UPDATE: Congratulations to The UP200 WINNER Denis Tremblay of Ste. Michel Des Saints, Quebec! Our own Joe Hiss was at the start of the race… good crowd:
Mid February is a time known to many as the night the dogs run! Marquette, MI is home to the annual UP 200, Midnight Run, and Jack Pine 30.
The UP200, an Iditarod qualifying race, starts and finishes in downtown Marquette, MI is a 230 mile race that stretches from Marquette to Chatham, to Wetmore, to Grand Marais, and back. This 12-dog team race starts on Friday February 17th and finishes on Sunday the 19th.
The Midnight Run is a 90 mile race with 8-dog teams and runs from downtown Marquette, MI to Chatham, MI and back. The teams leave from Marquette after the UP 200 start is complete and will return back into Marquette sometime Saturday morning.
The Jack Pine 30 is a 26 miles race with 6-dog teams and runs from Gwinn, MI to Sands Twp and back. This race is held on Saturday the 18th starting at 10am.
Marquette, MI is quite a busy place for the race weekend and draws large crowds downtown to cheer the mushers on as they leave the gate! Washington Street is blocked off and snow is hauled in. The start of the race is directly on the main street so the setting is quite unique! If your looking for some great action Friday night, stop downtown and check it out!
UP 200 Website: http://www.up200.org/#