YQ: Pelly/Dawson Update

BLACK TEAM UPDATE

Since leaving Pelly Crossing, Allen and the Black Team rested at the Stepping Stone Hospitality stop, approximately 35 miles from Pelly. They spent about three hours there then travelled on to Scroggie Creek Dog Drop where they spent another three hours. Allen always enjoys these stops in the remote hospitality stops.

At these “short” rests the dogs will get almost the entire time to rest and eat but Allen will be “taking one for the team” as he prepares a meal for them and sees to all their needs before he can rest. The shorter the stop basically means the shorter the musher sleeps as the chores take the same amount of time whether you stop for two hours or six. He will be running on next to no sleep by now but will get to replenish in Dawson City.

After Scroggie Creek the teams climb through the Black Hills before another big climb up King Solomon’s Dome. Allen and his team are currently camped between the two ‘summits’ with around 50 miles till Dawson City. This elevation map shows the summits clearly and you will see the Black Team’s dot at their current camp spot.

For more information about this run from Pelly to Dawson City check out Kristen Knight-Pace’s excellent piece (click on red link) that give you a vivid account into the mindset of mushers on the trail from Pelly to Dawson.

For more details about the trail itself, the Quest Website has a “Mushers Guide to the Yukon Quest Trail“.

Once the team arrives into Dawson City later tonight the plan is for Aliy to take the team from Allen and mush over to the camp spot where she and Bridgett will tend to them. They remove booties, harnesses and jackets; rub them down, give them a big, hot meal then dress them in their dry fleece jackets. As they settle down to sleep in the cosy straw they will be covered in a fleece blanket. The warmer we get them in their shelter the more they can stretch-out in their sleep, easing sore muscles and relaxing their whole body. We don’t expect to hear much from them for a while before their stomachs wake them up and we start the cycle of feed, massage and stretch out until 36 hours is up.

Allen will come to the hotel where he will sleep, shower, eat, sleep, maybe sleep, eat and sleep some more.

RED TEAM FINAL UPDATE

As you know, Aliy and her Red Team of Driver, Chena, Ernie, Ginger, Hotshot, Scooter, Iron, Outlaw, Tinder, Schmoe and Woody finished in 2nd position in the Quest 300 behind Michelle Phillips and her phenomenal team.

Aliy crossed the line with Woody and Chena in lead and Ginger hitched a lift in the bag for the last few miles. She got tired and asked Aliy to carry her. She hadn’t slept well in the checkpoints and simply got tired, but that is something that the youngsters (hopefully) figure out quickly.

Here are a few pics from Pelly:

Leaving for the final leg of the YQ300 with Woody in single lead

Finish Line dog pile; Outlaw: “Was I the Good Boy?”

A little ginger passenger hitched a lift for the last few miles; frosted musher

We will get you a dog-by-dog Red Team Wrap-Up soon.

Thanks Eddie and his team of volunteers at Pelly Crossing. You rock!