WASILLA -- The Knik 200 sled dog race will continue Jan. 2 and 3 despite the death Monday of longtime race organizer Bruce Braden.

Braden, 54, died in a house fire Monday morning. His wife, Katharine "Kit" Braden, 60, is being treated for smoke inhalation at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, according to friends of the couple. Their home, a two-story house with great views, was destroyed. State Troopers said a cause of the fire is still being investigated, although they do not suspect foul play at this time.

Harry Caldwell, Knik 200 race marshal, said the five-member Knik 200 board of directors voted unanimously Monday night to continue with the race. They also voted to pool the money typically distributed to winning mushers and donate it to Kit Braden, to help her rebuild her life.

"We'll probably do some in-kind gifts for the mushers," Caldwell said.

He said organizers hope enough mushers enter the race to make a sizable donation. In past years, the race has generated $8,000 to $14,000, with the biggest amount coming a few years ago when 58 mushers competed.

"We've had some races where they raced for a bag of dog food and the money was donated to a cause. But some mushers are professionals. If they don't have a guaranteed $10,000 purse, they don't show up," Caldwell said.

Mushers are also known for their willingness to pitch in and help other mushers in need, he said. Caldwell has already seen that, from the 15 or so e-mails he had received by Monday night from mushers willing to care for or take in the Bradens' dogs while Kit Braden recovers. He speculated that as word spread of the tragedy on Tuesday, his e-mail inbox would be flooded with more offers to help.

People who help out during the race are also pitching in a little extra this year, he said. Pilot Michael Koskovich and his wife, Jayne, for several years have donated their time and plane to carry straw to Skwentna and pick up dropped race dogs on the return flight in exchange for the cost of fuel. This year, Caldwell said, Koskovich is also paying for his fuel.

The Knik 200 is a popular Iditarod qualifying race for rookies and one experienced mushers like because it gives an early glimpse of trail conditions along the Iditarod Trail, which it follows for several miles. Caldwell said the race has been happening since the 1960s.

The race is held the first weekend in January. Mushers depart from Knik Lake and follow the Iditarod Trail to Flat- horn Lake, then turn onto the Susitna River for a few miles and head up the Yentna River to Skwentna, a one-way trip of 100 miles.

After a mandatory six-hour layover at the Skwentna Roadhouse, they follow the same route back.

Knik 200 trail master Lou Schrader said trail conditions this year are ideal for the race -- the best he's seen in the last nine years, he said.

"It would be a shame not to have this race go on," Schrader said.

Even with superb trail conditions, Schrader and Caldwell said putting the race on this year will require extra work. The Bradens did a good job of delegating tasks to other race volunteers, Caldwell said, but all the race records and memorabilia such as photos taken during each year's race were destroyed in the fire.

Also gone are some 500 trail markers with reflectors, Schrader said.

Schrader said race organizers hope local businesses will donate markers before the race, but they might not have reflectors attached by race time.

Mushers have until Jan. 1 to sign up for the race. For more information, contact Schrader at 373-5122 or Caldwell at 232-1653.

Find Rindi White online at adn.com/contact/rwhite or call 352-6709.

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