Top 10 en route to Nome
Leaving White Mountain, it’s always a good idea to dress for wind. This trip was surprisingly calm. The blowhole was holding its breath, at least for today. When stopping at the Safety Raodhouse, they said it pretty much blew till sometime yesterday afternoon. Good fortune for the mushers. The lake at the bottom of Topkok …
There are a lot of teams en route to Safety and Nome. Travis Beals has just left the checkpoint with a small team of 6 dogs. It will be a couple of hours before any other team can leave here. Brent was woken up by Race Judge Karen Ramstead. He is now out in the …
The pace has been slowing down a bit here in White Mountain. A large group of mushers is out on the trail competing for Top 20 places. The recent ones to leave were John Baker and Ken Anderson. Both were adamant about wanting to leave the checkpoint without any help. John Baker once again being …
Morning Update from White Mountain
Paul Gebhardt and Richie Diehl have both just left the checkpoint in 12th and 13th position. Separated by only 4 minutes Richie said that he was in the same place 2 years ago, but is not more than 12 hours ahead of that schedule. It shows how hotly contested even the Top 20 places are …
Evening in White Mountain
With the race for 1st and 2nd being clearly defined and many, many people reporting from the finishing line, I am spending the night in White Mountain, same as last year and will follow the next group of teams in tomorrow. Aliy had just been woken up from her much needed nap. She said, ” …
After being unable to leave for more than 300 yards, Brent Sass has returned to the White Mountain Checkpoint to give his dogs some extra rest. After talking with Race Judge Karen Ramstead, Brent returned to his old camping spot, where the straw was still lying from his 8 hour layover. Brent will give is …
Brent Sass has run an ambitious race schedule this year. I kept the foot on the throttle till the end, despite being passed by both Seavey past the Unalakleet Checkpoint. Leaving White Mountain, it shows that his dogs would have rather stayed a few more hours on the straw, as you can see by his …
And the elder Seavey, Mitch, has also left White Mountain. Before departing he was fidgeting with his GPS and we ripped him: ” Are you programming your board computer for better fuel mileage?” Mitch quipped back, ” No, I tried to turn up the RPMs.” Being a little short on lead dogs, Woody was in …
Dallas Seavey has left White Mountain with 7 dogs for the last 77 Miles to Nome in 1st place. Lobben was leading him up Fish River. Back in 2014 he also left here with 7 dogs, the year he edged out Jeff King and Aliy Zirkle in a ground storm near Safety. Here are some …
The trail over from Elim to White Mountain is in near perfect shape. It is the ” old ” normal route for the first 7 miles out of Elim on the sea ice, which was very smooth. Climbing up in the hills the scenery of Walla Walla is just spectacular, one of the nicest stretches …
