You can't have a sled dog race without snow.
January's planned 40th running of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota has been canceled due to what is an unusually warm and dry winter so far.
Organizers say they thought about moving it into February, but the weather has just been too unpredictable this year so they've decided to cancel it all together.
They hope to run the race again on January 26, 2025.
"This was not an easy decision," said a statement from the non-profit that runs the race. "But with concerns over the weather, safety of the dogs, mushers and volunteers it was the only decision that we felt comfortable with. There have been many discussions about postponing to a later date this winter but the weather is unpredictable. Likewise, in the effort to find a postponement date and in the spirit of sportsmanship, there was not another date that didn’t impede on another established race."
Currently, there is less than an inch of snow cover throughout almost all of Minnesota, even the usually snow-ridden North Shore of Lake Superior where the race takes place. The National Weather Service is predicting more above-average temperatures and drier than normal weather in January for most of the Great Lakes region.
Minnesota and much of the U.S. is dealing with an unusually strong El Niño which has kept the Upper Midwest much warmer and drier than normal.
The John Beargrease is the premier long-distance sled dog race of the lower 48 states one one of Northern Minnesota’s top winter attractions.