Copper Basin 300 canceled at Meier's Lake due to cold and snow

The Alaska Dispatch reported on the 15th that the Copper Basin 300 sled dog race was canceled following an emergency alert issued by the Copper Basin Race Committee. The race was officially canceled at Meier's Lake, which is a mere 75 miles into the 300 mile race.

It was a necessary call on the part of race officials to help keep mushers and dogs safe as temperatures dropped and snow accumulated. Snow machines sent ahead to break trail were sinking into deep drifts whenever they paused, and reports of temperatures in the rage of -50 F to -60 F were coming in.

Alaskans are tough, but there are times when even we need to take a step back and not press our luck against the harsh conditions that this great land can send our way. Dog mushing in Alaska is serious business, but I think anyone can agree that as well into the blood as racing is, it is not worth our dogs when conditions just get too harsh to keep pushing ahead.

My old battered knit cap is nodded respectfully to those who were a part of the 2012 Copper Basin 300, I know it had to be difficult to put that much work into the race only to walk away less than a third of the way through it.

To read the full details check out the article at Alaska Dispatch: Cold, snow and wind cancel Copper Basin 300 sled dog race.