Math + Science + Art = Photo.  That’s the basic formula for picture taking but the person behind the camera makes the difference in the photo being great, just average or one to be deleted.  Capturing a picture that’s worth a thousand words is a great challenge in the variable conditions experienced in the world of sled dog races.  What better way to learn than doing a photo trek with the master of sled dog racing photography, Jeff Schultz.  With that in mind, I signed up for his Through the Lens Alaska Northern Lights 300 Photo Trek.  

The workshop revolves around the Northern Lights 300 Sled Dog Race, the scenic beauty of the trail along with the hospitality offered by the Dixon family at Winterlake Lodge.  For somebody who wants to experience a day in the life of Official Iditarod Photographer Jeff Schultz as he photographs a sled dog race and the beauty of off the road, off the grid Alaska, it just doesn’t get any better.

Actually, I’ve done Schultz’s Northern Lights 300 workshop twice now.  Partly because there’s so much to learn about capturing the astounding canine athletes on the trail and partly because the first trek was a phenomenal experience.  There’s a long list of additional reasons too – Jeff is a terrific teacher, the exceptional hospitality of Winter Lake Lodge on Finger Lake (third checkpoint on the Iditarod Trail), breathtaking scenery, unique scenic opportunities to photo the teams and being in a place where ambient light is nearly non-existent to photo northern lights and starry skies.  Being on the trail in late January with mushers who’ll also participate in Iditarod is also a great jumpstart for future Eye on the Trail stories.

The Northern Lights 300 starts in Big Lake at Martin Buser’s Happy Trails Kennel.  The trail takes the teams to Yentna Station where they must take a required 6 hour rest plus the start differential.  The turn around point, roughly mile 150, is Finger Lake.  Inbound the checkpoints were located at Talvista Lodge and Yentna Station with the finish back at Happy Trails.  The race is recognized by both the Iditarod and Yukon Quest as a qualifying race.  Quoting from the NL 300 race rules, “The race is designed to test mushers’ preparedness, endurance and skills in a remote wilderness setting.  The race assesses the ability of the mushers to care for themselves and their dogs and complete a challenging 300 mile course in a competitive manner.”

Our small group of enthusiastic sled dog photographers arrived at Happy Trails Friday morning with cameras in hand a couple of hours before the noon starting time.  We had plenty of time to observe the pre-race routine of the thirty-three mushers, chat with the mushers and photo excited dogs.  When noon rolled around the teams departed in two-minute intervals.  With ten teams on the trail, we headed out the trail on snow machines to capture the dogs and mushers in action.  

As the master, Jeff could quickly spot places along the trail that would offer excellent photo opportunities.  Dramatic mountains in the background provide splendid scenic settings for passing dog teams.  As the trail climbs, so must the dogs.  Sitting next to the trail at the crest of a hill, we captured the dogs in action.  Laying in the snow at a turn in the trail allowed us to record shots that made it look like we were about to be trampled by the whole team.  Not to worry however, the dogs turned to follow the trail and we had some whisker perfect shots of the leaders.  Photos of the teams coming down hill with the musher controlling the sled were equally amazing.

After the last musher passed, we retraced our four mile snowmachine route returning to Happy Trails to meet our pilot.  We loaded our gear into his ski equipped Cessna 206 and headed toward Winterlake Lodge on Finger Lake.  

Flying above the trail, Jeff advised us to keep our eyes peeled for giant caterpillars.  Sure enough, the giant caterpillars we spotted were teams on the trail.  Flying fairly low, we captured arial shots of the teams.  

We landed on Flathorn Lake to catch the mushers controlling their teams as they descended onto the lake.  By the looks on their faces, the mushers were concentrating on driving the sled on the steep descent but I swear the sled dogs are grinning as they charge to the bottom.      

The teams would not arrive at Finger Lake until just before dawn the next morning so in the mean time we enjoyed the amenities of Winterlake Lodge including gourmet dining, yoga, the sauna and an incredibly peaceful quiet night.  Jeff presented a class on night sky and northern lights.  Unfortunately the sky never cleared so there was no getting up for star shots or northern lights.

With teams arriving throughout the day and into the evening on Saturday there was ample opportunity to photo the teams along the trail, in the checkpoint as the mushers cared for their dogs, while the teams rested and as they departed.

Winterlake Lodge is owned and operated by the Dixon Family.  Adventurer Carl Dixon and his wife, world renowned chef Kirsten, along with their adult daughters Carly and Mandy are the ever energetic and gracious hosts of Winterlake Lodge.  The Lodge located on the shore of Finger Lake is known as a premier Alaska adventure and cuisine destination.  

While in the Finger Lake checkpoint, mushers and race officials are invited by the Dixons to enjoy a protein packed hot meal served in the warm and inviting Lodge kitchen.  For the Dixons, it’s a warm-up for Iditarod.  There’ll by 86 mushers and about a dozen race officials that will enjoy food served up by the Lodge chefs during Iditarod, all of this while they are catering to twenty-eight Lodge guests.

Ryan Redington was the first musher to pull his snow hook at Finger Lake and begin the 150 mile run back to the finish line in Big Lake.  He was followed by Rick Casillo, Charley Bejna, Sebastian Vergnaud and Justin Savidis.  New fallen snow would make the trail slower than on the outbound run for all the teams.  

We photographers selected a couple of unique angles for capturing the teams as they departed.  Our first choice was to don snow shoes and climb up off the lake to an elevated bank on a peninsula to look back at the lodge and catch the teams as they came toward us.  The rise in elevation gave us a unique perspective.  Our next vantage point was at the top of the lake bank where the teams climbed off the lake.  From a crouched position beside the trail we had another great vantage point and as heavy snow fell, the images seemed almost surreal or fantasy like.

Fourteen Iditarod contestants participated in the Northern Lights 300.  Some mushers in the field of thirty-three, were using the 300 mile race as an Iditarod qualifier.  Ryan Redington, grandson of Iditarod founder, Joe Redington captured top honors for the NL 300.  He was followed by Rick Casillo.  Other NL 300 top ten finishers who’ll participate in Iditarod XLIV include Justin Savidis, Jodi Bailey, Charley Bejna, Joar Leifseth Ulsom, Karin Hendrickson and Sara Stokey.  Jim Lanier, Becca Moore, Kristy Berington, Ellen Halverson, Matt Failor and Elliot Anderson will also harness up on the first Saturday of March for the run to Nome.

After the racing teams departed, the Schultz trek had another couple of days and nights at Winterlake Lodge.  Of course we were hoping for clear night skies and northern lights but mother nature delivered clouds and more snow.  We made good use of our days exploring the Iditarod Trail by snow machine, getting acquainted with and driving the lodge dog teams, attending cooking classes conducted by Kirsten and Mandy Dixon, learning more from Jeff about shooting special effects photos and working with Lightroom editing our own photos. 

 

The Dixons maintain a kennel of 20 Alaskan Huskies.  Kirsten says, “Each dog has its own personality, characteristics, flaws and talents.”  No matter, when the harnesses come out all the dogs are ecstatic and ready to pull.  When the snow hook is pulled, they’re focused on the trail and pulling the sled.  One dog in particular, Coleman, was the team cheerleader and entertainer.  Whenever we stopped, Cole was leaping, jumping and bounding.  Danger, Betty and Blarf seemed to be amused by Coleman’s antics but didn’t join in.        

As Iditarod teams depart the checkpoint located on the lake, they climb onto the Iditarod Trail where the lodge dock is located during the summer.  They slip between a few of the lodge cabins then head through the woods and on toward Red Lake.  Leaving the checkpoint, teams negotiate a few big hills, both up and down, a little driving practice before reaching the sometimes treacherous Happy River Steps on their way to Puntilla Lake.

On February 12th, Iditarod officially announced that the 2016 Restart will be in Willow.  Here are a couple of photos, one of the Winterlake sign in 2015 and one of the same sign in 2016.  As the teams approach the Alaska Range in 2016, they’ll find plenty of snow.  See for yourself.