By Jennifer Martin
Special to The SUN
Come join the Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club and Pagosa Nordic Club (PNC) for the eighth annual Pagosa Paw on Jan. 19 and 20. This is a must-see spectator event.
Races start at 8:30 a.m. both days, so show up early for the excitement as sled dog teams gear up for their start times.
This winter dog sports event includes spectacular dog sled racing as well as Nordic skiing. Races include a six-dog, 6-mile sled race; four-dog, 4-mile sled race; 4- and 6-mile skijor race (dog pulls you on skis); and a junior sled division. There is also a sportsman class offering a 4-mile and a 1-mile course for those who just want to try it out.
Cash prizes are awarded for competitive entries (based on a combined score for racing both days) and medals for sportsman participants.
To register as a racer, visit www.rmsdc.org or call Jennifer Martin at 264-9358.The Pagosa Paw Sled Dog Race will take place at Cloman Park in Pagosa Springs. To get there, drive 1.3 miles up Piedra Road and turn right on Cloman Boulevard (Stevens Field Airport). Continue 1.4 miles until the road dead-ends in the Cloman Park parking lot. Please note for safety reasons, Cloman Park will be closed to the general public until the conclusion of the event around noon both Saturday and Sunday.
The Pagosa Paw is presented by the PNC. The PNC is a nonprofit with the mission to enhance winter recreational opportunities in Pagosa Springs by maintaining accessible groomed winter trails for skate skiing, classic cross-country skiing and snowshoeing for all ability levels and to encourage and promote the use of these winter trails through education, marketing and events.
This will most likely be the last year of this special event, so we hope you can participate. See you at the races.
