CopperDog

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Usually on the first weekend of March, the CopperDog sled-dog races are held annually. Join us at one of the best Winter events in Michigan! Hey!
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If viable, the CopperPull, CopperDash, CopperDart, & CopperDrag happen on the same weekend. Let’s organize a sled dog race! That’s what a small group of people said in 2009, and from that initial idea the CopperDog 150 and CopperDog 35 sled dog races were born. Races usually run the first weekend in March. And as of recently, we have four races. The CopperDog 150 features teams of ten dogs and covers 150 miles in three days, while the CopperDog 80 features teams of eight dogs and covers approximately forty miles each day. The CopperDog 30 and CopperDog 15 are single-stage races using six dogs. Which means… the first weekend in March finds up to 600 dogs racing through Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. The various CopperDog races are organized by CopperDog, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization located in Calumet, Michigan, a small town in the middle of the Keweenaw Peninsula – a narrow finger of land on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that juts into the middle of Lake Superior. With an average annual snowfall of 241 inches it’s the perfect place for …well, a sled dog race. Since its beginning the CopperDog races have attracted mushers from around the world. While many mushers come from the Midwest, each race usually has several Canadian mushers competing – and in 2011 and 2012 a musher from South Africa competed. CopperDog is definitely a labor of love. It is an entirely volunteer operation, with more than 500 volunteers helping to put the race on. Local residents help mushers with their dogs, provide housing, and oversee trail crossings. Local police and fire departments volunteer their time to man all highway crossings and ensure the safety of all volunteers and participants. On its business end, CopperDog is run by an unpaid volunteer board of directors. CopperDog is more than just two sled dog races. In addition to promoting community vitality through sled dog racing, CopperDog strives to provide education on the history and sport of sled dog racing. Numerous public events – such as classroom visits, volunteer training, “Meet the Dogs” events, and free sled dog rides - are held throughout the year. CopperDog is always looking for new volunteers. If you’d like to work with a great group of people and be part of one of the MOST FUN winter events you’ll ever see, please contact us. We can’t do it without you!

10/31/2026

For you reading pleasure, here are the CopperDog Race Rules for the 2027 event!!! Follow this link;

https://copperdog.org/race-rules/

Make sure you read them so there are no surprises on your end. Don't understand something? Ask us! Need clarification on something else? Get a hold of us! There are no excuses for all of us not to be on the same exact page, have the same expectations, in regard to everything that surrounds the event. Got it?

Most importantly is that there have been some changes from the last race(s) - yes, more than one change. But we'll be upfront and tell you about the biggest one since it's a game changer;

All mushers will be required to carry a kitchen sink - you can thank Frank Holmberg for that one. No worries, if he signs up, he'll be required to also carry a bathtub. 🤣

Best of luck to all!! The 2027 CopperDog Race Registration will open a week from this post at 12:00:00 PM ET;

> NOVEMBER THE 7TH @ HIGH-NOON KEWEENAW TIME <

Photo courtesy of Adɐm @ brockit inc.
Visit Keweenaw / Michigan's Upper Peninsula / Pure Michigan / Sled Dog Central / Sled Dog World / Sled Dog Talk / Mushing and Team & Trail / Mushing Midwest

10/27/2026

Being the 27th and all; just a quick little reminder that CopperDog registration for the 2027 event will open @ 12 PM (high noon) Keweenaw Time on November the 7th! Race dates are February 26th, 27th, & 28th!

Rules should be coming out shortly (and yes, there are changes) so please make sure you read them and please make sure you are ready (oh my, the excuses) on the 7th! Heck, and if it tickles your fancy, make sure your competition is also ready to go! 🤣

Visit Keweenaw / Michigan's Upper Peninsula / Pure Michigan / Sled Dog Central / Mushing Midwest / Mushing and Team & Trail / Sled Dog World / Sled Dog Talk

10/25/2026

As you are possibly preparing to watch the Green Bay Packers take on the Detroit Lions in the 313, CopperDog in the 906 would like to share the [final] proof of concept for our logo refresh!!! Oh, yeah!

We would like to thank Industrial Graphics for dealing with CopperDog and some very picky board members. ;)

And extra especial love to Adam Hanley for having some endless patience and taking the time to let his art shine through the new shield of our race! Much obliged, Adam! For real...

Who will win the game??? We are predicting a tie between the Green Bay Lions and the Detroit Packers!!!

So... with out further ado;

10/19/2026

♻️ KORC - Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition's Fall Metal Drive is around the corner!!! ♻️

ℹ️ They’re teaming up with Cliff View Bar to help keep the Keweenaw clean, and they need your help to surpass their total from the Spring Clean-Up – which was 4,300 pounds!

ℹ️ The focus is removing dumped metal from parks, preserves, trails, road sides, and beaches. METAL ACCEPTED: empty containers, barrels, scrap iron, cans, culverts, rebar, wire, chain, old tools, appliances, parts, etc. *** NO BATTERIES OR ELECTRONICS ACCEPTED ***

ℹ️ This week-long effort will culminate at the Cliff View Bar in Phoenix, with free food for all participants; compliments of KORC!

➡️ Be A Hero - Help Keep The Keweenaw Clean!

➡️ Bring Scrap Metal - Please deliver metal to either trailer location:
• Gratiot Lake – 5269 Gratiot Lake Road (10/22-29)
• Cliff View Bar – East Parking Lot off of US-41 (10/29)

➡️ Eat Free Food - Anyone who brings metal any time during the metal drive is welcome to come eat. October 29th - 3pm-to-7pm @ the Cliff View Bar - 5014 US-41 - Phoenix, MI.

ℹ️ View the event page here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Gj1BSmKcp/

🟢 Please help them spread the word by sharing this event!

Keweenaw Snowmobile Club / Keweenaw ATV Club / Michigan's Upper Peninsula

10/16/2026

The coming sled-dog race-season in the Upper Midwest should be a blast!

Make sure to come along! And of course we are saving the best for last! 😉 Our registration will open on November the 7th @ high-noon Keweenaw Time!

Visit Keweenaw / Michigan's Upper Peninsula / Pure Michigan / Sled Dog Central / Mushing Midwest / Sled Dog World / Sled Dog Talk / Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race / Gunflint Mail Run / Hiawatha Heritage Dog Sled Race / John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon / The UP200, Midnight Run, and Jack Pine 30 / WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race / CopperDog

09/30/2026

Saving the best for last?? Here is the final "episode" of the 2026 trilogy done by Adɐm Johnson @ brockit inc. Cooler nights, less day light... chance of snow is around the corner with October starting tomorrow!

https://vimeo.com/1173787535/

This is "CopperDog 2026 - day 3" by brockit on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

09/28/2026

We are -SO- elated to announce the 2026/2027 CopperDog Race Directors Team!!!

Kelly Probst as Race Director working side-by-side with Assistant Race Directors Kora Melia and Maddie Longpre-Harrer!

A better team would be impossible to assemble! Can you imagine a vet tech water skiing while playing the fiddle? That's one of the skills this team will bring to the table! Are they dangerous??? Oh, so dangerously good at what they do! That's right!

And we would like to thank Tony and Kiko for the role they played the last couple years as ARDs! They will now fall back on the regular programming of Trail Boss and Chief Timer!

Don't forget that the 2027 CopperDog registration will be at high noon on November the 7th!

09/22/2026

Fall has officially arrived!!! And here is the number two video of an amazing 2026 trilogy done by Adɐm Johnson @ brockit inc. It was in the 30s this morning... 😉

https://vimeo.com/1170074673/

This is "CopperDog 2026 - day 2" by brockit on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

09/15/2026

Any artists in da house? The Mushing Club at Michigan Tech is looking for entries for their 2026/27 logo design!!! What do you say? Submit a design!!! More info below...

Visit Keweenaw / Michigan's Upper Peninsula / Pure Michigan / Sled Dog World / Sled Dog Central / Mushing Magazine / Mushing Midwest / Sled Dog Talk / Michigan Technological University

Want your design as our apparel? Now's your chance!! We're hosting our annual apparel contest again! All submissions are due September 25th!
*no generative AI was used in this flyer, and no generative AI is allowed in submissions*

09/14/2026

Cooler nights, stronger winds, and shorter days... Fall is knocking and we are opening the door. Here is the number one video of an amazing 2026 trilogy done by Adɐm Johnson @ brockit inc. You go enjoy it now... race season is around the corner.

https://vimeo.com/1169361325/

This is "CopperDog 2026 - day 1" by brockit on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Address

Calumet, MI
49913

Telephone

+19063709972

Website

https://copperdog.org/

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