The Idaho Sled Dog Challenge canceled the 100-mile and the 300-mile Iditarod qualifier because of a lack of snow, but they were able to host the Warm Lake Stage Race.
The Warm Lake Stage Race is a two-day race where mushers and their teams run 26 miles. The course starts and ends at North Shore Lodge at Warm Lake about 26 miles east of Cascade.
Check out the video to see the dogs and their mushers —
"This year I want to defend I want to defend my title as first place winner," said Caroline Nevills. "It is a really fun race, I love running this one."
Two years ago Nevills didn't finish, but last year she was the champion of this race. The Warm Lake Stage Race is geared more towards up-and-coming mushers and locals like Nevills who picked up the sport from her mother, Liz, as they live in Middleton.
"It’s more of a family sport, which I love it, it gets me exercise and I have a lot of fun doing this," said Caroline, who is 18-years-old and will be going to school in Alaska next year. "It's mom and me time essentially."
The Warm Lake Stage Race is also a spectator friendly event as it is free to see the teams compete. They will be on the course for about two hours before finishing where they started at North Shore Lodge.
The teams had a cheering section to help see them off as sixth graders from the Ambrose School in Boise came up for the race on a field trip. Their teachers have the children read Call of the Wild, then they come up and experience it.
"I think they are just as excited as the dogs were before the race," said teacher Grace Anderson. "Yes and it is wonderful for us to come up. This is our fourth year so we have actually been here since the start of the Warm Lake Race," said the other sixth-grade teacher Savannah Stame.
The teachers told me it is the highlight of the year for the students, and for a while this race was in jeopardy. However, they got enough snow east of Cascade in the mountains to run the race.
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"We prayed for snow and we are just happy to have a race," said Nevills. "The dogs need the exercise, we are happy to run them and we enjoy this a lot."
The second stage of the race will happen on Friday at 10 a.m. If you do take the detour up on your way to the McCall Winter Carnival, take it slow as the road in is covered in snow and ice. The mushers and their teams will also be at Hotel NoBo in Cascade on Saturday for a meet and greet at 10 a.m.
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