After being canceled last year, the Gunflint Mail Run in Cook County went smoothly on Saturday, February 8. Eleven mushers competed in the 10-dog, 65-mile race. The 2025 race had been postponed earlier in January.

The Gunflint Mail Run began in the 70s, with the format changing over the years. Grand Marshall Arleigh Jorgenson has been heavily involved with the race since its inception.

“A group of us who were mushers wanted to have a race that had a little more distance. There was a lot of spring racing, but the Iditarod was starting in Alaska- long distance- and there were races in Canada of 30 miles, 50 miles,” said Jorgenson. “We thought we have the perfect environment for a race of some distance that would really highlight our location, the Gunflint Trail.”

The current format is for teams to leave from the Trail Center, go to the turnaround point, and come back to the Trail Center to rest for three hours before going around a second time.

Rita Wehseler was the eighth musher to start the race but the first to go through the 92 East point on the race.

Wehseler, who lives in Tofte, Minnesota was the first to rest at the Trail Center, the first to start the second leg of the race, and the first to cross the finish line. She won with a total time of 5 hours, 20 minutes, and 8 seconds.

“It’s my first Gunflint Mail Run win, so it’s really exciting and I just love this race. I love the Gunflint community,” said Wehseler. “When I was halfway across the lake and I turned around and I saw no one, that’s when I figured- I literally told my dogs, ‘I think we got this’.”

The full results are as follows:

1. Rita Wehseler from Tofte, MN finished in 5:20:08
2. Matt Schmidt from Grand Marais, MN finished in 5:47:43
3. Erin Altemus from Grand Marais, MN finished in 5:54:42
4. Blake Freking from Finland, MN finished in 6:02:11
5. Joanna Oberg from Grand Marais, MN finished in 6:07:59
6. Jennifer Freking from Finland, MN finished in 6:14:50
7. Andy Heerschap from Nolalu, ON finished in 6:29:09
8. Dave Burge from Side Lake, MN finished in 6:30:59
9. Kevin Mathis from Monona, IA finished in 6:36:25
10. Mary Manning from Hovland, MN finished in 6:38:21
11. William Sima from Stanchfield, MN finished in 7:11:49

The next big Sled Dog mushing event will be the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon on Sunday, March 2. Of the 11 mushers in the Gunflint Mail Run, eight will be competing in the Beargrease.

Mary Manning, Erin Altemus, and Dave Burge are all signed up for the full race. William Sima, Rita Wehseler, Matt Schmidt, and Jennifer and Blake Freking are on the list for the Beargrease 120. Jennifer and Blake’s daughters, Nicole and Elena will also be competing in the Beargrease 120 this year. Andy Heerschap’s wife Rhonda will be competing in the full race.