Root Beer Classic returns to North Fork

The Root Beer Classic sled dog race is slated to return to Polebridge after a seven-year long hiatus.

The race will run on March 7-8 and the winner gets — you guessed it — root beer. The race has a long history, organizer Pam Beckstrom said. Her husband Jack first created the race in 1983 as the Glacier View Sled Dog Race, and it was 130 miles long. But it was shortened over the years. The longest run now is 18 miles from Polebridge up Hay Creek, with even shorter races in between.

“It’s an end-of-year season fling,” Beckstrom said.

This year’s event will feature two-, four-, six- and 12-dog sled teams as well as skijoring.

Pam said the race faded away in 2008 for a couple of reasons — a lack of snow the following year and changes in ownership at the Polebridge Mercantile and the North Fork Hostel, which made hosting the race a challenge.

But this year, Mercantile owner Will Hammerquist showed an interest in returning the race and approached the Beckstroms about bringing it back. They in turn agreed to organize the event.

The Mercantile, North Fork Hostel and Northern Lights Saloon will be open during the race. Competitors can register online at http://polebridgemerc.com/root-beer-classic-dog-sled-race/ or by e-mailing adanac@adanacsleds.com.