Insider Drone Captures Sunrise on the Yukon at Kaltag (Photo: Insider Video)

Cripple checkpoint population is down to volunteers – trail crew, vets, comms and a few returned dogs.  The final mushers – Benjamin Good, Jeff Reid, Connor McMahon, Lauro Ecklund, Bryce Mumford and Joshua Robbins are making their way out of the interior to the Yukon River village of  Ruby, located at mile 495.  Once they’re on the Yukon, they won’t have to be concerned about what’s hiding around the next corner.  You can see a long way down river so no surprises.  The temperatures are falling, there is some wind and half of the race is in the rearview mirror.

I was looking today at previous race stats to check scratches in previous races.  Has there ever been a race with the full field still on the trail and heading to the Yukon?  Records are great for the past twenty years.  Beyond that, the waters get a little muddy.  From what I saw, in the past twenty years there has never been race with a full field going beyond the half-way checkpoint, Cripple to the north and Anvik to the south.  This is overwhelmingly impressive!

With all but the final six mushers on the Yukon River, many have completed the required Yukon River 8-hour rest.  There’s much strategy involved in the decision – Ruby, Galena, Nulato or Kaltag?  Most are opting on the conservative side to bank more energy while they still have energy.  The time to shut down is when the team is running strong.  Some are looking at the impending weather event with winds and cold coming and want to have their dogs well rested as they push down the Yukon and out toward the coast.

Insider Drone Captures the Village of Kaltag Where the Trail Leaves the Yukon (Photo: Insider Video)

Those who ran from Ruby on Friday night into Saturday morning said the run was absolutely beautiful – a mushers dream.  The trail was hard and fast, temperatures were ideal for the dogs although cold for mushers and the Aurora was spectacular.  Mille Posild enjoyed seeing so much red in the lights which are often more green and purple.  Matthew Failor and Hunter Keefe also mentioned the spectacular lights.

Mille had a couple of rookie leaders coming down the Yukon.  Rocky Rock Star and Biggy Rock Star were magnificent.  She told Insider, “They are rookies but don’t act like it.  They blew me out of the water!”

Jessica Klejka explained dog attire for the colder temperatures saying, “ We always wear booties but when it gets to minus 10 the dogs also wear coats and fox tails to protect the underbelly, nipples and groin.”  When snow gets really cold it has a noisy crunch.  As Jessica walked by her team collecting bowls, the snow indeed was crunching loudly – no mistake about it.

In general, the Iditarod has four sections.  The trail up to and over the Alaska Range, the interior from Rohn to Ruby, the Yukon River then finally the coast.  Each section is significantly different than the others. 

The trail to Rohn is a combination of river runs, forested trails and the ascent and descent of the range.  The Interior usually starts with a snowless Farewell burn, then runs on rivers and portages until the flat monotonous gold country from Ophir to Ruby.  The Yukon River is an ice road that is usually well packed but the run can be very cold and very windy.  It’s a relief for mushers to arrive in Kaltag and leave the Yukon to head to the coast. The coast has it’s own weather which might be severe clear or wind and ground blizzards.  Yes, it’s Alaska, it’s Iditarod and it’s also Iditarod Trail Invitational with bikers, walkers and skiers.

One more thing from Ruby.  Jessie Holmes is taking his Yukon rest there.  According to Alaska Public Media writer, Casey Grove, Holmes’  right hand is still sore and a bit swollen from punching the moose in the nose back near Skwentna. 

Insiders Bruce Lee and Greg Heister Reporting From Kaltag (Photo: Insider Video)

Insider guys Bruce Lee and Greg Heister are already in Kaltag waiting for Travis Beals who will likely be the first musher to arrive.  They commented on the speed of the front runners – Beals, Jessie Holmes and Paige Drobny.   The teams that live in the cold – Jessie Holmes, Matt Hall and Paige Drobny have dogs that are more accustomed to the type of weather that’s forecast.  There are other teams in the top ten positions right now that have been holding back on speed, when they decide to “let the dogs out,”  the race will really heat up.  Stay tuned.