Here's the contents of the first email sent to race participants on 9/30/26.
THIS Saturday, October 3th is the 17th Annual Race to the Dome.
If you are getting this email, you registered for the race.
THANK YOU so much for signing up – we’re looking forward to seeing you on the water. This race is special - a great group of skilled competitors mixed with people just out to test themselves against the Missouri River. For many folks it's the last race of the season and a great way to see your river friends and make new ones.
Current forecast is for the rain to stop before race day (more about that rain later) and a beautiful fall day. 55° in the morning warming up to 70°. It will feel really chilly and damp in the morning, so wear your layers!
There's a ton of information in this email. Please sit back for a bit and read through. It will also be be published on the Race to the Dome website in the News and Updates feed, which may be easier to read.
Thanks to very generous donations from Rusty Drewing Automotive, Broadway Brewery, Cooper's Landing, GovWatch, Logboat Brewing, St. James Winery, Evora Women's Health, RiverSounds Campground and JC Parks, all of the proceeds from your race entries go to support Missouri River Relief, who has been organizing Missouri River clean-ups and education for 20 years. Check out our work at www.riverrelief.org.
The following weekend, Saturday, October 10, Missouri River Relief will be celebrating our 25th Anniversary working on the Missouri River. Everyone is invited! From 2-6pm at Cooper's Landing. Find out more here.
Please take a moment to fill out our online risk release waiver. Just takes a few minutes and it will save us time at Registration on Race Day - bit.ly/2026dome-waiver
The email included your Racer Information. Check that email and email steve@riverrelief.org if any changes need to be made.
Also, check the roster online to make sure everything looks correct. There is a separate roster for Hartsburg and Providence, and they are searchable.
There is currently a lot of rain falling upstream in the Missouri River basin, headed our way. And more to come. The remnants of Hurricane Polo are beginning to enter the Great Plains and in some places upstream, up to 5 inches are expected, especially during the day on Thursday.
This will cause the river to rise and we'll be watching closely over the next couple of days to see the impact to our Race Course. A rising river means a potential for substantial debris and driftwood, which can impact the safety of the river. At this point...we'll just be watching and waiting and we'll keep you posted.
The river forecast released Wednesday morning shows the river rising several feet during the race (from 12-15 feet on the Jefferson City gage). But this forecast doesn't include rain falling for most of Thursday, so the forecast is likely to change and may be higher. Here's where you can see the Jefferson City forecast (which is generally updated by 10 am each day). You need to view this interactive graph in landscape mode on a phone. This link will show you a static view.
We cannot run the race if it is above flood stage, and right now there's no reason to suspect that it will rise that far by race time. But we do have to consider all the river conditions. Check for an update Thursday night and Friday mid-day.
Morning fog is a possibility. If heavy fog is present, race starts will be delayed in 15 min increments until clear.
Rain is not expected but being prepared with a rain jacket or poncho in your boat is always a good idea.
Water temps are around 71 degrees, which can get cold if you do end up submerged. Having a dry bag with extra clothes is advised.
We'll have a great turnout for this race. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time before the Safety Meeting to get yourself ready to launch.
Plan to arrive at your race course start: Hartsburg or Providence by 7:30am to check-in. Earlier is even better! Please carpool as parking at the ramps is limited. If you have someone who can drop you, your boat, and gear off and then head to the finish line at Noren, that’s the best scenario. The roads to the ramps are often narrow, especially to the Providence boat ramp. PLEASE DRIVE SLOW and honk as you round corners.
For the Hartsburg Race, there are still a bunch of shuttle spots available.
It's only $5 per person!
That link includes how the shuttle works, but basically you drop your boat at Hartsburg, then drive to the finish line at Noren Access, then hop on the shuttle bus back to Hartsburg. That way your vehicle is waiting for you at the finish!
There is no shuttle available for the Providence Race.
Again, please arrive at the race start at 7:30 or earlier.
There will be a Check-In table where we will check your registration, make sure we have your waiver (fill it out online if you haven't yet), give you two boat numbers stickers (for each boat), give you a race sticker, safety card and your race tshirt.
Boat Number - For this race we assign boat numbers. At Race Check-In, each boat will be given their assigned boat number consisting of 2 stickers to place on the left and right side of the front/bow of the boat, make sure the number is above the water line and easily visible for safety boats and the finish line timekeepers. These stickers are designed to be easily removed.
Bill is showing us how it's done.
Each race start will hold a safety talk at 8:15am at the ramps. Following the meeting, the first heat will have about 30 mins to get in the water. If you are in the first heat, line up your boats on the side of the ramp before the meeting or as close to the ramp as possible so you can get in the water quickly.
Be mindful that recreational boat traffic may be using the ramp to launch boats so don’t block the ramps entirely.
The second heats, line up after the first heats are in the water. Once the first heat starts, get in the water. We'll announce your start time at the safety meeting.
We will outline the heats after registration closes. I will share the heat schedule with you all on Thursday evening.
Check the roster to see who’s in your division!
Be sure you are in the water for your heat, don’t get in at an earlier or later heat!
At Hartsburg, the bank will be crowded. Boats that are able can go upstream of the ramp to wait for the start.
At Providence, boats will line up in Perche Creek above the ramp.
Be ready by 8:15am to get in the water if you are in the first heat directly after the safety meeting.
The Location page on our website has directions to everything, including Google Maps Links.
You can also download a PDF of those directions here.
This document provides directions to each ramp and from each ramp to the finish line. Note for Hartsburg- these directions take you through Ashland and Wilton to avoid driving through Hartsburg which can be more confusing. But you should stop by charming Hartsburg when you get a chance later. This weekend they're getting ready for their biggest weekend of the year, the Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival which is next weekend.
The race finishes at Noren Access-Wilson’s Serenity Point on river left just before the Jefferson City Bridge. If the river is low enough, the finish line will be the beach immediately downstream of the boat ramp. If the river is too high for that to work, we'll utilize the boat ramp for the finish. This is the most likely scenario. We'll need to keep things clear for recreational boat usage, so please help each other move your boats off the ramp as soon as possible.
The official finish is when your bow touches the shore at the finish line.
NOTE - There is a wing dike on the upstream edge of the boat ramp that stretches into the river. There is often a pretty wicked eddy right off the end of that dike and people that cut it too close often tip over, which is a drag. Swing wide around the dike then cut into the eddy downstream of the dike, paddling back up to the Finish Line.
Parking will likely be cramped at the finish line. Because of the anticipated rain Thursday and Friday, it's likely going to be too wet to park in the grass next to the lot like we usually do. Which means that we'll need to be parking many vehicles along the road on the way into Noren Access/Wilson Serenity Point.
At the race finish, we need to keep the driveway and boat ramp/trailer pull-out open for recreational boaters and emergency crews – NO PARKING IN BOAT TRAILER PULL-OUT. Please single park vehicles to the side only while loading gear and then move your vehicle to the lot to make room for others. If you can carry your gear to the lot for loading it's even better.
First through third-place finishers will receive a medal for each racer. And each medal winner will receive a bottle of St. James wine!
We'll have two awards ceremonies...one for Hartsburg and one for Providence. We'll do the Hartsburg ceremony as soon as we most medal winners accounted for and get our paperwork in order.
All paddlers receive a t-shirt, sticker, and lunch.
Lunch will be provided at the finish line. Broadway Brewery is cooking up some awesome vegetarian chili for us! Beer, cider and seltzer for racers is provided by Logboat Brewing Company and 4 Hands Brewing. and Rusty Drewing. We will have some sodas and sparkling waters available as well.
"Naked Dave" Bandy will join us to play some of his classic river songs as well!
Put these phone numbers in your phone for cases of questions or emergency:
Steve Schnarr - Race Director - Finish Line – 573-289-2077
Safety Dispatch Phone - 314-698-6069
Racers must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved lifejacket at all times while on the water. The lifejacket must have a whistle attached. Racers must also have a phone on board for cases of emergency. Alcohol is not permitted in this race. Be sure you are aware of all race rules.
Paddling the Missouri River is usually easier and safer than most people think. But there are still serious hazards to consider. On the Big Muddy, a few mistakes can turn a peaceful float into a very wet and dangerous situation. It’s a wide river and the current is deceptively swift and strong.
Each racer is responsible for looking over the safety guidelines. They are copied below, but you can use this link to read them as well.
If you should capsize on the river – RELAX and float first and grab ahold of your boat. Let your PFD float you as you regain calm. Do not attempt to swim upstream or against the current. Attempting to fight the current will only kick in your panic reflex, not to mention it is impossible. Once you get an idea of where the current is going, you can attempt to hold onto your boat, grab your paddle and move slowly to shore following the current. As soon as you are in a safe situation, call one of the numbers above and a support boat will come pick you up as soon as they can get to you.
We are all each other’s safety boats. If you see a fellow paddler in trouble, please offer assistance if possible and call one of the numbers above to advise on location.
When encountering marine traffic such as a barge, exit the navigational channel (that’s where the barges will be and where the waves will be strongest) and point your bow into the wake it leaves behind. Barges have the right of way. Exit to the inside of bends as barges will be using the outside of the bends. Barges have almost no ability to turn; it’s your job to get out of their way. The worst place to be is between a barge and a riprap shore where the waves can push you against the rocks. See this video for an idea of what this looks like.
There will be a sand dredge in operation around mile 165 (about 5 miles downstream of Cooper's Landing. Capital Sand is planning on having two towboats with a sand barge operating between that dredge and their sand plant just downstream of the Finish Line. So it's likely that you will encounter at least one of those.
The dredge is anchored to cables that stretch out on either side. Give dredges and other tied up barges plenty of space and do not approach them from the upstream end. Do not try to pass between an anchored boat and the bank, stay in the channel and pass on the outside of the bend.
The towboat/barges will be dropping off empty flats at the dredge and picking up full ones to take back down to Jefferson City. Give them plenty of space...it can be tricky to see where they are planning to go.
We reach out to marine traffic to find out the latest info on barge placement before the race and will pass that on to racers.
Make sure you’re visible to local recreational boats. Turning sideways to the current makes a bigger display. Point your bow into the wake the boat leaves behind. Wave a paddle above your head if you don’t think you’re visible.
These are the rock structures that jut out into the current. Depending on the river level we see on Saturday, they may or may not be fully or partially out of the water. They may be completely submerged or just under the surface. There are some “trailing dikes” parallel to shore on the channel side where you don’t expect them. We recommend you avoid wing dikes as the water around and just downstream of wing dikes tends to have swirling currents that will slow you down and may tip an unstable boat. A rule of thumb is to stay in the middle of the river and toward the outside of the bends and the dikes shouldn’t give you trouble. Never approach any obstruction from upstream as the current can trap you against it.
Navigation buoys are large metal red or green floats anchored to the river bottom. Give navigation buoys plenty of room. They are known to bounce around and a few are floating just at river level and may pop up and down. They are giant 7ft steel tubes attached with chain to their anchor so they can and will move side to side. Give them plenty of room, do not pass close to them, be aware there is a chain attached to them so don't attempt to cut close to a buoy.
You may encounter the infamous “Flying Carp”, an invasive species that has invaded our big rivers. They tend to be in backwater, such as Perche Creek, in the few feet next to the bank, or behind wing dikes, including where the current of the main channel pushes against the wing dike eddy. You probably won’t see them jumping in the main channel unless you are fairly close to the bank. They can jump as high as 8 feet. Protect your face and head if you can. They can weigh 50 pounds or more.
The current is deceptively strong on the Missouri. It can catch you off-guard and make a tippy canoe into a tipped-over canoe pretty quickly. Keep your center of gravity low and weight balanced evenly across the canoe. If you need to land on shore, approach your landing from downstream, paddling upstream to your landing spot.
One of the keys to your success in finishing this race will be finding the swiftest water. The Missouri River we have today was created by the Army Corps of Engineers by channelizing the much wider, more unpredictable historic Missouri River. Because of that engineering and the navigation markers maintained by the US Coast Guard, the channel is fairly easy to predict.
It can help some paddlers to think of the Missouri River as a five-lane highway, where you want to stay in either lanes 2-3 or 3-4 depending how the river bends. Here’s a video by Chris Luedke, designed for MR340 paddlers, that might help you visualize this.
If your canoe is perpendicular to the current and you get caught by a strong crosswind, the canoe will tip easier.Headwinds can be exhausting and you may want to consider where on the river you can escape the wind as you move downstream. Of course every time you go around another bend it all changes.
There is a chance there will be fog at the start of the race. If there is substantial fog, we will delay the start of the race in 15 minute increments until it clears. If you should encounter a thick fog bank during the race, it is recommended that you pull over and wait for it to clear. Fog is extremely disorienting, and there is nothing to say there won’t be a motor boat or barge headed upstream at you in the fog.
I look forward to seeing you Saturday! If you have any questions, please email me at: steve@riverrelief.org
Your Race Director,
Steve Schnarr
573-289-2077
steve@riverrelief.org
This event is an important fundraiser for Missouri River Relief. It would not be possible without our very generous sponsors.
