SPK Dog Log

The Black Team has arrived into Circle City! Phew.

Allen and Ed Hopkins travelled the 55-odd miles between Slaven’s Roadhouse to Circle together. It would have been COLD out there on the river and I guess they decided for safety sake they would keep track of each other.

There is a huge welcoming committee up in Circle to greet them. Allen daughters Bridgett and Jennifer travelled up early this morning and joined handler crew Mark, Chris, Ruth and Padee so there are plenty of upbeat, happy faces to greet them. After a long cold night on the river that would surely perk anyone up!

Allen will be completing his checkpoint arrival chores right now and we will await some details from the crew.

The handler crew is in Circle and enjoying the hospitality of the team up there. The drive was non-eventful but the road a little icy. They were pleased to get there in the daylight.

We are, of course, awaiting the Black Team’s arrival into Circle tomorrow morning. We do know that the trail has been windblown making it slower going. It is also very cold, the forecast -40F arrived. But, their speeds are not quite what we might expect so we are anxiously waiting to see them to find out if there have been any issues outside of a slow trail.

We do know there was a bug that went around a few of the front running teams and it is possible that a few dogs may have picked that up which could be why Allen is resting them more than we might usually expect at this point. He rested the team for 6.5 hours already at Slaven’s which is more than his ‘A’ plan would suggest but he did make a few contingency plans so we will be watching what happens from here. As you know, he will always put the dogs’ health before race results so whatever is going on, he will be putting their needs first.

In the meantime we will keep refreshing the tracker (three minutes is just too long to wait for it to automatically refresh!) and sending good vibes down the trail to the team.

At the time of writing, Allen and the Black Team are about 30 miles from Slaven’s Roadhouse. They are currently sitting in fourth position behind Matt Hall, Brent Sass, Hugh Neff and with Ed Hopkins hot on their tail.

Slaven’s Roadhouse is a two story National Park Service cabin. They cook delicious mushers meals downstairs and upstairs is for mushers to sleep – Aliy said it was always really warm upstairs and that mushers look forward to stopping there for a few hours.

Slaven’s is not an official checkpoint so times in and out are not recorded; I am going by the tracker information only (disclaimer alert!).

At this point in the race it is difficult to give you any details or stories, other than what is reported elsewhere by media who are travelling the whole trail. Eagle Checkpoint and all the hospitality stops/dog drops between Dawson and Circle are not accessible by handlers as the roads are closed in the winter.

We do know the team stayed in Eagle checkpoint almost five hours, one hour more than the mandatory required stop of four hours as did most of the top five teams. The also had a six hour rest at Trout Creek Cabin. This cabin is on the south side of the Yukon River and is tucked back in the trees, well known by mushers.

Arrival at Slaven’s is also the trigger for our handler team to mobilise. As we made great time back from Dawson we will send just one truck up to Circle with Mark, Chris, Ruth and Padee being the offical welcoming committee and handler crew for the team. They have taken the satellite phone (thanks Kenai Satellite Phone Rentals) with them to call us with details and, if internet allows, may be able to send thorough some pictures.

While we wait for news you could catch up with Quest reports on KUAC – especially February 9th morning report where Molly Rettig interviewed Bridgett and Aliy at the Dawson Dog Camp.

Congrats to Frances Sherertz who is a fan of Scooter and Carol Griffiths who is a fan of Barista!

Scooter just finished 2nd in the Yukon Quest 300. She is still a cutie with the desire to go, go, go. Amazing how great of a dog she is. Her attitude still sets her apart from everyone. Who is that happy to run hundreds of miles? You guessed it: Scooter!

Barista is a confident gal. She looks and acts tough even while in the dog team. Barista is smart and is really getting the hang of being a sled dog. She is the biggest girl in the litter and will grown into a powerful pup!

Frances and Carol win a copy of the Yukon Quest Race Annual, signed by Allen and Aliy plus a YQ patch. They will also receive a photo print portrait their dog along with a few other kennel goodies. We hope you enjoy your packets Frances and Carol!

We will be doing another Yukon Quest Dog Fan Club draw next Friday, February 17th. Everyone who has joined by then and hasn’t already won will be in the draw to win!

Click the button below for more information about how to join:

Click this button to take you directly to the Dog Fan Page.

“Do you have you dog booties?  Dog food?  Axe?  Cold weather sleeping bag? Snow shoes?  Promotional material?  Passport?  Welcome to Alaska, Mr. Moore!”

Allen and his twelve teammates arrived in Eagle City at 11:01 AST this morning, joining Matt Hall and Hugh Neff.  Brent Sass departed from Eagle at 10:35 AST after a 5 and a half hour rest.

Eagle is the only Yukon Quest Checkpoint that cannot be accessed by the handlers.  The road is only open in the summer months.  Chris and Ruth are on their way to Circle to meet the team there.  Aliy, Mark and Moira should be home in the next few hours.  The big shift is almost complete.

As we sat around then dinner table last night at the Downtown Hotel we asked Allen about the trail so far and what’s to come.

Allen talked some more about how much he enjoyed the scenery atop King Solomon’s Dome. He described as they climbed and climbed they got above the misty cloud as if they were in an airplane. He could see the tops of the highest peaks and the mist made it look like there were lakes between. As they were up on top of the world the sun was beginning to set so there was a stunning alpen glow on the peaks. He said he wished he had a camera so he could share it with us all but it was one of those moments and sights that he will always remember. To be on the back of a dogsled with his dogs enjoying that view was something special.

Allen also talked a little about the sleep deprivation and how he would fall asleep on the sled at times. He said coming into Scroggie was the worst. He would be ski-poling and his body just wanted to take micro-sleeps while still moving. Tree branches were hitting him in the head and waking him up! He said he daren’t sit down on his trail dragger or he would have been gone! The tiredness was caused by a combination of the cold, a degree of dehydration and, of course, the almost total lack of sleep. The hard work he does keeping is fitness up all year helps to cope with that level of sleep deprivation.

Bridgett asked him his favourite part of the next run, from Dawson to Eagle. He said, without a doubt it is getting up over the top of American Summit. The trail is right on top of the mountain and for about four miles you can see forever. It is above the tree line and you can feel the brunt of any weather while up there but catch it on a still day and it is beautiful.

The forecast is for cold for the next few days going into Eagle and Circle City. -50F is not out of the question, especially as they travel on the rivers. We have equipment and clothing for the dogs so that they will be protected from those temperatures and Allen will pack extra food and snacks as they will burn more calories in the cold. In the cold the dogs will eat more turkey skins and fatty meats rather than when it is warm and they prefer salmon and lean meat. He, himself, will need to keep hydrated and be more aware of keeping is hands and feet dry.

Aliy talked about what it is like mushing in those temperatures. She said in the cold you can’t do things without always thinking about it. Chemical hand warmers have to be on an inside pocket or else they just freeze up, your water thermos needs special attention to ensure it doesn’t solidify – hydration is important at those temperatures. Dog ointments and ligament need to be on an inside pocket to be usable and there needs to be enough calories in both dog and human food to continue to function efficiently.

It wouldn’t be the Quest without at least a few challenges!

* Received this from the crew before they left Dawson.

The handler crew have rolled out of Dawson City and are headed for Circle City. As the crow flies (or rather, as the dogs mush) it is 310 miles. As the handler truck drives it is 1050 miles.

They will be incommunicado for most of the drive.  Can’t wait to hear the stories of Dawson! Keep an eye on the Yukon Quest Facebook page and website!  Of course, the tracker will give you lots of run/rest information and the leaderboard will give you up-to-date checkpoint information.  I will keep you updated on the Dog Log until Moira is back in range.

Aliy, Moira and Mark will be heading back past Pelly, Carmacks, Braeburn and the outskirts of Whitehorse before turning West and driving towards Alaska.  It will take them close to 20 hours to make the trek. I’m sure they will be very ready for a bed by the time they reach SP Kennel in Two Rivers!

Chris and Ruth will head up to Circle City early to ensure we have friendly faces waiting to greet the team. Aliy and Moira head back to the kennel to work on Iditarod Drop Bags.  Mark and Padee will go north, meeting up with Chris and Ruth at either Circle or Central.

Each year, Jenny from Sipping Streams Tea Company in Fairbanks provides musher tea to all the checkpoints.

This year, she provided each handler team with some too! They will enjoy this on the drive back, especially Moira! 

Keep the caffeine coming! Thanks Jenny!

This morning Allen and 12 team mates left Dawson for the 150 miles to Eagle. He left with a laden sled and straw ready to stop and camp along the way. The dogs and musher were ready to hit the trail again and the dogs let out a howl of delight as they were hooked up to the line ready to leave.

Bridgett has a moment with Chipper; Brianna from the Logistics Team reattaches the Spot Tracker

Allen left Nomex with us to come home in the truck. He worked so, so hard climbing up in the Black Hills and King Solomon’s Dome that he pulled up with a sore tricep. Allen carried him the last 20 miles, or so, into Dawson and had hoped with some rest he might be able to carry on. It was decided that although he looked okay, Allen would rather not risk taking him and a) turn a ‘tweak’ into a serious injury and/or b) have to carry him up American Summit.

While Allen and Bridgett packed the sled with supplies for 150 miles (plus contingency), Mark changed runner plastics and filled the fuel can and Aliy and I readied the dogs. Each of us had a specific job which made the whole process really efficient. We dressed the dogs in their puffy (insulated) wind jackets and packed foxtail “personal area protectors” for the boys in anticipation of the cool wind out on the rivers and as they head north.

Leading the team out of Dawson was Commando and Mismo, Junior and Dutch were in swing, Spark and Izzy, Kodiak and Amber, Rodney and Champ with Chipper and Felix in wheel.

Mismo is ready; Aliy hitches a lift to the start line

The Mushers Guide to the YQ Trail says of this next leg: “The next 50 miles from Dawson are on the Yukon River. The first 20 miles are usually fairly fast and smooth—likely to be overflow at the mouth of the 15 Mile drainage. The trail crosses back and forth across the Yukon and may use several bush trails for short distances, depending on ice conditions. The 40-mile hospitality stop is a long 50 miles most years. This is a good place to stop; adequate parking. A few miles farther on is another hospitality stop at Clinton Creek — just up the 40 Mile River by the bridge.

Your first potentially windy summit of the trail is American Summit; if it’s breezy in the trees below the summit expect possible whiteout conditions on top. You begin your climb just past milepost 135 and will get above timber a few miles further on. The summit is almost always side-hilled and badly sloped. Trail markers can be frosted over, even in the wind. Expect the full range of alpine conditions from hard, drifted snow to soft team swallowing drifts. You are on top for about 3 miles before beginning your 17 mile descent to Eagle. The long gradual descent is mostly uneventful; you will encounter some potentially nasty overflow stretches as you near the town of Eagle; the worst of them between 4-8 miles out.“

The trail report in the musher meeting yesterday said that for the first little while the teams will mush on the frozen centre of the Yukon River and will have open water on both sides of them, just 15-20 feet away. Yikes!

We’re excited to see them back on the trail and look forward to catching them once they are back in Alaska! In the meantime we have camp to break down and a loooooooooong drive. More on that later.