CB300: Meiers Lake

The team is trucking along nicely having arrived into Meiers Lake checkpoint at 11:52pm giving them a run-time of 7 hours, 16 minutes. With a long run and big climb under their harnesses, we expect them to take a good long rest here before the push through to Sourdough checkpoint. Allen will likely get a chance to catch some sleep himself after his chores are complete.

Cell coverage is spotty so regular communications with the team are difficult right now. I’ll post an update and/or pics as and when they come through. Text messages from the team tell us that everyone is looking great, all tails are wagging and they were barking at check-in. They were all currently chowing down their snacks.

It is about around -5F now in the area with a light breeze and the forecast tells us there is a chance of snow and that “tomorrow will be much warmer than today”. During the trail report on Friday evening, Jamey Kemp, the trail manager, told teams there were some patches of overflow about 35 miles out from the checkpoint that at the time were about five inches deep but I understand Allen didn’t get his feet wet so that’s always good.

A few hours earlier, after waving the team out of Chistochina the handler crew set about doing their own chores – clearing the team’s camp spot of returned gear, trash and straw to ensure they “left no trace”. They then drove the 73 road miles back past the start point then north on the Richardson Highway to Meier’s Lake where they got a few (a couple?) hours rest before welcoming the team in.

Meiers Lake Roadhouse is a haven on a cold January night. Once the dogs are cosily tucked into their straw beds the handlers and mushers get to enjoy the hospitality of the team at the roadhouse who work tirelessly throughout the night to deliver burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches and soups to hungry, tired humans. Always worth a visit if you are ever passing that way.