ID: Monday Evening Update – Towards Nikolai

It’s 8.15pm Monday evening – Feeling: encouraged that the evening is cooling down

Summary

After spending three hours at Finger Lake this morning, Aliy and the team ran through the technical trail down the Happy River Steps and climbed up to Rainy Pass checkpoint on Puntilla Lake, where she rested the team for another 3.5 hours in the heat of the day. They then successfully navigated the Dalzell Gorge to Rohn where they have just left after a quick 45 minute rest, mainly for Aliy to resupply her sled for the run over to Nikolai.

I was driving with Allen today so I asked him to tell us what the trail is like for the 75 miles between Rohn and Nikolai checkpoints.

I have another few sections of trail recorded so I’ll post them when the team is moving through those areas.

Earlier today

It’s been a warm day here in Two Rivers today – in the last week or two we have noticed suddenly there is some heat in the sun rather than the weak, watery winter sun of the last few months. Comparing our temperatures to what is out on the trail it appears they experienced about the same this afternoon – hovering around 30F – so we have a very good idea what Aliy and the dogs were feeling.

It’s not ideal conditions for running dogs but mushers will be trying to get into a run/rest schedule that means the dogs are resting during the warmest part of the day – where possible. Resting in the sunshine is great for the dogs to stretch out relax without the need for extra jackets and blankets or them curling up to conserve heat. Tig, the kennel labrador was doing just that in the lounge this afternoon, she found a patch of sun and was so totally relaxed she snored for an hour straight.

An Insider video of the team coming in showed happy wagging dogs without too many tongues hanging out – in fact we could spot some frosting around their faces so the temperature may have decreased a little on their run up to the checkpoint. At that point Mismo and Dutch were still leading the way.

If you have the Insider GPS Tracker package you can click on the analytics of each musher to get a more in-depth look at their run/rest schedule to date. You can see from this screen shot the green line is speed and you’ll see the first three hours camp off the trail, three hours in Finger Lake then 3.5 hours in Rainy Pass. The blue line is trail elevation so you can correlate a team’s speed with the terrain they are moving along.

Another Insider video shows the team getting up ready to leave Rainy Pass – guess who is making the most noise – yes, those usual suspects Decaf and Jefe. That is one of the reasons Aliy chose those two boys as her team mates – their enthusiasm! You’ll also spot Aliy is leaving the checkpoint with her waders on – they were rolled down to her calves with duct tape around them ready for easy conversion to hip-boots if needed. So far I have not heard reports of the trail between Rainy and Rohn so we’re not sure if she utilised them or not.

On the section of trail between Rainy Pass and Rohn the teams climb up to the Rainy Pass summit then down the infamous Dalzell Gorge. Here is an “Aliy Cam” video from 2016 through the Gorge.

Next stop – Nikolai.

BTW for those asking – Scooby is back at the kennel. Thanks to Amanda and the Smokin’ Ace team who brought him home in their truck, let him sleep at their home last night and gave him breakfast. Thanks Amanda and team! He is busy telling his neighbours Cayenne and Chevie all about his adventure to Anchorage for an 11 mile run, then his ride home in a box the famous lead dog Keeper might have slept in, and his doggie hotel stay.