Sugar Bowl To Host First Tahoe Dog Sled Race In 16-Years. The Jack London Commemorative Sierra Sled Dog Derby will be held on the 3,000-acre property of the Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort on March 2-3, 2013. The race will go from Soda Springs to the Village at Sugar Bowl Resort and back again.
Truckee was home to the first sled dog race in the “lower 48” in 1915. The races remained popular until 1997 when they ended due to lack of consistent snow cover. This season the races are back thanks to Sugar Bowl and their new operating agreement with Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort.
Sugar Bowl Resort recently inked a deal making it the operator of the Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort, America’s largest cross-country operation. Sugar Bowl plans to invest $500,000 into Royal Gorge this season, including upgrades and renovations to Summit Station, the purchase of two new grooming machines, enhanced way-finding signage and a new website with comprehensive daily grooming report. Sugar Bowl and Royal Gorge are already connected by an “interconnect trail” that allows skiers to ski back and forth between the Donner Summit resorts.
Race proceeds will benefit local animal welfare organizations. Volunteers and nonprofit service organizations interested in participating in the race should contact Preston Springston, pspringston@hughes.net.
