3
GRAB BAG
AN ASSORTMENT OF
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
JANUARY 13�19, 2022
Eagle Cap Extreme returns to Joseph
By Katy Nesbitt
Go! Magazine
E
NTERPRISE — After a year
hiatus, the Eagle Cap Ex-
treme Sled Dog Races return to
the Wallowa Mountains.
The 200-mile course is one
of the few qualifying courses in
the lower 48 states for the Idi-
tarod and Yukon Quest, attract-
ing mushers from around the
U.S. Three other races provide
fun and adventure for both
experienced mushers and those
new to the sport.
The races run through the
Wallowa Mountains begin-
ning at Ferguson Ridge Ski
Area outside of Joseph. The
100- and 200-mile courses are
along forest roads — up to Salt
Creek Summit along the Canal
Road and down to the Imnaha
River through the ponderosa,
pine and spruce stands of the
Wallowa-Whitman National For-
est. The two-day, 31-mile and
22-mile courses are out and
back, starting and fi nishing at
Ferguson Ridge.
This year marks Morgan
Anderson’s eighth year as a
musher. Anderson, formerly of
Enterprise, started watching the
Eagle Cap Extreme as a grade
school student and soon be-
came a volunteer. With the gift of
her own sled dog, she started a
team and raced in the fi rst junior
races. She now lives in Power,
Montana, and has 26 dogs. She
will pit her skill and endurance
against some of the best mush-
ers in the country when she
enters the 200-mile race.
Wallowa County Chieftain, File
Morgan Anderson and her 12-dog team start the 200-mile race in the 2020 Eagle Cap Extreme sled dog race in Wal-
lowa County. The 2021 race was canceled over COVID-19 pandemic concerns. This year’s event begins Jan. 20, 2022.
Bino Fowler is a well-known
name in the Eagle Cap Extreme
world. Hailing from Bend, Fowler
has been racing for 17 years and
has received the award for best
cared team in both the 100-mile
and 200-mile courses.
Steve Madsen, of Cougar,
Washington, is another longtime
Eagle Cap Extreme veteran,
returning to race the 200-mile
course. Madsen said skijoring
was how he started over-snow
sports with dogs and has been
racing on the back of a sled for
25 years.
The races begin Thursday,
Jan. 20, at noon. Spectators are
invited to leave their cars in the
parking area along Tucker Down
Road and take a shuttle bus to
the race start at Ferguson Ridge
beginning at 9:45 a.m. Get there
early to secure a spot along the
race course’s starting line and
bring your camera to capture
the excitement of the dogs and
mushers as they begin their jour-
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ney into the mountains.
Another great vantage point
is the Salt Creek Summit Sno-
Park, which requires a permit.
The mushers come through this
fi rst checkpoint about 1 p.m., or
an hour after the race’s start.
The second leg of the 31-mile
and 22-mile junior races are
scheduled for noon, Friday, Jan.
21, but race offi cials suggest
checking in with Race Central
as the start times of the second
stages may be adjusted.
The 100-mile racers are
estimated to fi nish Friday morn-
ing at Ferguson Ridge while the
31-mile and 22-mile race stage
fi nishes can be viewed late
Thursday and Friday afternoons.
The 200-mile racers will fi nish
their course at Ferguson Ridge
Saturday, between early morning
and afternoon.
To see the dogs and their
mushers up close and personal,
check out the veterinarian
checks on Wednesday, Jan.
19 — 9 a.m. at Enterprise and
1 p.m. at Joseph. This is an
opportunity to witness the care
the dogs receive and to learn
more about the sport.
The long-held tradition of the
pre-race potluck will not be held
due to COVID-19 precautions;
however, the bib draw will be
livestreamed Wednesday, Jan.
19, on Facebook at “Eagle Cap
Extreme.”
The awards banquet is also
suspended due to COVID-19
concerns, but the ceremony will
be livestreamed from Wallowa
County Fairgrounds’ Cloverleaf
Hall on Saturday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m.
For up-to-date race informa-
tion visit www.eaglecapextreme.
com.