CopperDog 120 Race
The CopperDog 120 is a premier mid-distance sled dog race that spans 121.3 miles over three stages, challenging teams across the rugged and scenic trails of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Beginning with a Friday night start in Calumet, the race travels to Eagle Harbor, continues Saturday morning to Copper Harbor, and concludes Sunday in Laurium, testing endurance, strategy, and teamwork along the way. Designed as a 10-dog race with the flexibility to start with seven to ten dogs, the CopperDog 120 combines competitive racing, community spirit, and classic Copper Country terrain into one unforgettable weekend.
2026 CopperDog 120 – Who’s Registered?
10-DOG RACE BUT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IF YOU SHOW UP WITH NINE, EIGHT, OR SEVEN DOGS. IF YOU HAVE EIGHT TO 10 DOGS, THERE IS A POOL.
10-DOG MAX AT EACH START
7-DOG MIN AT EACH START
5-DOG MIN AT EACH FINISH
ALL HARNESSED, HOOKED, AND ON THE GROUND
- Race Length: 121.3 miles* long
- Stage 1: 30.8 miles
- Stage 2: 46.5 miles
- Stage 3: 44.0 miles
- Stages: three (3)
- Stage 1 Start: Friday night February 27th in Calumet, MI 7pm ET
- Stage 1 End: Eagle Harbor, MI
- Stage 2 Start: Saturday morning February 28th in Eagle Harbor, MI 8am ET
- Stage 2 End: Copper Harbor, MI
- Stage 3 Start: Sunday morning March 1st in Copper Harbor, MI 9am ET
- Stage 3 End: Laurium, MI
- Purse: $24,390
- Pays: 1st – 12th
*The CopperDog race planning team reserves the right to vary the actual length of the race by +/- 10%
This is the official CopperDog schedule that you can print or download.
More Details About CopperDog 120
The CopperDog 120 is a premier mid-distance sled dog race that showcases the endurance, teamwork, and grit that define mushing in Michigan’s Copper Country. Spanning over 121 miles across three stages, the race takes teams from the historic streets of Calumet, through the rugged beauty of the Keweenaw Peninsula, and finishes in Laurium after a challenging and scenic journey north and back south.
Designed as a 10-dog race, the CopperDog 120 offers flexibility for mushers, allowing teams to start with seven to ten dogs, with strategic decisions playing a key role throughout the weekend. Teams must meet minimum dog requirements at each start and finish, ensuring safety and fairness while still testing a musher’s ability to manage their team over multiple days and conditions.
The race begins Friday night under the lights in Calumet, pushing teams 30.8 miles to Eagle Harbor. Saturday morning, mushers take on the longest stage—46.5 miles—from Eagle Harbor to Copper Harbor. The final leg on Sunday morning sends teams 44 miles back to Laurium, where the finish line awaits and champions are crowned.
With a $24,390 purse paid out to the top 12 finishers, the CopperDog 120 attracts experienced competitors while remaining rooted in the community spirit that makes CopperDog special. Weather, trail conditions, and strategy all come into play, making every mile earned and every finish meaningful.
Whether you’re racing, volunteering, or cheering from the trail, the CopperDog 120 is a true celebration of sled dog racing, the Keweenaw, and the incredible partnership between mushers and their dogs.
