Aliy, with all 13 team mates, has left White Mountain on the final run to Nome. They are currently in third position.
Run, run, run like the wind, we can’t wait to see you!
We might expect them to cover the 75 miles to Nome in around 9-10 hours so we could be looking at a daybreak finish for the team – but this all depends on the trail, the weather, the dogs and that random “anything can happen” factor.
Who’s sleeping tonight?
The Trail Notes say: “The trail leaves White Mountain on the Fish River for about three miles, and then leaves the river to cut overland to the southwest, crossing low, rolling tundra and several streams before reaching the Klokerblok River. It runs up the river and across some low ridges, and then crosses into the drainage of the Topkok River.
The trail then turns west and climbs over a series of barren ridges to a 400-foot saddle just northwest of Topkok Head, overlooking the coast. It then descends sharply to the beach, reaching the Nome Kennel Club shelter cabin at the foot of the hill, 30 miles from White Mountain.
For the next 12 miles the trail runs along or just behind the dune line and the “driftwood line” on the shore. This stretch is wide open and is subject to winds of more than 80 miles an hour from the north, as well as blinding whiteouts. The trail will join the Nome-to-Council road (not plowed in the winter) at the Bonanza Ferry bridge and then follow it for the last 12 miles to Safety.
The trail usually follows the Nome-to-Council road from Safety to just past Cape Nome, then cuts down to the beach and generally parallels the road (crossing it a couple of times enroute). The trail finally climbs up the seawall at the east end of Front Street for the last ten blocks to the burled arch.
Trail conditions on this leg can range from excellent to abysmal, and usually include glare ice, overflow, drifted snow, bare tundra, sand, and exposed gravel on the road.”
Mushing into the sunset. This photo was take less than 20 miles from the Finish Line in (I think) 2013. The frozen ocean is on the left. The bluff on the right is Cape Nome – which is the final climb before the finish. Aliy said at the time “This is often a very emotional time on the race… especially with a sunset like this one!”. This year she will have the sunrise behind her and the emotions will, no doubt, be very mixed.
BLACK TEAM
Allen still has 14 team mates and they just pulled into Koyuk after the 50 mile run from Shaktoolik and will likely stay a few hours. Although a six hour rest is about what he’s been giving the team at each stop, don’t be too surprised if he stays 9-10 hours here. We’re getting pretty excited to see them soon.
Thanks to Kim for pointing out this fantastic video from KTUU about Quito! Check it out – it’s a really nice story and made us all tear up a little.
Screen shots from KTUU story
Padee "Chipper's" Sponsor says,
You all are doing such a marvelous job covering the race. THANK YOU What a hell of a rollercoaster. Pats and treats to all the pups when they arrive. Hugs to Aliy. I know you all cant wait to see her and the pups. I send a BIG AHOOWWLLL to you all. Great article on Quito. Both mushers did a fantastic job with the dog care!! Cant wait to see who leads them across the finish line in Nome. Tracker watching and eating Pepcid as well.
Padee
Fairbanks Alaska!
Yup…that brought tears to my eyes too….Quito…BEST dog in the world! Bet she and Nacho are doing a fantastic job teaching the pups the trail!!! She is a legend….no doubht Aliy missed the Mexican Litter on her Team but transitions happen and must be embraced. Allen seemed genuinly pleased to be running the Iditarod with her again! And Aliy….cant wait to hear how she feels about her "new" Team!
All 13 Canine Team Mates out of White Mountain on their way to Nome…I can breathe again!!! One last push!!!
"Meet" you all under the Burled Arch via the Live Feed!!!
Sleeping? what? I have power and internet tonight, no sleeping here.
I’m already pretty excited about how things went down in WM. I suspect even Sass dogs have class. They said, “We know how to make up a little bit for what happened to Aliy. Brent, Let’s stay here a bit longer and enjoy the hospitality.”
Aliy, with 13 team members again, WOW!
Careful on your way in to Safety, Mitch went off trail. Don’t follow his tracks.
The Black Team into Koyuk, with 14 pups still, and
A Quito video. It just doesn’t get much better than this.
Go Aliy, go Red Team. They’re waiting for you in Nome.
Thank you for the AWESOME update!
🙂 🙂 🙂
PS Breath Padee and Nessmuk. Your pups are doing great!
🙂
I am so pleased Aliy will finish with 13 very proud dogs under the Burled Arch and so much more to me to see a strong team finish . Now l going to watch QUITO story while l wait for the live feed . Go the 🔴⚫️👏🏻❤️🐾🐾Denali and Joanne 🇦🇺
Alarms are set for 8 am.
That was an awesome tribute to Quito. Thanks for sharing that. I'm ready to watch Aliy cross the finish line…..and then patiently wait to see Allen and the black team do the same.
So excited to see Aliy come into Nome! I hope the early hour will still have lots of people on the street for her.
FYI – New York Times article on Dallas/Mitch:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/03/15/sports/ap-us-iditarod.html?ref=sports&_r=0
–Margaret
P.S. Still too early to put up sound, but I can't wait to enjoy the article/video on Quito!!!
I am very very sad to see what this wonderful race, started with the best of intentions to honor the dogs and the men who helped save peoples lives by running medicine through to Nome, has become. Now we must watch mushers driving their dogs past their endurance just to win a race. What would be the fate of these dropped dogs in real life mushing but for the race volunteers and the Iditarod Airforce to get them home to safety?
I hope the Alaskan people, communities and politicians can reorient the Iditarod to something that will reestablish its linkages to Alaskan history and remove it from the ethos of a stock car race.
My suggestion: Grant every musher 3 dropped dogs. Every additional dog dropped anywhere along the race route will result in adding 4 hours to the mandatory stop at White Mountain.
The tally of dropped dogs would not count any dogs hit by snow machines or injured by encounters with moose or other wildlife.
The Red Team is the only team of those out of White Mountain at this time who would NOT have their mandatory rest extended to reflect carnage of their dogs. Nicholas Pettit at number 8 and all the way down to the Black Team at number 34 are the only mushers in the race with 14 dogs at this time; there are only a handful of mushers in the top fifty who have not already started earning the 4 hour penalty.
SP Kennel shows the world how to run the Iditarod. Bravo!!
It's been a heck of a race. I wonder if things were different how different the race would have been?
Please add this PS to my comment just sent in. " I should have included Jeff King in the list of those in the top 50 who would not be penalized."
many thanks Jane
Massachusetts, well put.
I would only add this comment…well, I won't say it – but remember the old saying "Winning isn't everything…"
Some people think it is the only thing, and that is sad.
A tribute to the best musher care: smiling dogs. I love those SPK smiling dogs .
It breaks my heart to see dogs down as the "friends" ones. Years and years of bios' and pictures and stories of continuously most excellent dogs like Quito ; highest # of dogs into top finishes deserves all the attention and respect to Aliy and Allen as representatives not only of the sport but how humans can honor their animal-friends. Looking forward to see Aliy finish soon.
Bravo!
Ingabritt
Please update on Clyde? Is he alright?
Thoughts to the dropped ones. Thanks for all your links and valuable infos and beautiful reminders. Bravo SPK team!
Ingabritt
So so right who is sleeping tonight, it is 5.25 am here. Watched the Seaveys come in. NOW Aily WoooooHooooo!!!!!!!!!
the video from KTUU was fantastic, great to see Quito and Allen. will not sleep until Aily comes in.
Thank you so much for all the updates. will be yelling Woohooo when Aily crosses the finish line, no sleep until she does.
GO AILY GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
from Maureen in Comox, Canada
So darn excited to watch Aliy and Red Team ala GPS making their way to Safety now. This race always has the curve balls does it not?
Aliy and Red Team you have been spectacular in class and courage. Our family is speechless to see how the team dug down and moved forward. I think Taylor Swift needs to work this team into a new version of her Shake it Off video.
And so very exciting to see how brilliant this younger team is doing. Making their Mom and Dad's (on the B team or resting at home)very proud!
Love hearing how Allen and the little ones are coming of age. Beautiful Quito teaching them.
Woo Hoo!!!!
It's times like this when I wish I didn't have to go to work in the morning, so I could stay up and watch the tracker. You have done a phenomenal job, Aliy, and I am very proud of you and each team member.
I saw that video with Quito yesterday and loved it! Like Allen said, she is the best dog in the world!
Run, Aliy, run! I'm glued to the computer waiting to see you and your team cross under the Burled Arch! To come in third is an incredible tribute to you and your team after all you've been through. As I've said in previous posts, you are the consummate athlete, of Olympian status.
Thank you, SPK folks, for your phenomenal race coverage this year. It's meant a lot to those of us who are thousands of miles away.
Go, Red Team! Mush on!
What a great story. It did bring tears to my eyes, especially as I think of my 11 year old. They may slow down a bit, but the spirit is never gone.
I'm loving watching, and reading about both teams.
Run like the wind! ! Go Aliy go!
What a fantastic video about Quito and SP Dogs! I have been watching
it over and over. I have also noticed that on Iditarod Live how the
fans are watching and putting in their comments. Truly a GREAT follow-
ing of SP Kennel. You are the BEST! Thanks to Aliy & Allen and the
GREAT Crew! Nothing but the BEST WISHES on a FANTASTIC YEAR!!!
Love the Quito video – she's such a superstar. I'm enjoying watching the tracker and Aliy making the run to Nome with 13 of her fantastic 4 legged athletes. I'm cheering loudly and very proud to be a fan. Go Red team!
Quito is a one in a million dog. She & Nacho are helping some of the "yahoos" as they have affectionately been referred to, learn what it takes to run 1000 mile race. Great video. Thanks Allen for the training you do for the kids. Watch out next year. Go SPK.