The Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Association this week unveiled the artwork for the 2012 Sled Dog Mail Run.
The original drawing by Denise Linley of Hudson’s Hope, British Columbia will appear on the unique Mail Run envelopes that are carried by dog teams over the Gold Rush Trail from Quesnel to Wells/Barkerville on the weekend of Jan. 20 – 22, 2012.
This is the 20th anniversary of this event which in 2012 will also incorporate a 150 mile Stage Race.
The artwork depicts a smiling young musher making her way over the trail with a team of six eager sled dogs.
If you look closely you can see the Canada Post mail pouch poking out of her sled bag.
Carrying the mail is an honour, mushers are sworn in as official mail carriers and they take the task seriously.
Each envelope is hand cancelled with special Quesnel, Wells and Barkerville postmarks and is stamped “Carried by Dog Sled” before being packaged for transport by one of the mail carriers.
Once the envelopes re-enter the regular mail system in Barkerville, experience has shown they will end up in more than 20 different countries.
The mail Run website www.dogsledmailrun.ca features the original envelope artwork from the past 20 years. Also on the website are instructions for purchasing envelopes for inclusion in the Mail Run. For more information contact barb@dogsledmailrun.ca