NEWRY — Harry Potter and Gimli are at Sunday River Outdoor Center this week helping to train dog-sled teams for a future Iditarod while introducing resort visitors to the sport.

Potter and Gimli — two Alaskan huskies who have run the premier 1,049-mile competition in Alaska more than once — came with four other huskies who’ve also run the race and 12 younger siblings and cousins.

They’re all on loan from an Iditarod-racing kennel — Nature’s Kennel Sled Dog Racing and Adventures in McMillan, Mich. — which has had a long relationship with Boyne Resorts, Sunday River’s Michigan-based owners.

This week at the Nordic ski and snowshoe center in Newry, sled drivers Krister Raasoch and Chase Tingle are offering 20- to 30-minute dog-sled rides on a 3-mile loop trail using 8-dog teams to help build muscles in the dogs for endurance.

Some of the younger dogs will be competing in future Iditarods, Raasoch, 29, of Sullivan, N.H., said.

“They’re building up some good muscle pulling families around the trails and up the hills,” he said.

The debut rides, which began on Jan. 20 after snow finally arrived, cost $75 for two people.

They’re a big hit with children and adults, center manager Carol Bourque of Gilead said on Tuesday morning.

“Absolutely fantastic,” she said of reactions.

“They love the mushers and the dogs. The dogs are so friendly and lovable, too. They’re just a magnet for kids. There’s not a daddy that can say no to the kids. It’s been a really positive experience.”

From Monday, Feb. 28, through Friday, March 11, Raasoch, Tingle and the dogs won’t be at the center, Bourque said.

Raasoch and 12 dogs will be competing in the 250-mile-long 19th annual Irving Woodlands Can-Am 250 sled dog race, which leaves Fort Kent on Saturday, March 5.

“In the Can Am, we’re not running to win it, because we have a lot of young dogs here and this is their first race,” Raasoch said.

“So we’ll see how they do and next year, when they’re more mature, more experienced, they’ll get to try out for the competitive racing team and hopefully get to go to Alaska and run an Iditarod.”

While not offering tours, both men take the dogs on 20- to 100-mile training runs starting from Grafton Notch State Park, just to get them in shape for the Can Am.

“What we train these dogs for is distance,” Tingle, 27, of Hanover, N.H., said. “It’s more about keeping them mentally focused.”

He said the Alaskan husky breed is built for long-distance running.

“They just want to go, go, go, and it’s a dog that can easily run 50 to 100 miles a day, no problem,” he said.

“As long as they’re well taken care of, they can go, go, go. It’s actually the best long-distance running animal on the planet, the Alaskan husky. Nothing can compare.”

“The amazing thing is they can run like 100 miles a day, wake up the next day and be 100 percent ready to go again,” Tingle said.

“If I go out and run a 26-mile marathon, I’m not going to get up and run another 26-mile marathon. I’ll probably be hurting.”

The dogs and drivers will return to the Newry center on Saturday, March 12, to provide dog-sled tours until the snow is gone.

“This is like a little ride for families,” Tingle said.

“This trail is great. It’s got everything you need. It’s got hills and turns and good views and all that. It’s a good intro to what dog-sledding’s all about.”

“It’s exciting enough for the kids, but not too crazy for the grandparents,” Raasoch said. “Everybody’s loved it so far.”

Mike Trupiano of Rockport, Mass., who took the tour Tuesday afternoon with his two sons, Mike, 7, and Jack, 2, agreed.

“Thank you very much, that was fun!” he said, helping the children out of the sled.

“We had a little rollover, but that was alright. My 7-year-old thought it was fun actually. He said, ‘Yeah! That was awesome!””

He recommended the ride to anyone interested in trying something different. He and his wife brought their children up for the week to ski.

“It’s good to get into the woods,” Trupiano said.

“We wanted to do something different and I think this was it. Now, we want to do it every year. The kids loved it.”

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

As of Tuesday, there was one opening at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15; 9 openings for Friday, Feb. 16; and 11 openings each on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 26 and 27.

From Monday, Feb. 28 through Friday, March 11, the tours are not available, because 12 of the 18 Alaskan huskies and one of the two sled drivers are competing in the 250-mile Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race, which leaves Fort Kent on Saturday, March 5.

The tours will resume on Saturday, March 12 and continue until the snow is gone.

To reserve a tour, which costs $75 for two people, call 824-5700 or 800-543-2754. Center manager Carol Bourque advised people to call early, because the debut tours fill up quickly.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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