December 31 , 2004
START TIMES/RACE ROUTES FOR 2005 U.P. 200 & MIDNIGHT RUN SLED DOG RACES
The Upper Peninsula Sled Dog Association announced the start times and race routes for the 2005 U.P. 200 and Midnight Run. The races will begin on Friday, February 18th with the Midnight Run ending on Sat. the 19th and the 200 on Sunday, February 20th.
Midnight Run Schedule and Route: The first team will leave Gwinn at 6 p.m., with teams leaving in two minute successions. The teams will travel in a northerly direction through the Sands Plains area, cross County Road 480 near Lindberg's gravel pit. From there, they make a slight turn to the northeast, crossing MI Route 553 between the intersection of Co. Rd 480 MI Route 553 and the Marquette Mountain Ski Hill. Teams will pass behind Marquette Mountain, travel under US 41 at the Carp River Bridge, then turn east using the same route as the UP 200 teams to their layover point in Deerton. After a 5 hour (plus start differential) layover, teams will travel along the U.P. 200 route past Chatham, and finish Saturday morning at Hiawatha Log Homes just northeast of Munising in Wetmore.
UP 200 Schedule and Route: The first team will be out of the starting chute on Washington Street, Marquette at 7:10 p.m., and a team will leave every 2 minutes until all teams have departed. Teams will travel through Harvey, Deerton and Chatham, and arrive at Check Point #1 for their first unassisted check point at the Best Western of Munising in Wetmore. After leaving this check point, teams will proceed north to Check Point #2 in Grand Marais. The first teams are anticipated to arrive in Grand Marais approximately mid morning on Saturday. After resting and receiving a mandatory vet check in Grand Marais, teams will retrace their steps back to Check Point #3 at the Best Western of Munising in Wetmore.
UPDATE on 10 Jan 05: Teams will travel on through Chatham, where there will be an optional dog drop before continuing to the finish line in Marquette. Chatham will not be a required stop.
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