Rohn Roadhouse Checkpoint Prepared for Teams to Arrive (Photo: Julien Schroder)
As the race was getting started, analysts suggested the teams would spread out quickly. Well tell that to the people manning Rohn Checkpoint. The secluded BLM cabin that mushers spill into after sledding the challenging Dalzell Gorge was nothing less than Grand Central Station beginning late Monday afternoon.
First to be checked in at Rohn was Nic Petit, arriving at 16:19. He chose to camp there. Two hours later, Ryan Redington arrived and then the traffic was steady, Steady, STEADY. Just twelve hours after Petit arrived, thirty other teams have checked into Rohn. That leaves two, Gerhardt Thiart and Gregg Vitello ascending Rainy Pass to the summit of the trail and one , Jennifer LaBar sitting on Puntilla Lake.
Twenty-one teams have departed Rohn for the Buffalo Tunnels, Post Glacier and the infamous snow starved Farewell Burn. Those who didn’t rest in Rohn are resting further up the trail. The village of Nikolai is ready and waiting for teams to arrive.
Jennifer LaBar has decided to scratch at Rainy Pass. On the very first step of the Happy River collection, LaBar crashed and injured her hand, more specifically dislocated the ring finger of her left hand. The Insider Crash Cam that films such incidents on the Steps captured Jennifer’s crash and then later she was interviewed in Rainy. She was smiling and upbeat on the outside but likely disappointed on the inside. As a rookie, one has dreamed, planned and prepared for so long, scratching so early just wasn’t a part of that dream.
Ryan Redington decided to leave his famed dog Wildfire at Skwentna for a plane ride back to Anchorage. Wildfire was hit be a snowmachine early in the 2022 season. He underwent surgery to repair a leg broken in three places. His recovery and rehab has been miraculous. Wildfire trained during the 22-23 mushing season and ran the Beargrease at the end of January with his usually spirit, speed and agility. On the run to Skwentna Redington noted that Wildfire was favoring his injured leg, if only slightly but returned him on the side of caution.
Greg and Bailey Vitello are the first father/son duo to participate in their rookie Iditarod in the same year. They call Milan, New Hampshire home. They are very active in the sprint race circuit there but quickly realized that their dream of Iditarod required different training ground. The Vitellos decided to train in Nenana – snow, cold and trail length beat New Hampshire by a long shot. This isn’t the first Greg and Bailey have put life on hold for mushing goals. Back in 2014, they came to Alaska so that Bailey could train and run the Jr. Iditarod. The guys don’t plan to run together as they each have different run/rest schedules. Although, like yesterday, in Rainy Pass, they may find themselves camped beside each other for a few hours.
Bridgett Watkins always wears a smile and carries a twinkle in her eye. Such was the case as she described her experience on the Happy River Steps. She handled the steps adeptly saying that these technical portions of the trail, including the Dalzell Gorge, is what mushing is all about. Watkins was ready for the steps and that’s no surprise considering she is the daughter/step daughter of Allen Moore and Aliy Zirkle. Bridgett wrapped her sled runners in chains to slow the descent through the Steps. She says, “I’m able to slow down, I have complete control and I remembered enough from last year.” She’ll be doing the Dalzell Gorge in the dark and thinks that best because she’ll be focused on the trail not what is or what isn’t on the side of the trail.
KattiJo Deeter navigated the Steps successfully but just a short distance later, her snow hook dislodged from its perch on the handle bar and some how set itself in a tree and stopped all forward progress. The result was a couple of broken sled stanchions. With Rainy Pass only a few miles away, KattiJo figured to splint/ repair the stanchions there before heading to Rohn. Here’s another musher who seems to always wear a smile.
“How were the Steps,” was the question posed to Aaron Peck by Insider. Peck laughed while saying the Crash Cam missed a good one on the final Step. Except his own sore ribs, they are none the worse for wear. Peck’s dogs enjoyed resting during the afternoon sun outside of Rainy Pass. The dogs are ready to go but during the heat of the day, resting is the wiser choice. Peck is pleased with how is team is doing and has changed up his run/rest schedule over past years. He took a long rest at Skwentna which he’s not done before. Peck praised the Skwentna hospitality. He normally blows thru but this year took advantage of the incredible food and comfort of Delia’s old Outback Cabin. In his words, “The hospitality at Skwentna was through the roof. They deserve the hospitality award!”
Looking forward to some Insider interviews out of Rohn and also Nikolai to hear what the mushers have to say about the Gorge and the trail between Rohn and Nikolai. Making Nikolai is a goal in itself, signifying less technical trail ahead. Check out the long list of Insider clips, especially the Jennifer LaBar segment! They do a fantastic job of capturing the race from the musher’s perspective and sharing it with armchair mushers at home.
