U.P. 200 weekend wrap-up
The U.P. 200 and Midnight Run mushers, and their dogs, were heading for home Monday morning.
Ryan Anderson of Ray, Minnesota won the U.P. 200 for the fourth straight year.
He’s the first musher in the history of the race to do so.
Ryan’s sister, Miki Dreyer, served as a handler of her brother’s dog team.
She says visibility was very poor at times, especially in much of Alger County.
U.P. Sled Dog Association president Pat Torreano says the group received a great deal of criticism a few years ago for shortening the race due to poor visibility.
She says that the mushers should expect rough conditions in a dog race, and she says that if they can’t see, they should just slow down.
Torreano is extremely pleased with the race volunteers this year, especially the extra volunteers who agreed at the last minute to work in downtown Marquette on Friday night.
U.P. 200 musher Frank Moe of Bemidji, Minnesota had an accident shortly after 5:30 Sunday morning near the Wetmore checkpoint.
While trying to cross M–28, he couldn’t stop his dogs for oncoming traffic, which had the right of way.
A vehicle hit the dogs, killing one and injuring two more.
Michigan State Police from the Munising Detachment investigated and did not cite anyone as a result of the accident.
The injured dogs are expected to fully recover, and Torreano they’re already doing significantly better than they were last night.
Dreyer was also glad to see that the 200 didn’t have to be shortened this year because of a lack of snow, which has happened several times recently.
The 25th annual U.P. 200 will take place February 14th through 16th of 2014.