More snow? Sled dog derby organizers are crossing their fingers

LACONIA — Thanks to icy temperatures and snowfall this winter, trail boss Jim Lyman has high hopes for course conditions for the World Championship Sled Dog Derby, coming up Feb. 13-15. 

New Hampshire weather can be tough to gauge, which is difficult when planning an event where optimal trail conditions are needed. The derby, which first started 97 years ago, went off without a hitch last year, but was canceled due to weather conditions in 2021, 2023 and 2024. It was also cut short in 2022, due to deteriorated course conditions.

“Over the past 10 or 15 years we had to cancel more than we did 30 years ago,” Lyman said. “That can make it tough for planning, and for the mushers. We have a good race with a good purse, but if it only happens every three or four years, we can see the effect of that.”

The lore of the race brings mushers from all over the country and up into Canada, as one of three renowned championship races, including in the Alaskan communities of Fairbanks and Anchorage.

Lyman said since there are sled dog events almost every weekend in the winter, the solid Canadian clubs help the Lakes Region Sled Dog Club choose the best weekend, to get as many teams to Laconia as possible.

Mushers like Claude Bellerive, of Carette, Quebec, who come back year after year. In his case, he's the defending champion in the open race, and has multiple titles in Laconia.

Hermel Bergeron is another musher who competes annually, coming from St. Angele, Quebec. Last year, he placed fourth in the open class.

Many come from across New England, and others make the trip from Midwestern and Western states like Minnesota, Utah and Alaska.

There are race legends who have since died, but were integral to where the race is today. One was Keith Bryant, of Moultonborough, a Lakes Region resident and mainstay in the race, who's walked away with the purse on more than one occasion. Bryant is now deceased, but his legacy lives on in his nieces Brittany and Rachael Colbath. Brittany was second in last year’s six-dog race, and Rachael has been both an announcer and competitor in previous races.

Lyman spoke about his own family’s involvement, as his grandfather Charlie was a local barber who organized the first race in 1929. He said Charlie was known to run his dogs “straight down 106,” and hitch them up in front of the barber shop.

Lyman fondly remembers back to when he was 5 years old, and his late father, John, pulled tires around the course with a bulldozer. John didn’t just make the trail, but also competed in the event for many years, using a team of Irish setters. Most sled dogs are short-haired Alaskan huskies, which are usually bred with a type of hound or pointer.

When Lyman got older, he and his brother Jack started racing three-dog teams. Now he is the trail boss, and his daughter, Jenny, serves as the president of the race.

Some things change, but much remains the same, in a prestigious race with a purse of more than $30,000 and provides a chance for people to witness one of the oldest sled dog races in the lower 48.

The start and finish line for all three races will be in the Opechee Bay State Forest, at the corner of Old North Main Street and Parade Road. The “open” race will make its way toward the northern coast of Opechee, before crossing Parade and then Meredith Center Road, before crossing back over Parade toward Laconia Country Club.

Mushers will make their way north along Paugus Bay, crossing Hilliard Road, and looping before crossing Hilliard again, then again crossing Parade. The mushers will then make their way south, crossing back over Meredith Center and Parade to the finish line.

The six- and three-dog races will also start and end at the same spot, but are much shorter distances.

The winning mushers will have the lowest combined time over the course of the event.

The course provides ample opportunity for people to watch, and Lyman said one of the best spots is always the starting line. People can not only catch the winner coming across the finish, but it also serves as homebase for the mushers and their large groups of dogs.

“That north end of Opechee is a nice big field with good visibility, and there is good parking right there on the highway on both sides,” Lyman said. “It’s a pretty good spot. We’ve got a great spectator course.”

Sometimes Mother Nature is fickle, and can make planning and trail maintenance difficult. Lyman said it often comes down to the week before to know for sure where the derby will be held.

Lyman said a foot of snow is required for a base, so he has his fingers crossed for more snow between now and race day. The cold temperatures have helped freeze the ground, which is vital, as in the past, the event was canceled because the trail became watery.

“We need a good established base at least 10 days before the race, so we need some support snow, and definitely no more thaws,” Lyman said.

Lyman owns Lyman Construction, which has donated its services for building and maintaining the trail since 1987. He explained they break the trail with a snow machine, and then make sure it is clear, passable, safe and packed. The course is then groomed to take care of any bumps.

“Typically a good, fast-packed trail ends up being only 4 to 6 inches off the ground,” Lyman said. “We call it fast grass around here.”

The sub-freezing temperatures have also helped create thick ice on Lake Winnisquam, which will serve as Plan B. In that case, he said they would need to create about 14 miles of trail to keep it at world championship standard, and snow would be hauled out onto the ice.

The race is benefited by the annual auction, Saturday night at Laconia Country Club. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the auction starts at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds directly benefit the trail maintenance, race organization, prize, and mushers.

“There is a lot of planning that goes into this, and the auction is where we bring in a lot of money,” Lyman said. “Lots of items from local businesses help support this race.”

For a schedule, course map, and additional information, log on to lrsdc.org.