MaRCH8-2PM–unk—-Aliy leads on trail to Unk
Bruce Lee, Insider Analyst and my good friend, and I arrive Unalakleet (hereafter the call name UNK) after flying from Kaltag. We land in Unk and transfer to the checkpoint to further confuse ourselves with information seen on the tracker. After much discussion, we decide we missed Aliy from the air.
We project Aliy now in front, about 22 miles out with a projected arrival of 5pm, first musher to the Bering Sea. Close behind, not more than several miles, follows Martin Buser. This could change if he takes a stop at a traditional hunting camp located on the trail near a distinct landmark called Old Woman. Here is a well- used survival cabin , a good place to camp and snack dogs.
Very near Martin we saw Nicolas Petit, his distinctive caboose sled and camo covered air kennel seen from the air. Of course, he could also plan to stop and feed. If we only could read minds.
At any rate, we see Martin defending his position, Aliy attacking, and Petit in the perimeter to pounce if either of the front two falter. In the checkpoint I note considerable conjecture.
Normally, UNK is whipped by very bitter wind off the Bering Sea and one learns to dress in full gear. On departure from Kaltag I was wearing a light parka, my insulated boots, and an overparka. We departed Kaltag noting snow cover and the white glazed ribbon of a trail leading over the pass of small coastal range of mountains. Locals report the trail very hard and fast. Once over the pass, about a third of the way to UNK, the terrain opens into a vast tundra panorama where locals expect to encounter herds of migrating caribou. On the way we locate Sonny Lindner and Jeff King on the trail in 4 and 5 position.
Quickly the white yields to increasing brown, our pilot informing us that the coast is snowless. In Kaltag, a local told me that a friend of theirs in Shaktoolik, a Bering Sea checkpoint, took her little son and drove to Kaltag on frozen ground with a fourwheeler, a demonstration that this winter has not invited snow sports. On the last quarter of our 90 mile flight we could see ice pans of ice on the Bering sea, with blue leads of open water disappearing to the west horizon.
On landing at UNK, I expected the bitter cold and wind. Instead, the tarmac was bare asphalt and weather was absolutely balmy, with puddles of water. I saw old friends in UNK walking about the checkpoint without a hat. “Well, it’s good for us, but maybe not the dogs.” said a woman working outside the checkpoint. For the entire winter, residents have been frustrated by the lack of snow. Caribou hunters have not been able to travel far to hunt, and even fishermen and women have been limited for fishing. The Unalakleet River is a world class sports fishing destination in summer, but in winter it is a private paradise for residents catching large heavy dolly varden. I have eaten fresh dolly varden here in UNK on previous Iditarods and it is phenomenal.
Asking about crab fishing I learn that the fisherman have been stymied by the unreliable sea ice. In order to set the pots, the fisherman from UNK venture on the ice, find a good lead and drop the pots. The skill is in identifying the winds that might close the leads and reacting to save the pots. Anyway, that’s a personal disappointment because the crab here are excellent.
The checkpoint at 2:57pm is buzzing. Aliy is coming into UNK, first musher to the Bering Sea Coast. There is no dispute now, she is the leader of the race. Following, our snowmachine informants confirm Martin Buser and Nicolas Petit in pursuit.
