Mushers prepare for Sheep Mountain 150

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

SHEEP MOUNTAIN - The first major sled dog race of the 2005-06 season in the Mat-Su Valley is just three weeks away.

The start of the Sheep Mountain 150, which stops and finishes at the Sheep Mountain Lodge north of Palmer, is scheduled for Dec. 17. The field of 41 includes five mushers from the Mat-Su Valley - Ryan Redington of Wasilla, Anjanette Steer of Sheep Mountain, Todd Marder of Talkeetna, Jeff Davis of Talkeetna and Rick Townsend of Willow.

The race also includes past Yukon Quest champions Lance Mackey, Sonny Lindner, Hans Gatt and John Schandelmeier.

Gatt is among a strong contingent of Canadian mushers in the field. There are 10 mushers in the field who hail from three different provinces in Canada. Thirty-one of the mushers are from Alaska.

Mackey returns to the race as the defending champion. He won the 2004 Sheep Mountain 150 in 1 day, 1 hour and 2 minutes. He was 54 minutes faster than Jason Young. The runner-up and third-place Gerry Willow-mitzer finished just 30 seconds a part last year.

The Sheep Mountain is a 150-mile dog sled race. The race starts and finishes at the Sheep Mountain Lodge on the Glenn Highway and has two, five-hour layovers at Eurkeka Lodge.

As he planned for the inaugural race last year, race director Zach Steer said the area is a great venue for a sled dog race. Since he began training his dogs in the Sheep Mountain area six years ago, Steer said he has wanted to bring a race to the area.

&#8220It's a great setting for a dog race - a classic Alaskan scene,” Steer said.

The trail also allows many vantage points for fans. The checkpoint at Eureka Lodge is open to the public, and fans can see portions of the race from alongside the Glenn Highway.

&#8220Races like the Iditarod are like a cross-country race. You see the start and the finish,” Steer said. &#8220Here you get to see a lot of the race.”

For more information about the race see www.sheepmountain.com.

Sheep Mountain 150 field

*Mushers leave in order of list starting at noon on Saturday Dec. 17. Teams start on two-minute intervals.

1. Zoya Denure, Gakona; 2. Pierre Yves Duc, Whitehorse, Yukon; 3. Jon Little, Kasilof; 4. Didier Moggia, Carcross, Yukon; 5. Catherine Pinard, Whitehorse, Yukon; 6. Andres Moser, Whitehorse, Yukon; 7. Hugh Neff, Skagway; 8. Timm Nelson, Kasilof; 9. John Schandelmeier, Gakona; 10. Gerry Willomitzer, Whitehorse, Yukon; 11. Sebastian Schnuelle, Whitehorse, Yukon; 12. Sean Rosiar, Skagway; 13. Karen Ramstead, Perryvale, Alberta; 14. Debbie Moderow, Anchorage; 15. Lance Mackey, Kasilof; 16. Gidget Hagen, Fairbanks; 17. Brennan Norden, Kasilof; 18. Sonny Lindner, Two Rivers; 19. Ken Anderson, Fairbanks; 20. Melanie Gould, Talkeetna; 21. Paul Geoffrin, Whitehorse, Yukon; 22. Ryan Redington, Wasilla; 23. RT Lindner, Two Rivers; 24. Anjanette Steer, Sheep Mountain; 25. Tod Marder, Talkeetna; 26. Tim Forbus, Eagle River; 27. Eric Butcher, Fairbanks; 28. Jeff Davis, Talkeetna; 29. Robert Bundtzen, Anchorage; 30. Ray Redington, Jr., Two Rivers; 31. Rich Corcoran, Valdez; 32. David Swatzky, Healy; 33. Kathy Faryniarz, Anchorage; 34. Hans Gatt, Atlin, British Columbia; 35. Jill Kramer, Atlin, British Columbia; 36. Melanie Butcher, Fairbanks; 37. Jim Lanier (team one), Chugiak; 38. Jim Lanier (team two), Chugiak; 39. Michael Suprenaut, Chugiak; 40. Eric Rodgers, Eagle River; 41. Rick Townsend, Willow.