For People Who Love Up North
And the Winner of the 2009 U.P. 200 Is ...
Musher Eric Morris of Wisconsin takes first place in the grueling 240-mile dog-sled race that begins and ends in Marquette.
Courtesy U.P. 200
Wisconsin musher Eric Morris, owner of Redpaw dogfood, blew over the finish line of the 20th annual U.P. 200 at 2:14 on Sunday, February, 22. The 26 mushers and their 12-dog teams who competed in this qualifier for Alaska's famous Iditarod, left Marquette at 7:10 p.m. Friday, February 20. Along the circular route that crosses U.P. forests, rivers, lakes and farmlands, the mushers and their dogs fought high winds, hip-deep fresh snow and frigid temperatures.
Morris finished the last five miles of the race in whiteout conditions. Behind him were mushers Ryan Anderson of Minnesota and Tim Calhoun of Wisconsin.
The U.P. 200 draws 15,000 visitors to Marquette each winter. Race festivities in Marquette span the weekend including the shorter (91 miles) Midnight Run Race and Jack Pine 30 (30 miles). There are also family events like snow sculptures and kiddie dog sled rides. But the evening start of the U.P. 200 under glowing lights in Marquette's Victorian downtown is the jewel of the weekend.
Read a Traverse story about Upper Peninsula musher Tasha Stielstra.
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Reader Comments:
Elizabeth:
Check your facts a little closer. Only 26 teams in the UP 200 and Eric Morris has run the UP 200 many times.
But we appreciate the coverage.
Frida Waara
UP 200 emcee and historian
Frida,
I stand corrected. And I corrected the piece. Thanks so much. I just wish I could have been up there to see all 26 teams start and finish.
Cheers from under the bridge,
Elizabeth
I was at the 2009 U.P. 200 (which was actually 244 miles) and I have photos of the racers' board in Grand Marais. There are 28 places listed on the board, with bib number 11 listed as RETIRED. That makes for 27 actual mushers in the race.
Thanks so much for the update. There is no underestimating the attention and hype this incredible race deserves is there?