Iditarod Update #4 - In Iditarod

Lance Mackey won $3,000 in gold by winning the GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award for being the first musher to the historic ghost town of Iditarod. Joining him are Sonny Lindner and Jeff King. While those three appear to be taking their mandatory 24-hour rest, Martin Buser has joined them. With his 24 out of the way, any distance he puts between them will be the actual race lead.

Aaron Burmeister is 10 miles out of Iditarod, and should also be passing the others on their mandatory stay.

The back of the pack is primarily in McGrath taking their 24, with Newton Marshall resting in Nikolai.

Reports of high winds limiting visibility, with the prospect for high temps and rain, are the cause of concern for many of the teams.

Unofficial Standings as of 4:30pm ET:

In Iditarod

1.     Lance Mackey (5)

2.     Sonny Lindner (67)

3.     Jeff King (18)

4.     Martin Buser (2)

On the trail to Iditarod

5.     Aaron Burmeister (24)

6.     Jason Mackey (12)

7.     Mitch Seavey (36)

8.     Jim Lanier (59)

9.     Aliy Zirkle (27)

10. Peter Kaiser (10)

11. Jake Berkowitz (44)

12. Joar Leifseth Ulsom (32) {R}

13. Ken Anderson (6)

14. Nicolas Petit (16)

15. Paul Gebhardt (11)

16. Jessie Royer (30)

17. Ray Redington Jr (52)

18. DeeDee Jonrowe (28)

19. Dallas Seavey (19)

20. Michelle Phillips (7)

21. Cim Smyth (51)

22. Matt Failor (61)

23. John Baker (13)

24. Brent Sass (62)

25. Gerry Willomitzer (21)

26. Ramey Smyth (38)

27. Kelly Maixner (25)

28. Kelley Griffin (9)

29. Justin Savidis (34)

30. Robert Bundtzen (23)

31. Michael Williams, Jr. (46)

32. Josh Cadzow (55) {R}

33. Jessica Hendricks (54)

34. Allen Moore (48)

35. Aaron Peck (58)

In Ophir

36. Jodi Bailey (4)

On the trail to Ophir

37. Mike Williams, Sr. (35)

38. Wade Marrs (57)

39. Curt Perano (45)

40. Mike Ellis (50) {R}

41. Paige Drobny (14) {R}

42. Linwood Fiedler (42)

43. Karin Hendrickson (29)

In Takotna

44. Kristy Berington (20)

45. Anna Berington (31)

46. Richie Diehl (65) {R}

47. Cindy Gallea (17)

48. Louie Ambrose (53) {R}

On the trail to Takotna

49. Mikhail Telpin (63) {R}

50. Travis Beals (22) {R}

51. Gerald Sousa (49)

52. Matt Giblin (64)

In McGrath

53. Rudy Demoski, Sr. (39)

54. Charley Bejna (15) {R}

55. Luan Ramos Marques (47) {R}

56. Angie Taggart (40)

57. Michael Suprenant (33)

58. Jan Steves (26)

59. Bob Chlupach (43)

60. David Sawatzky (56)

61. James Volek (66) {R}      

62. Christine Roalofs (37) {R}

63. Cindy Abbott (60) {R}

In Nikolai

64. Newton Marshall (8)

SCRATCHED

Ed Stielstra (41)

Scott Janssen (3)

Yukon Quest Update #15

Changes

5:30am CT (6:30ET) Everything has changed. It’s hard to write this. Hugh and Dan were both battered by winds on Eagle summit. They had both attempted to cross, but turned back. Hugh has had a dog die. They eventually accepted a ride in a truck to the next checkpoint. They will both have to scratch.

Ken Anderson has taken the lead out of Mile 101. Dallas was out 2^nd. Sebstian was the first in, 3^rd out. Allen and Kelley are also on the trail out of 101.

Jodi was first into Central by an hour before Dave. Mike was 3 hours later.

Tamara, Jerry, Johannes and Kyla have arrived in Slavin’s, with Hank still coming.

Complete Standings

1. Ken Anderson (18)
2. Dallas Seavey (3)
3. Sebastian Schnuelle (11)
4. Brent Sass (22)
5. Allen Moore (24)
6. Kelley Griffin (1)

In Central

7. Jodi Bailey (17)
8. David Dalton (23)

In Slavin’s

9. Tamara Rose (12)
10. Jerry Joinson (21)
11. Johannes Rygh (6)
12. Kyla Durham (14)

On the trail

13. Hank DeBruin (19)

Scratched

Denis Tremblay (2)

Allen Dennis (20)

Michelle Phillips (4)

Wade Marrs (15)

Clint Warnke (25)

Didier Moggia (7)

Joshua Cadzow (16)

Hans Gatt (13)

Hugh Neff (8)

Dan Kaduce (10)

Withdrawn

Christine Roalofs (9)

Yukon Quest Update #14

What a Race!

What a day on the trail! First, the Yukon Quest - Official Site reported on an area of severe overflow about 20 miles from Central. Hans Gatt was struggling in waist-deep water, trying to get his dogs and sled out, when Sebastian came upon him. Seb helped Hans get his sled out of the water, then get to some shelter and dry off. Eventually, both mushers made it to Central, where Hans eventually scratched, due to severe frostbite. Dallas came in so covered in ice, he couldn’t get his boots off.

Hugh seems to have been struggling up Eagle summit – we won’t know for sure until his tracker updates or he makes it in to the Mile 101 checkpoint.

Dan Kaduce is the next musher out of Central, having great runs put him into this position. Sebastian will likely be close behind. If there’s trouble on the mountain, this thing is FAR from being decided!

Complete Standings

1. Hugh Neff (8)
2. Dan Kaduce (10)

In Central

3. Sebastian Schnuelle (11)
4. Dallas Seavey (3)
5. Ken Anderson (18)
6. Brent Sass (22)

On the trail to Central

7. Allen Moore (24)
8. Kelley Griffin (1)

On the Way to Circle

9. Jodi Bailey (17)
10. David Dalton (23)
11. Mike Ellis (5)

Out of Eagle

12. Kyla Durham (14)
13. Tamara Rose (12)
14. Jerry Joinson (21)
15. Johannes Rygh (6)
16. Hank DeBruin (19)

Scratched

Denis Tremblay (2)

Allen Dennis (20)

Michelle Phillips (4)

Wade Marrs (15)

Clint Warnke (25)

Didier Moggia (7)

Joshua Cadzow (16)

Hans Gatt (13)

Withdrawn

Christine Roalofs (9)

Yukon Quest Update #13

Monday Morning Cold

As of 6:30am ET, Hugh was in Central. He arrived last night, covered in ice from encountering severe overflow. Temps reported at minus 50!

Sebastian is about 15 miles behind, followed by Dan, Dallas, Hans and Ken.

Further back is Brent, followed by Allen.

Kelley has left Circle City and Josh is getting ready.

After a long rest at Trout Creek, Jodi, David and Mike will most likely pass through Slavin’s Roadhouse.

Kyla, Tamara and Jerry have left Eagle, where Johannes, Didier and Hank are resting.

Complete Standings

1. Hugh Neff (8)
2. Sebastian Schnuelle (11)
3. Dan Kaduce (10)
4. Dallas Seavey (3)
5. Hans Gatt (13)
6. Ken Anderson (18)
7. Allen Moore (24)
8. Brent Sass (22)
9. Kelley Griffin (1)
10. Joshua Cadzow (16)

On the Way to Circle

11. Jodi Bailey (17)
12. David Dalton (23)
13. Mike Ellis (5)

Out of Eagle

14. Kyla Durham (14)
15. Tamara Rose (12)
16. Jerry Joinson (21)

In Eagle

17. Johannes Rygh (6)
18. Didier Moggia (7)
19. Hank DeBruin (19)

Scratched

Denis Tremblay (2)

Allen Dennis (20)

Michelle Phillips (4)

Wade Marrs (15)

Clint Warnke (25)

Withdrawn

Christine Roalofs (9)

Yukon Quest Update #10

Friday Night Highlights

Hugh is stopped partway to Slavin’s Roadhouse. In Eagle, the next 6 mushers rest, who will make a break first?
Dan is approaching the American Summit, followed by Kelley and Josh.
Jodi, Mike and Davie are camped outside the 40 Mile checkpoint, with Johannes Rygh on the way.
Clint Warnke left Dawson but returned, is waiting to decide whether or not to leave with the next group – Tamara Rose, Jerry Joinson, Didier Moggia, Kyla Durham and Hank DeBruin.
After Wade Marrs traveled up the Yukon to 40 Mile, he decided to not take the chance to get into trouble on the summit with the growing storm, turned his team around and drove them back to Dawson, where he scratched.
Christine Roalofs was driven to Dawson by her handler and was withdrawn.

Complete Standings

1. Hugh Neff (8)
On the trail to Eagle
2. Brent Sass (22)
3. Hans Gatt (13)
4. Ken Anderson (18)
5. Sebastian Schnuelle (11)
6. Allen Moore (24)
7. Dallas Seavey (3)
Climbing American Summit
8. Dan Kaduce (10)
9. Kelley Griffin (1)
10. Joshua Cadzow (16)
40 Mile
11. Jodi Bailey (17)
12. Mike Ellis (5)
13. David Dalton (23)
Out of Dawson City
14. Johannes Rygh (6)
In Dawson City
15. Clint Warnke (25)
16. Tamara Rose (12)
17. Jerry Joinson (21)
18. Didier Moggia (7)
19. Kyla Durham (14)
20. Hank DeBruin (19)

Scratched
Denis Tremblay (2)
Allen Dennis (20)
Michelle Phillips (4)
Wade Marrs (15)

Withdrawn
Christine Roalofs (9)

Yukon Quest Update #9

Huge Lead for Hugh!

Hugh Neff arrived at Eagle for his mandatory 4 hour stop. According to the Yukon Quest - Official Site , he said the wind coming over the American Summit was "wicked." Hans Gatt is stopped about 20 miles out, below the summit - he had been moving slowly through the storm. The group off the Yukon River and heading up towards the American Summit are all facing snow and wind, and traveling fairly slowly. It's possible that Hugh will really open up a lead, if the storm holds up the rest of the field.
The Rookie of the Year battle shows Dallas Seavey and Allen Moore nearly neck-and-neck. Reports are that Wade Marrs is heading back to Dawson. Jodi Bailey is on the Yukon, traveling with Mike Ellis and Dave Dalton. Jodi lost about 3 hours, when she got turned around on the trail and ended up back in Dawson. Her husband Dan Kaduce is off the river, with Kelly Griffin.
Rookie Christine Roalofs is still not into Dawson, she accepted food from the rangers and so will have to scratch.

Standings (as best I can figure)

1. Hugh Neff (8)

On the trail to Eagle

2. Hans Gatt (13)
3. Brent Sass (22)
4. Ken Anderson (18)
5. Sebastian Schnuelle (11)
6. Allen Moore (24)
7. Dallas Seavey (3)
8. Dan Kaduce (10)
9. Kelley Griffin (1)
10. Joshua Cadzow (16)
11. David Dalton (23)
12. Jodi Bailey (17)
13. Mike Ellis (5)

Heading back to Dawson

14. Wade Marrs (15)

In Dawson City

15. Johannes Rygh (6)
16. Clint Warnke (25)
17. Tamara Rose (12)
18. Jerry Joinson (21)
19. Didier Moggia (7)
20. Kyla Durham (14)
21. Hank DeBruin (19)

Struggling to Dawson

22. Christine Roalofs (9)

Scratched

Denis Tremblay (2)

Allen Dennis (20)

Michelle Phillips (4)

These Dogs Have Zip!

Summer doldrums. Yet, there is a feeling in the air, Fall is just around the corner. The daylight is getting shorter and the air is cooler – sometimes. Those sled dogs can sense it and they want to run!
Alice can be trusted to free run around the farm. She doesn’t run off and she comes when she’s called. After she runs for a while, she is ready to be back on her chain again. Nicky is another story. He totally ignores us. He refuses to even return to the part of the yard that we are at. The last time he was free, he went onto the road and into a field. He just cannot be trusted.
So last night I put Nicky on the zip line and let Alice free. Usually whichever one isn’t on the zip line whines the entire time, so I thought this way they’ll both get to run around. But Nicky was jealous and he wanted to free run, too! He ended up pacing and running back and forth along the line, which is actually the intended use. Normally he just sniffs around the trees and bushes and doesn’t exercise. So they both burned off some of that pent-up sled dog energy. I think it was quite the success!
Now, come on cool weather, we want to hook up that quad and hit the trail!

Iditarod Update #43 - Lance Out of Koyuk

Leader on the Move - Rest of the front shut down

Lance is on his way to Elim.
John Baker made it in to Koyuk, to join Sebastian Sebastian Schnuelle.
The rest of the front pack is still shut down and not moving.
Hugh Neff and Jeff King both returned to the Shaktoolik checkpoint several hours in the elements. Hugh has severe frostbite, Jeff had lead dogs who refused to move into the wind.
Mitch Seavey and Aaron Burmeister are still on the edge of the Norton Sound, unable or unwilling to head out on the ice into the wind.

Iditarod Update #41 - Trouble on the Ice?

Sebastian Joins Lance in Koyuk

2nd place musher arrives off the Sound 6 hours behind leader.

John Baker is 10 miles out of Koyuk but stopped moving.

A group hunkered down together off the ice - against the weather?
Jeff King
Aaron Burmeister
Mitch Seavey
Hans Gatt

Hugh Neff appears to be heading back to Shaltoolik, after earlier reports of severe frostbite.

In Shaktoolik
Sonny Lindner
Dallas Seavey
Cim Smyth
Paul Gebhardt
DeeDee Jonrowe
Aliy Zirkle
Jessie Royer

On the trail to Shaktoolik
Ken Anderson
Ramey Smyth

In Unalakleet
Martin Buser
Rick Swenson
Ed Iten

After being holed up from the wind on the Yukon River, there is a large jumble of mushers moving including rookies within an hour of each other
Harry T Alexie
Chad Lindner
Karin Hendrickson

Plus
Melissa Owens
Rachael Scdoris
Tim Osmar
Jen Seavey
Eric Rogers

In Anvik are rookies
Alan Peck
Timothy Hunt

Trying to get to Anvik are rookies
Lou Packer
Blake Matray
Kim Darst

Iditarod Update #28

Getting some rest

With reports of deep, blowing snow on the trail to Iditarod, the front of the field seems to be taking their 24. This is going to get real interesting when they start moving again!

Martin Buser is out front in Ophir. The rest are in Takotna or McGrath.

On their way to McGrath
Eric Rogers
Rachael Scdoris
Tim Osmar
Tom Thurston
Laura Daugereau
Aaron Peck (Already took his 24)
Michael Suprenant

In Nikolai
Bill Cotter
David Sawatzky
Heather Siirtola
Trent Herbst
Jen Seavey

Out of Rohn, heading to Nikolai
Kurt Reich
Timothy Hunt
Lou Packer
Alan Peck
Kim Darst
Blake Matray
Rob Loveman

Iditarod Update #15

With Melissa Owens' recent departure, the top 19 are out of Rohn. The trailbreaker has successfully cleared the trail to McGrath. Heavy snow is making for a slow trail, and as more dogs go over the route, the more the snow tends to get churned up and turned to a powder, which slows down the teams.
Recent snow on the interior will make the trail from Ophir to Iditarod easier going than usual. Traditionally, that section of the trail, unused except for alternate years as the race trail, has been a challenge of grassy tussocks. The trailbreaker expects to have his work cut out for him on this stretch, turning all the deep snow into a nice doggy highway!

Deep Snow Challenges Iditarod Trail Groomers

Iditarod trail missing under deep snow

WEATHER: Parts of the route buried with more in the forecast.

By CRAIG MEDRED Anchorage Daily News

As Anchorage began gearing up for Saturday's ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a hunt was under way to the north to find the track that will guide mushers 1,000 miles to Nome in the days ahead.

Deep snows across the south slope of the Alaska Range and on into the Interior have buried the trail in many places.

Not only is there a lot of snow along the trail, Nordman said, more is forecast.

Steve Perrin, owner of the Rainy Pass Lodge at Puntilla, said on Monday that Merchant's new, 120-horsepower Yamaha Viking Professional -- a snowmobile designed to go through deep snow -- ended up so bogged down that two of Perrin's sons had to help Merchant dig it out.

Early trailbreakers who did ended up with snowmachines sunk in open water along the South Fork Kuskokwim River in a place called Hell's Gate. Eventually, however, that group reached Rohn and was teaming up with others already there to pack a trail back through the Dalzell Gorge to Rainy Pass.

The going is never easy. The Iditarod through the Dalzell exists only as short openings cut through the brush on whichever side of the Gorge offers a patch of ground, as opposed to a cliff. To connect the segments, the trailbreakers build bridges out of whatever materials they can find -- ice blocks, brush buried under piles of hand-shoveled snow or, where available, trees.

"They didn't get very far (Tuesday),'' Kathi Merchant said. "They had only put in a couple bridges.''

"I wonder if our race will stall out for the first time?''

The serum run mushers, however, didn't have to deal with heavy snow. Nordman said it is at near-record levels across much of the Interior.

Still, he was optimistic that come Iditarod race day, there will be a trail. He had snowmobile crews at work across the Interior and all were reporting progress.

All of which might mean nothing, added Diana Moroney, a former Iditarod musher who now volunteers as a pilot for the all-volunteer Iditarod Air Force.

The Iditarod Trail, she noted, can be fine today and gone tomorrow.

There was, for instance, a well-packed trail through parts of Rainy Pass after the Iron Dog race in February, but Moroney flew through there earlier this week and saw hardly a hint of trail visible beneath all the new snow.

Any trail put in over the course of the days ahead, she said, could just as easily disappear if the winds pick up and start moving snow around.

And then, there's always the possibility the Mount Redoubt volcano could explode. It remains on watch status.

Moroney was in the 1992 Iditarod when Mount Spurr exploded and showered mushers with three to four inches of ash.

It was a reminder that Mother Nature still dictates in Alaska -- even if 21st century technology has evolved to the point where, as former Iditarod Trail manager Jack Niggemyer put it, almost anyone can now get on a snowmachine "and drive to the North Pole without even having to change a belt.''

Given, of course, that there's some sort of trail to follow.