It’s that time of year again: sled dog race season! The Kuskokwim 300 Race Committee will be opening the registration for its signature 300-mile race on Monday, Oct. 14. This year's K300 will take place on Jan. 17, 2020.
The committee also announced the dates of the first two local races. The season opener is Dec. 7, and the Holiday Classic is scheduled for Dec. 21. The committee puts on five local races during the season.
Purse details are forthcoming, but the money left over from the two local races that were canceled last year will be added to this year’s purse. That’s an extra $40,000 to be added to the five local races. Last year, mushers raced for a purse of $20,000 per local race, or a total of $100,000.
The K300 Race Committee is also revising its “Own a Mile” program. Instead of paying $100 for a mile to participate in its local races, mushers will be able to pay a $100 membership fee that will get them into all five.