This morning (Monday) teams are passing through Finger Lake Checkpoint.  Nicholas Petit was the first team to arrive at 0334.  Hugh Neff was on his heals.  They’ve had a busy morning there.  Thirteen mushers are on their way to Rainy Pass and roughy 30 are resting on the lake in front of Winterlake Lodge.

The Lodge is known as a premier wilderness cuisine destination.  World renowned chef, Kirsten Dixon supervises the operation assisted by her daughter, Mandy and other Lodge chefs.  Like her mother, Mandy is a professional chef.  Mandy’s specialty is pastry and I might also add ICE CREAM!  KIrsten attended culinary school at the Cordon Bleu in Paris.  Mandy Dixon attended Le Cordon Bleu and the Culinary Institute of America.  Mother and daughter conduct cooking classes for their lodge quests.    

Dixon Family – Carl, Kirsten, Carley and Mandy

In the early years of the race, the checkpoint was located on the far side of the lake and there wasn’t much if any interaction with the former owners of hunting lodge.  When the Dixon’s purchased the lodge, that changed.  The checkpoint moved across the lake and the Dixons invite mushers and volunteers to the kitchen for a musher meal.

Mandy Dixon explains the meal that mushers look forward to after their dogs are cared for.  It’s a high protein meal that’s tailored to the time of day and musher’s preference.  Black beans, basmati rice and reindeer sausage are wrapped in a freshly made corn tortilla that’s topped with two fried eggs or sliced chicken breast.  Add some freshly made Pico De Gallo and it’s a meal most mushers won’t pass up.  With Mandy’s specialty being pastries, she adds her special touch with apple spice crumb muffins.  Of course there’s FRESHLY squeezed orange juice, coffee and hot tea.  

Mushers will never leave Winterlake Lodge hungry

While the race is coming through and the kitchen is open to all mushers and volunteers, the Dixons are hosting twenty-five lodge guests who’ll also experience the musher meal along with an incredible array of cuisine, hospitality and outdoor activity.  Oh, I can’t forget the Ultra Sport Racers – skiers, bikers and walkers that are welcomed to the Winterlake Lodge kitchen also.  Why do the Winterlake Lodge Dixons open their doors to all that pass by?  Kirsten answers, “It’s the right thing to do.”  I might add, “It’s just who they are.”

If you’ve added the numbers, meals are prepared for more than 100 people when Iditarod comes through.  Mandy says that even though it’s a great deal of work, it’s a good time also.  She especially enjoys having the mushers eat in the kitchen because we hear their stories and appreciate their response to the meal we serve.  They also enjoy hosting the trail breakers.  Those are folks we see once a year but year after year.  We love hearing their stories and experiences.  

Sun rises over Finger Lake

Generally in the winter, life is very quiet out at Winterlake Lodge but then for a few days, Iditarod comes through, add to the early preparation for the checkpoint and trail.  For a few days, there are nearly 100 volunteers and racers and then how many dogs.  How many dogs?  Well, there were 1,346 canine athletes that departed Willow.  Nine dogs have been dropped as of the teams departing Skwentna so that puts 1,337 furry bundles of energy on the lake in front of Winterlake Lodge.

As the teams depart Finger and head toward Rainy Pass, they’ve got some fabulous scenery and sled driving challenges before they even make the Happy River Steps.  Here a few pictures to share what the mushers experience out of Winterlake Lodge.

Five story drop to the river and Red Lake