Race to the Sky Sled Dog Race - Helena

Friday, February 12, 2010 - Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Race to the Sky will have its official kick-off celebration on Friday, starting with a vet check at noon. That evening an auction for rides at the restart in Lincoln will happen. Don't miss an opportunity to bid on a sled ride with a Race to the Sky competitor and feel the electricity of the race.

On Saturday, onlookers will be able to witness the start of the race at Camp Rimini. Camp Rimini was a former World War Dog Training and Reception Center near Helena that was used to train dogs for military operations during World War II. Watch them finish Saturday in Deer Lodge after running 45 miles. Events in Deer Lodge during the afternoon and evening.

On Sunday, the race restarts its continuous portion of Race to the Sky at Hi-Country Snack Foods in Lincoln at noon. Successful bidders at Friday night's auction will be boarding their musher's sleds for a first-hand view of the Race to the Sky excitement. Watch the teams start their day and night journey through the mountains of Montana.

For the next couple of days teams will be going through the White Tail Ranch near Ovando, the Seeley Lake Community Center in Seeley Lake, and making a wilderness checkpoint coming back to Seeley Lake. The finish is at Hi-Country Snack Foods near Lincoln and is predicted sometime Tuesday with finishes crossing the finish arch until Wednesday afternoon. The awards ceremony is Wednesday night in Lincoln. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend all the events.

Race to the Sky is one of the qualifying races prior to the Alaskan Iditarod. In years past, anywhere from 22 to 35 teams have begun this 350-mile race through the Montana backcountry.