It’s sled dog race season in the Upper Peninsula.

The U.P. 200, Jack Pine 30 and Midnight Run sled dog races took place in the central Upper Peninsula two weekends ago, and this weekend, mushers can be found participating in the annual CopperDog races held in the Keweenaw Peninsula.

The CopperDog 150 race, which runs between Calumet, Gay and Copper Harbor, kicked off Friday and will last through Sunday, beginning and ending on Fifth Street in Calumet Village.

The shorter CopperDog 80 and CopperDog 25 races are also being held this weekend. The 25-mile, one-leg CopperDog 25 race ends in Gay on Friday night, while the CopperDog 80 and the 150 both end in Calumet on Sunday afternoon.

A recent Mining Gazette article detailed the efforts of the many volunteers in the race, showing that much like the central U.P.’s dog sled races, the CopperDog races depend upon the efforts of many volunteers.

John Byrant, assistant race director of CopperDog and CopperDog Chairman Doug Harrer emphasized in the article that the CopperDog organization is made up of volunteers, with hundreds of volunteers helping make the races possible each year.

“We have just a sense of thanks to the community for their supportiveness,” Bryant told the Gazette. “Without the volunteers and the support of the community, the business, we wouldn’t be doing this.”

Individuals and organizations across the Keweenaw come out to show their support in a big way, he said. This is critical, as with three different races and two separate endpoints, there’s a need for volunteers spread out across different locations and shifts.

The races provide an enduring sense of community and camaraderie, which is a bright spot during the depths of a long U.P. winter.

“The point of the race, really, is to create a community event,” he said. “It’s that time of year when people are starting to get a little tired of the snow and the cold, and it’s late in the winter. We want to get people out and be able to see something they can enjoy and participate in by being a volunteer. And it truly does — if you’ve seen the starting line on a Friday night, there’s thousands of people out and there.”

We commend the organizers and all of the volunteers for making these races a reality, year after year. And if you’re able to make it up to the Keweenaw this weekend, we encourage you to get involved in the fun — and thank a CopperDog volunteer if you see one.