Towards the end of the distance racing season, there are few options for late season races. After the Iditarod, teams are in great condition with a large amount of training and a 1000 mile race under their belt. Rookie mushers are also looking forward to racing in one of the 1000 mile races, like the Yukon Quest, and need a qualifier. So instead of waiting until the Fall to get qualified, this race will give you the credentials.Alaska often has great snow until mid to late April, especially in the Paxson area where the temperatures remain cooler than the rest of the state. The snow is deep and plentiful, and it goes to waste as most mushers hang up their harnesses.John Scandelmeier has developed a 300 mile race to be run during the week starting April 2nd. The race will travel from Wolverine Lodge at Lake Louise, to McLaren Lodge. The trail is 300 miles, and follows rivers, creeks and stays on state land giving some beautiful panoramic views of the Alaska Range. The mid week race is set to avoid the snowmachiners who flock to the area on weekends, and also to give back to the lodges, who provided accommodation and hospitality for the Gin Gin 120 competitors, and to also give the lodges some mid-week business and thank the community for its constant support.The race has an entry fee of $300, and part of this fee goes towards the accommodations and food at the lodges, and the rest goes back into the purse. Mushers must be a member of the Gin Gin 120 organization, and can join for a yearly fee of $15.Sign-up for the race is cut-off at the end of the pre-race drivers meeting. The race follows Yukon Quest rules, but also incorporates some old standing CB300 rules:If a dog dies on the trail the musher must withdraw from the raceIf a musher has a protest, they will get a hearing with a panel of judges before the post-race meeting.The trail is set and groomed, and with the help of the folks from Wolverine Lodge, the trail is well maintained and well marked.For more information on the race visit http://www.dogsleddenali.com/
