January 07, 2011 - January 09, 2011

January 06, 2012 - January 08, 2012

Dog teams from near and far are getting ready to descend on Whitefish and Olney for the fifth annual Flathead Sled Dog Days, January 6, 7, & 8, 2012.  These teams have been training since August, have hundreds of miles under their paws and are ready to embark upon the Whitefish Mountain Range.  There will be over 350 lunging and yelping sled dogs at the starting line, 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, at the Olney snowmobile trailhead (Upper Whitefish Lake Road).  This event is a great winter outing for the entire family.

Flathead Sled Dog Days starts with the Vet Check on Friday, January 6, from noon to 2 p.m. at Grouse Mountain Lodge.  School groups are encouraged to meet the mushers and dogs at the vet check. 

There will be many accomplished mushers attending Flathead Sled Dog Days. Several mushers have competed in the Iditarod, Seeley Lake 200 mile race, the Race to the Sky and Wyoming Stage Stop, as well as various other events. There are a total of 36 teams signed up thus far to run the various classes starting on Saturday, January 7.

On Saturday, January 7, at 10:00 a.m. is the start of the race at Mile Marker 145.5 (18 miles north of Whitefish at the Olney snowmobile trailhead just off Highway 93 at Olney.  On Sunday, January 8, at 10:00 a.m. the second day of racing will commence with an awards ceremony at the trailhead to follow immediately after the finish (around 3:00 that day).  Everyone is invited to all the events.

Spectators are encouraged to bring cross country skis or snow shoes to venture out onto the trail to watch the teams glide by.  Another way to view the teams on the trail is to rent a snow machine from either Winter Wonderland Snowmobile Rentals or Extreme Motor Sports.

There will be concessions and a bonfire to warm your toes. So load up the family and friends and head on out to Olney to watch this wonderful winter event. It's like no sight you've seen before.

Volunteers are always needed on Saturday, January 7 and Sunday, January 8 at the Olney Trailhead to help teams to the start, man checkpoints and generally help with the race both days.  If you can help for a couple of hours one or both days, please call 471-9846 to sign up.

Flathead Sled Dog Days has a collaborative curricular unit designed for third to eighth grade students.  The unit is set-up to develop information seeking skills while gaining knowledge about sled dog racing, mushing, and Flathead Sled Dog Days.  Students will learn sled dog culture, types of dogs best suited to pull sleds, the life of a musher, necessary equipment and the history of sled dog racing.  Go to www.flatheadsleddogdays.com and view education to see the curriculum.

Free

All Ages

Outdoor Activity

Olney Trailhead

Head west on Highway 93 out of Whitefish. Turn right at the Olney Trailhead (access to Upper Whitefish Lake), located between mile markers 145 and 146 and across the highway from the Olney turnoff.