Day 4 – Up the Dome

Here are the current leaders: Jon Little (18), Sebastian Schnuelle (20), William Kleedehn (12), Hugh Neff (23), Hans Gatt (16). The lead teams are beyond Scroggie Creek Dog Drop.

Jean-Denis Britten (3) became the first to scratch at Pelly Crossing. His team tied as the fastest into Braeburn, and may have run too hard too early in the race.

Becca Moore (22) is the only one still in Pelly Crossing, having arrived early this morning. Becca is on the trail now, and Pelly Crossing is closed.

You can get Race Updates here.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner writes on this year’s reduced prize money:

The Quest purse structure has been revised based on a current purse of $151,000, short of the $200,000 that was paid out last year and planned for this year. If more money is raised before the payout, the following numbers will increase:

First place — revised purse, a minimum of $30,000 (down $5,000 from planned purse); second — $22,000 (down $3,000); third — $18,000 (down $2,000).

For fourth through 15th places, the revised purse is between $1,000-3,000 less per position.

In addition, unlike the past two years, a musher who finishes the race will not receive $1,000 under the revised figures.

Here is a list of the Check Points and Mountains on the trail with their altitudes and the distance from the last Check Point.

Whitehorse 2089 feet [637 meters] Start
Braeburn 2326 feet [709 meters] 100 miles [161 km]
Carmacks 1722 feet [525 meters] 77 miles [124 km]
Pelly Crossing 1558 feet [475 meters] 73 miles [117 km]
King Solomon’s Dome 4002 feet [1220 meters]
Dawson City 1050 feet [320 meters] 202 miles [325 km]
American Summit 3920 feet [1195 meters]
Eagle 880 feet [268 meters] 147 miles [237 km]
Circle City 597 feet [182 meters] 159 miles [256 km]
Central 435 feet [133 meters] 74 miles [119 km]
Eagle Summit 3685 feet [1123 meters]
Rosebud Summit 3640 feet [1109 meters]
Two Rivers 750 feet [229 meters] 115 miles [185 km]
Fairbanks 440 feet [134 meters] 45 miles[72 km] Finish

Total actual distance: 992 miles [1596 kilometers]

[Note that no mention is made of the Border Crossing 3000 feet up the side of the American Summit out of Dawson City where you have to surrender your knitting needles, sippy cups, and chocolate pudding, while handing over the passports for your dogs. In return the Governor of Alaska provides you with a free complimentary Uzi for your use while you are in the state. (I’m kidding, OK, they don’t confiscate knitting needles anymore.)]