The extreme cold forecast will not stop the sled dog teams from making the 33rd annual Sled Dog Mail Run to Barkerville this weekend.
“The dogs love the snow and cold weather, and the mushers are preparing for it,” says Ric Raynor, the President of the Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Association. “The snow conditions have improved up in Wells and Barkerville. There’s lots of snow for the mushers. The cold weather will not be a problem.”
Raynor says tomorrow, Wednesday, February 5, before noon is the last day to get mail orders into the Quesnel downtown post office before they are collected for the teams.
Over the weekend, around 15 to 20 sled dog teams will make the run from Troll Ski Resort to Barkerville.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Troll Ski Resort at 11:30 a.m. Stage One of the dogs’ journey begins at 1 p.m., stopping in Wells for Stage Two on Saturday. Arriving at their final destination of Barkerville on Sunday.
Ric Raynor, says the annual mail run is a special tradition for the region.
“It’s a unique event, the only place you can have Canada Post mail delivered on the first leg of its journey by dog sled… It’s hard to count the number of people we usually get in Barkerville, but the streets are lined up.”
Tickets for the ceremony and banquet can be bought at the door of the Troll Ski Resort, with the banquet and auction taking place at 6 p.m.
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