From the outside, it’s hard to understand what happens behind the scenes at a checkpoint. There’s a lot of prep work to get a checkpoint set up and running before the first mushers come through. Bales of straw are set out where mushers can easily access them, the parking area for the dog teams is set up, and the inside of the checkpoint is prepared. Then the drop bags are sorted by musher, which was especially challenging this year for many reasons:
Mushers had already packed and sent their drop bags to Anchorage before the route changed to a Fairbanks start.
Seven of the checkpoints aren’t located on the southern route.
Three of the checkpoints are double checkpoints.
There are less checkpoints than originally planned with the southern route.
Distances between the checkpoints is different than when mushers first packed their bags.
… the list goes on and on.
For example, in Tanana, there were drop bags labeled for Rainy Pass and Rohn. Here in Kaltag there are drop bags labeled for Kaltag and Ophir, which works well since the mushers have to come through this checkpoint two times. Twice the amount of straw, drop bags, and heet at one checkpoint. It sounds complicated, but you never would know from the outside because the volunteers have worked so hard to ensure that a team’s time at a checkpoint is as smooth as possible.
What do the checkpoint volunteers do throughout the day? It depends on the position, but everyone is watching the GPS tracker to get an idea of where the incoming mushers are located. When a musher is getting close, the trail crew will get things ready, not yet knowing if the musher will stay for a while or pass through. This afternoon, Lauro Eklund came in to the Kaltag checkpoint with the intention of staying for a few hours. He checked in, grabbed his drop bags, then the trail crew helped him park his team.
I have seen at least two different area maps drawn out for the Kaltag checkpoint, showing where the mushers come in, check in, park their team, sleep, etc. Lesson Idea: give your students an area map and have them plan out a checkpoint. It could be a map of the school, your town, or they could create their own map. This will give students a chance to consider how a checkpoint can operate as efficiently as possible. Set requirements such as a path in and out, a parking area for the dog teams, a sleeping area, an eating area, a place to store the drop bags, straw and heet, and a veterinarian station. See what they come up with!
I’d love to hear from you! Send a message my way: emailtheteacher@iditarod.com
