A friend planned on visiting me on Saturday so we could go and check out the dog sled race as well as go on a snowshoeing adventure. However, due to the foot of snow we received, she was not able to make the drive from Curtis. Because I was waiting for her, I did not get a chance to head downtown. Thanks to friend, Sharon, for allowing me to share her photos.
It was a challenging night for the mushers with wind chills below zero and deep snow. Some years the teams have arrived in Grand Marais (turn around point and rest stop for the teams) by mid-morning. The first team did not arrive this year until 2:30 in the afternoon with some teams arriving after 6pm.
There are around ten checkpoints in Grand Marais staffed by volunteers who help guide the teams into town and stop snowmobiles at trail crossing intersections. My friend, Sharon, and her family volunteered at checkpoint 8. Event organizers give them firewood. This year was so cold that the volunteers had to take refuge in their vehicles during part of their long shift from 6pm until after midnight! I volunteered for many years and did not this year since my friend was supposed to visit.
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