2027 Midnight Run Mushers - Upper Peninsula Sled Dog Association - UP 200

I started running sleddogs in college. I thought you had to live in Alaska and have like 10 dogs to even start... until I met someone who did bikejoring and lived near me in northeast Ohio! I borrowed her Alaskan Huskies for a couple years until getting my own, and the rest is history!

All across Minnesota, Wisconsin, the UP... and Ohio!

My first Midnight Run, one of my main leaders was in heat, so I didn't want to put her in lead next to an intact male. Instead, I decided to put my backup leader, Kestrel, in lead... big mistake. After about 25 or 30 miles, he stopped to poop. Dead stop,  like stopping an anchor, and I had to untangle the dogs when I wasn't quick enough on the brake. He does his business and then we're off. Except Kestrel stops again. And again. And again. Every mile or two for 20 miles. I was over an hour later than the estimated time of arrival I had told my handlers at Chatham... and you could see every time Kestrel stopped on the tracker!! He got demoted to wheel for the second run and things went much smoother! 

I joined The Mushing Club at Michigan Tech

I have raced in the 6-dog pro at Tahquamenon Country Dog Sled Race, the 30 miles Hiawatha Heritage Dog Sled Race, the CopperDog 15, and the Beargrease 120.

After finishing the Beargrease 120 last year my eye lashes, fur hood, and gator were frozen. It was a very cold morning in Northern Minnesota during my last leg. However, when crossing the finish line I did not feel cold at all, I was actually warm with joy seeing my team finish strong and all the support I had waiting at the finish.

I have been running winter dogsled tours for Nature's Kennel for many years and wanted to try something new in the sport. Now I get to run tours and also race!

Tahquamenon Country, Beargrease 40, Copperdog 120, Hiawatha Heritage Race, Midnight Run

It's always a new adventure on the trail! 

Upper MI, Wisconsin, Minnesota

Excited to be coming back to the Midnight Run. The downtown start is always electric and the trail is a blast.

In 2000 I represented teacher educators along trail at Iditarod. I always enjoyed the outdoors - canoeing and cross country skiing. Once I got my first Alaskan husy started skijoring then transitioned to sleds. 

Yukon Quest 300, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire

Racing the Quest 300 leaving Whitehorse and the vast Yukon River was so spectacular.

I always wanted to have a sled dog team since watching Susan Butcher win the Iditarod on the news in the 80's

Midnight Run, Beargrease 120, Hiawatha, Tahquamenon, Copper Dog, Apostle Islands, and many more races over the last 27 years.

I will never forget racing the Midnight Run during the 2015 blizzard. 72 mph winds blew me and my entire team off the trail while we were running in a complete white out next to Lake Superior. It was pretty epic!

I married Joann

Tahquamenon, CopperDog, MNR, Beargrease Mid, Hiawatha among many others.

Mushers have short memories.

I have raced primarily in northern Minnesota as well as the U.P. Races that I've ran include the Copper Dog, Beargrease 120, Gunflint Mail Run and Wolftrack Classic in Ely!

I have many fond memories of mushing however I cannot recall a story to share at the moment.

My love of sleddogs began back when I was in second grade when I got my first sleddogs, then competed in a two-dog, two-mile race in third grade. Thanks to many different mushers in the area I was able to continue and grow with my team.

I competed in a variety of races throughout northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan when I was in high school. Last winter, I raced the Beargrease Mid-Distance, Midnight Run, Gunflint Mail Run, and the WolfTrack!

The starting line of the UP200/Midnight Run is unforgettable! I'm so excited to be back again! 

I have raced in Ely Minnesota at the Wolf Track Classic!

I'm still a rookie when it comes to the sport of mushing, can't recall a story to share at the moment! 

My wife Jana wanted to start mushing to follow me into the backcountry. I attempted skijoring and found a sled to be a lot safer and more fun.

Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Michigan

I love the challenge and peaceful atmosphere of running at night. The trust that the dogs will give the musher is humbling. 

Racing is fun, pushes you to polish everything about your system, learn new things, and most importantly go on adventures.

All over North America, USA: ME, MA, NH, CT, MN, MI, MT, AK; Canada: MB, SK, BC, YT, NWT

I've been warned the Midnight Run and Marquette in general is a fun party experience so here are some experiences to maybe tempt the community to help me out. Three great race memories I have are when I've been handed beer randomly on a trail: once at mile 37 in a 45 mile skijor race where a 30pk of PBR appeared out of nowhere in the Alaskan bush, during the first few miles of the YQA when the river is lined with local kegs, and last year during the Gunflint when I was handed a beer, opened it, and then immediately came across the most technical part of the race which I then had to do one-handed.

A friend introduced me to the sport

Alaska, MI, MN, WI and Maine

My favorite story is giving a young Autistic boy a ride. He was nonverbal, but the joy on his face as he flapped his arms as if he was flying is one memory I will cherish forever. 

MI, MN, WI

I was always fascinated with mushing growing up, but it was a dream until I came to the Keweenaw and got the opportunity to work with a kennel through the Mushing Club at Michigan Tech in the fall of 2019. After experiencing the thrill ofmushing and developing deep bonds with the sled dogs, I realized not only is this my passion but I want to share this feeling with others. This led to my sister and I getting our own sled dogs and officially beginning our own kennel in 2024.

Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race, Hiawatha Heritage, Jack Pine 30, CopperDog, and various dryland races. 

One of my favorite experiences mushing was while helping with a kennel tour. A family came out with their son who was younger and loves animals. He wasn’t very verbal, but you could tell he was having a blast petting all the dogs and riding in the sled basket while his parents were on the runners. Eventually he told them he wanted to get on the runners, but they were worn out and nervous of his ability to do so. I offered to ride in the basket with him and insisted he’d do great. Suddenly he was asking lots of questions and having even more of a blast! After we finished, he ran up to his parents bragging how he only tipped the sled once and they tipped it MANY times. Right before they left, his mom pulled me aside and told me he was on the spectrum and she was overjoyed he had such a great experience. It warmed my heart being a part of that and is a constant reminder of how beneficial bonding with animals is to everyone. I love every minute spent with my dogs and it's always heart warming to share that experience with others.

I started helping out a musher at the John Beargrease. Now I am hooked. 30 yeras ago. Still loving it. I'm just a old man living life. 

Minnesota, Wyoming, Canada, Wisconsin, and the beautiful UP.

My handlers say, that they have more scary times then me. Like driving from check point, to check point, up here at the UP 200 and Midnight Run. All the great volunteers and sponsors make this race one of my favorites. 

A wilderness thing I could do alone

UP, Hudson Bay Quest, Can Am Crown, Beargrease, Empire, Mid Mn

Went from helping a musher feed dogs that were left at home while he raced and was then promoted to training and racing dogs with him. 

Minnesota and Michigan

I have great memories of training dog teams in the mountains of Montana

Beargrease, Mid Minnesota, Copper Dog, Wolf Track

Last year the snow was deep and the trail was really narrow. My team fell off the packed trail and got stuck in the deep snow when we tried to pass. After that, they weren't very brave about passing anymore. Hoping for a little wider trail next time. 

Our sons did a school presentation on the Iditarod and I was hooked. 8 years ago Wendy, Caleb and Jacob got me my first dog, Rohn, for Christmas. 2 years later we got Rohn some helpers, had a littler and here we are today!

Baldwin Sled Dog Derby and two years of Jack Pine 30

When I first brought home Rohn's helpers there was a lady in her 80s from church that wanted to meet the dogs. When she came over she was carrying a pillow. I soon realized that she wanted a ride. At that point I've only driven the sled a few times. We went for it and as we went down a hill she hollered "WOOHOOHOO!!" I absolutely loved it!

My wife and I went to a dog sled race on a whim and we were hooked. Fortunately for us a few local mushers didn't mind a million questions. Now the kennel is in year 4 and we are starting our second year of racing. 

Beargrease 120
Wolftrack

The first experience at a race, my wife and I went to watch the start of the Beargrease Marathon. We didn't know anything or anyone at the race, just thought it would be a cool thing to check out. Once the teams started going to the starting chute, talk about an eye opening experience.