For a sled dog race to be successful, there needs to be a desire to win in both the canine and human participants, as well as a drive to work as a team against the elements, making the sled eventually makes it home.
But there’s one, single requirement more basic than any other: Snow.
That final necessity has forced the organizers of the upcoming Flathead Classic Sled Dog Race, scheduled to take place March 5 and 6, to scout new locations for the event, traditionally held in Olney.
“Our regular trail in Olney is not going to work,” race organizer Brett Svetlik said. “I think we’re going to look at trying to host it at the head of Whitefish Lake.”
Svetlik said the recent winter warmup has left the Olney trailhead unusable for dogsleds, and the snow around Whitefish Lake still exists and has been packed down by a groomer, so trails wouldn’t have to be broken.
Even with relatively warm weather expected – the National Weather Service in Missoula foresees highs in the upper 40s over the weekend, along with potential snow but more 40-degree weather early next week – Svetlik said he’s confident the race will take place with the snow already on the ground.
“I think it’ll hold strong for us,” he said.
The Flathead Classic is an offshoot of the valley’s previous primary race, Flathead Sled Dog Days. During the weekend, teams of one and two dogs will pull skijoring mushers for 2.2 and 4.8 miles; four-dog teams run 4.8-mile races; six-dog teams run 14.5-mile races; eight dogs pull for 25 miles; and the traditional 12-dog team runs for 35 miles.
This year will also include two-dog junior league races for the young up-and-coming mushers of the sport. There’s also a Human Sledding competition planned, wherein humans step into the tethers and see what it actually takes to pull a musher.
Questionable snow has hampered dogsled races in the past, but Svetlik said the conditions won’t dim many, if any, spirits of the participants.
“It’s just going to be kind of spring-like, but we have a lot of mushers who want to come out,” he said.
Already, around 20 teams have signed up for the race, and Svetlik said the interest from junior mushers has been strong. The community has also been involved and supportive, he said.
Any sort of warm-up over the approaching weekend could have an affect on planning decisions, Svetlik said, but he remains confident.
“The trailhead looks like it’ll hold for another week,” he said.
For more information, visit www.flatheadclassic.org.