YQ: Monday Update

Some radio silence today – apologies for that, but all the handler crew are now in Dawson! Update as at 3.30am Tuesday.

Black Team

Allen and his 14 Black Team mates are currently about 51 miles from Dawson. They are stopped at the Indian River bridge where Allen will rest the team for a while before embarking on their climb of King Solomon’s Dome – elevation around 3,500 feet. Have a read of the trail notes (click link here) to find out about this final push to Dawson.

As expected, overnight Allen stopped the team at Stepping Stone Hospitality Stop for about five hours. Allen talks about that stop for weeks leading up to the race and after! No doubt he enjoyed triple helpings of lasagne while the dogs enjoyed a nap and meaty kibble meal. The Hospitality Stop is not an official checkpoint so times in and out are not recorded but if you follow their Facebook page you can get updates from there.

They then travelled to Scroggie Creek – a further 67 miles with some climbing, where they spent another five hours resting.

There isn’t much I can tell you about the team itself since the handler crew hasn’t seen them since Pelly Crossing but the team has been moving nicely since then – for a long while travelling with Hans Gatt and Brent Sass. Each very competitive men but friends and respected rivals. They are all three camped in the same area right now.

The temperatures have risen in that area and it is not quite so extreme cold. Still cool at around -15 to -20F(ish) so still good for dogs but a bit more pleasant for humans.

Karolyn, Bridgett and Mark travelled up to Dawson as the “advanced party” and spent the afternoon setting up dog camp at the Bonanza RV ground. We’ll take you on a tour once we have some canine tenants.

Red Team

After a morning off, Aliy harnessed up the team again in the afternoon and took them for a stretch out run back up the trail. They were excited to get moving again and they will have appreciated getting out of the truck for a few hours. Mismo and Cayenne led the team out with Chena and Lydia in swing, Five ran on his own, Jefe and sister QT ran together and siblings Sanka and Decaf paired up in wheel. McCaw and Perky sat it out as they were not so enthusiastic this morning but I took them for a nice walk where Perky in particular pranced around like he was the King of Everything.

While out on her run Aliy encountered Krys March just as she was arriving in Whitehorse – hence the “she’ll be here in ten minutes” you can hear in the audio. Thanks to Courtney, West and John for their help staging to team.

This evening Aliy and I attended the YQ200 banquet at the Canadian Legion. It was a really lovely and intimate banquet with all the finishing mushers and their supporters in attendance. The Women’s Auxiliary of the Legion had done a tremendous job catering and hosting with a delicious meal of salad, hand-made pierogis from “One Stop Pierogi Shop” in Pelly Crossing with what I presume are the traditional sides of bacon, sour cream, buttered onions and sausage. I’d never had pierogi before – what’s not to love about cheese and potato dumplings! We were then treated to an amazing rich chocolate cake from the Chocolate Claim in Whitehorse.

Each musher got up to speak to thank their dogs, sponsors and supporters. Aliy reiterated to everyone that despite this being “only 200 miles” it was HARD. It was hard on everyone, including her so congratulated everyone that finished. The first three place getters were presented with stunning hand-made knives from Rod and Rhonda of Alaska Rod’s – a longtime supporter of the Quest. It will take pride of place at home. Congrats to the Red Lantern winner Krys March, Spirit of the North award to Lori and Lourdes Twedell, and to Fabian Schmitz for the Veterinarians’ Choice award. Aliy was awarded the Sportsmanship Award, evidently voted on overwhelmingly by her peers. She was really thrilled with the snow-hook prize and said she will actually use it on her sled!

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Thanks to Laura from the Whitehorse Quest office for organising the banquet.

Aliy and I then headed up the Klondike Highway overnight to Dawson ready for Allen’s arrival in the morning. We will catch a few hours sleep now.

Note: the truck we are driving has ten dog boxes but we have eleven dogs – what to do…?