There are places to catch up with the dogs and mushers along the course as the teams travel the route over two days, but the start at the White Oak Fur Post is an ideal place to really see how a dog sled team is put together. With plenty of parking and free admission, spectators can visit the staging area between 9 and 10 a.m. and meet the dogs and mushers as they harness their teams. Cold? Step next door for a pancake feed (6-9:30 a.m., cost $5 for adults).

The race ceremonies begin at 9:30 a.m. with the presentation of Bib#1 to a musher who “has contributed greatly to the sport of mushing and helping fellow mushers.” This year the honoree is Jamie Nelson of Togo. Nelson has won a number of long distance races, including the John Beargrease Sled Dog Race, which she has won an unequalled four times. She has won the George Esslinger, Mid-Minnesota 150 and UP200 races and finished the Iditarod three times and the Yukon Quest. She has also trained and helped other mushers during her career.

The races will begin at 10 a.m., beginning with the shorter races for the bigger dogs. The Trophy Class Bob Lundeen Memorial Race teams will start at 10 a.m. and travel 38 miles to Squaw Lake with a two hour stopover at Gosh Dam Place. At about 10:30 the Recreational Class will start, ending 18 miles north at Gosh Dam Place. at about 11 a.m. the 8-Dog Pro Class will begin their 60 mile race to Northome, and beginning about noon the 10-Dog Pro Class will start on their two day, 130 mile trek finishing at Marcell. The teams will take a mandatory 6 hour layover at either Northome or Effie.

Times are approximate as teams leave at spaced intervals.

The race itself will have a couple of changes this year. A new route will connect the starting gate with the Highway 46 snowmobile trail, eliminating the route through Deer River after the first mile. The entry fees have also been increased to cover the cost of an annual snowmobile trail pass. In a Department of Natural Resources news release, Race Marshall Dan Bergerson said: “Sled dog races are run exclusively on the groomed snowmobile trails. We felt it was important to support the trail system by purchasing the annual trail pass. With nearly 90 teams expected in this year’s race, more than $1,400 will go into the trail fund.”

With about a week to go before the January 2 deadline, there were 85 mushers from five states registered in the four classes. Grand race sponsor this year is Paul Bunyan Telephone with major sponsorships provided by Dogbooties.com of Duluth, Art Unlimited (auprogressivedesign.com) of Cook, Lake Country Power RoundUp program and Gibbs Wild Rice (gibbswildrice.com) of Deer River. Other local businesses and organizations have also contributed and are listed on the race web site at whiteoakclassicsleddograce.com

A $6,000 purse is being offered for the 10-Dog Pro race, with the winner receiving $1,500. The 8-Dog Pro race has a $2,000 purse with the winner receiving $550. Top three teams in the Trophy and Recreational classes will also receive prizes There is even a prize for the last team to finish in each class – the musher takes home a candle lantern.

Both Northome and Marcell will host winter activities on Saturday during race weekend. In Northome, look for a smooshing competition, dog races and snow sculpture at Northome School. In Marcell, a Winter Frolic from noon – 4 p.m. at the Marcell Family Center will include indoor and outdoor activities with hay rides, storytelling, crafts, games, lunch and beverages. On Sunday, Jan. 10 there will be a continuous pancake feed from 9 a.m.-noon.