Local mushers say trails still have a good base of snow.
Read more: Local, Copper Dog 150, Keweenaw Trails, Training Run, Sled Dog Race
GAY -- From the moment they put on the harnesses, the dogs were ready to run.
Calumet-based mushers Jerry Trudell and Truman Obermeyer are both competing in the first ever Copper Dog 150 race this weekend.
On Tuesday morning, they brought 9 of the 10 dogs on their teams out to the Keweenaw trails for a final training session.
"Our last training run was on Friday, so they had the weekend off,” said Trudell. “Today will just be a shakedown run. I want to make sure everybody's healthy and to check the equipment, make sure everything's good with the sleds and the lines."
Both mushers have already run in three different races this season, but they say they're most excited for the event at home.
"I’m really looking forward to racing again in Calumet, my hometown,” said Obermeyer. “This is where it started for me almost 20 years ago, and now I get to do it again with an extremely competitive field of mushers."
When the first plans for the sled dog race came together last summer, no one thought they would be worried about the amount of snow in March. Despite a week of warmer weather, both mushers say there's still a good base on the trails.
"We’re going to have enough snow,” Trudell said. “It's going to be a little crusty, maybe a little tough on the dogs' feet, but we can booty them up if we need to take care of them. [The race] is just going to be lightning fast."
If you want to see either of the teams in action, you'll have to head to downtown Calumet this Friday night. The race gets underway at 7 o'clock.
