Volunteers Needed!!!
Volunteers are a vital and necessary part of putting on the WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race. The race would not happen without many volunteers committing their time and energy. We will need more volunteers than ever with the longer 130-mile 10-dog race. There are volunteer opportunities for anyone, from those with experience with sled dog races, to those who have never seen a sled dog race. Here is a list of some of the main volunteer opportunities.
Ely Start and Finish (Setup and Parking)
Several volunteers are needed Saturday evening and well before sun-up Sunday to prepare the starting chute, lay out snow fence and signs, direct spectators, mushers, race officials and veterinarians to parking areas. At the end of the race, it all needs to come down and be put away.
Dog Crews
Dog crews are needed for the Ely race start, Tower checkpoint and Cook checkpoint. This is a huge task and one of the most important undertakings of the race. Dog Crew volunteers get up close and personal with the mushers and canine superstars. Over 60 physically fit volunteers are needed at the start to assist teams in getting from the Staging Area and into the Starting Chute. Dog Crews at the race start are divided into 12 teams of 5 persons each. Another 20 physically fit volunteers are needed at the Tower and Cook checkpoints to assist mushers getting in and out of the checkpoints. If you are not afraid of getting a little dirty and don't mind smelling like a dog at the end of the day, than Dog Crews are for you! Contact your friends, form a team and help us with this monumental task!
Tower Checkpoint and 6-Dog Finish
Several volunteers are needed early Sunday morning to prepare the finish line for the 6-Dog race and setup the Tower Checkpoint for the 10-Dog race. Volunteers are needed to put up snow fence and signs, and spectators, mushers, handlers, race officials and veterinarians need to be directed to parking areas. When the checkpoint closes Monday, it all needs to come down and be put away. Dog Crews are also needed in Tower to help mushers get the teams into the checkpoint area and to later help guide teams back to the trail. See Dog Crews above for more information.
Cook Checkpoint
Several volunteers are needed to set up the checkpoint in Cook. This checkpoint is the halfway point of the 10-Dog race; almost all teams will rest here for at least a few hours. Volunteers are needed to put up snow fence and signs, and spectators, mushers, race officials, handlers, and veterinarians need to be directed to parking areas. After the checkpoint closes Monday, it all needs to come down and be put away. Dog Crews are also needed in Cook to help mushers get the teams into the checkpoint area and to later help guide teams back to the trail. See Dog Crews above for more information.
Road Crossings (The Guardian Angels of the Race)
This is an extremely important volunteer task. Road Crossing volunteers are charged with making sure all teams can cross the highways safely. As the teams approach, your mission is to flag down and stop vehicle traffic in accordance with Minnesota Department's of Transportation and Public Safety guidelines. There are many road crossings between Ely and Cook that will require the presence of three or four volunteers at each location throughout the duration of the race, beginning Sunday morning and continuing through Monday afternoon. This is a great opportunity for people that enjoy winter camping and spending time outside playing in the snow. With the many road crossings along the race trail between Ely and Cook there is always room for more volunteers. Contact your friends, make an event of it and enjoy "the best spectator seat in the house".
Please enjoy a short story below about Road Crossings from a mushers point of view, by Joe Russell. (pdf)
