On my way into town Sunday, I slowed near the Demonstration Forest, noticing cones and several vehicles parked along the road. My first thought was that someone had gone into the ditch. The Drummond is still icy in spots this time of year. But as I passed the scene, it became clear the road wasn’t blocked by an accident. It was closed for a dog sled crossing.
The 2026 John Beargrease race weekend featured nearly 60 teams spread across the Marathon, Beargrease 120, and Beargrease 40. While the full Marathon continues north toward Grand Portage as this story is written, champions have already been crowned in the shorter races.
Fairhaven musher Danny Edmonson claimed the Beargrease 40 title on Sunday, covering the 35.5-mile course in 2:49:38 with a six-dog team. It was his first time competing in the race.
According to his musher profile, Edmonson grew up on a lake near Maple Lake, spending winters skating, snowmobiling, and dogsledding with the two dogs he had as a teenager. His competitive background came from a different sport. Edmonson raced motocross from the age of four, turned professional at 16, and spent nearly a decade traveling the country before stepping away from racing at 25.
Dogsledding stayed in the background until a friend, 2025 Beargrease 40 champion Eric Nyren, encouraged him to enter this year’s race. Edmonson said he was grateful for the opportunity to race strong dogs with a coach he trusts. Erin Schouweiler finished second, less than a minute behind Edmonson, and Jim Ward placed third.
The mid-distance Beargrease 120 wrapped up Monday, with Sean deWolski of Fairbanks, Alaska, taking the win with an eight-dog team. The 108-mile race is known for its long climbs and exposed stretches through the Sawtooth country.
deWolski runs a small adventure and racing kennel in Fairbanks, where his dogs divide their time between training and a surprisingly normal pet life that includes brewery patios, disc golf courses, and couch naps. He said the Beargrease 120 suited the kind of racing he enjoys: technical, scenic, and demanding.
Joanna Oberg finished second, followed by Rita Wehseler in third.
As of Monday evening, the nearly 300-mile Marathon remained underway. Several teams were clustered near the front of the field, including Erin Aili of Ray, Ryan Anderson, and Jesse Terry, as mushers worked their way through remote northern checkpoints.
Aili won the race last year and, along with her husband Keith, operates Miles Ahead Racing Kennel while balancing year-round dog care with their construction business. Their children, Eve and TJ, are also part of the operation and spend much of the year outdoors.
Terry, from Sioux Lookout, Ontario, runs On The Land Sled Dogs with his family and is preparing for his first Iditarod later this winter. Anderson, from St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, is a husband, carpenter, and father of two who runs AnderTier Racing Kennel with 32 sled dogs.
Local favorite Colleen Wallin, of Silver Creek Sled Dogs, began the race as scheduled but was forced to withdraw after an accident that resulted in a broken ankle. She is scheduled for surgery.
The Beargrease has grown into one of North America’s premier sled dog events since its first running in 1980. The Marathon is an Iditarod qualifier and draws elite mushers who test themselves against North Shore terrain and January weather.
The race honors John Beargrease, born in Beaver Bay in 1858, who delivered mail along the North Shore for nearly two decades. His winter trips by dogsled connected isolated communities long before roads reached them, and his legacy remains central to the event.
Nearly 400 volunteers keep the modern race moving each year, staffing checkpoints, road crossings, and logistics from Duluth to Grand Portage.
Ryan Anderson rolled across the finish line Tuesday afternoon in 2:59:34, securing the top spot in the John Beargrease Marathon with a strong final push. Erin Aili followed 2 minutes, 27 seconds later, and Jesse Terry rounded out the podium in 3:09:04. An exciting end to a competitive race. Congratulations to all of this year’s mushers and their teams!
